Osoyoos Larose

[paul mitchell]

Has anyone tried Jackson Trigg's new Osoyoos Larose? I was in Tofino a couple of days ago dining at Shelter and they had it. Read about it in the Victoria Eat magazine while I was chugging Woodford Bourbons. Was going to have a bottle but it was only 5 o'clock and I needed to pace myself for the evening. Any thoughts or tasting notes?

[merlin]

Paul:

I was in Vancouver a couple of weeks ago and ended up deciding to dine Saturday nite at Cru on West Broadway.

They have an interesting wine list and I was surprised to see that the OL wine was being offered by the glass. They were charging a lot for it but the quartet I was part of, all had glasses.

We drank a lot that nite so tasting notes are out of the question

My impresssion was a solid albeit understandably young purple red with rather more restrained tannins than I had expected but with some depth than will likely improve with some time in the bottle. I did not see the bottle so cannot say what the grape varietal percentages were/are.

I say this having tried some Burrowing Owl, Quails Gate, Sumac Ridge and the like reds involving Okanagan Bordeaux varietals which were initially quite thin but seemed to develop if you left them alone.

I liked it but was not overwhelmed. Indeed, opted for the Poplar Grove Cabernet Franc to finish off my cheese....a blue from PG.

At this point I would rather drink Black Hills' Note Bene if you offered me the two but in a couple of years...not sure....

All in all, very good wine given it is the first vintage.

By the way, had lunch in an Earls' here in Edmonton and was astounded to see it being offered by the bottle for $49....yes I know that is not cheap but given its retail price, pretty modest mark-up.

Cheers

[eatbc]

The wine is the product of a joint venture between Vincor (Canada's largest and North America's fourth largest wine producer) and Group Taillion (sorry, not sure about spelling) Bordeaux's largest bottler of AOC Bordeaux wine. The land was cleared near Osoyoos, BC, and vines planted in a modern high density style under the supervision of the french viticulturalist. Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the classic Bordeaux varieties. The intention is to bottle one premium product with this label.

The result is a well-made, well-structured red wine. This is a very impressive wine considering the young age of the vines and the less then average 2001 season. The price of $35 retail is exceptional value, especially considering the travesty of so-called "ultra-premium" BC reds like Ocullus (Mission Hill) and Pinnacle (Sumac Ridge) which sell for around $50.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of BC wines. They present great value at most levels, especially aromatic whites and Pinot Gris. This red, however, raises the bar for reds in BC.

I'll post tasting notes if you want them. By the way, kudos to Cru for offering it by the glass.

[merlin]

Paul/eatbc:

After posting above I did a "google" search on the wine and confirmed that there are some more expansive tasting notes from Gismondi and the like on the Interet.

Also confirmed that this is a traditional merlot [66%], cab sauv [25%] amd cab framc [9%].

As eatbc indicated the producers have also planted malbec and petit verdot, quantities of which will likely be added to future bottlings.

A review would be worth your while just to confirm the variety of tastings confirming how subjective this "activity" can be.

If it was available locally I would probably buy 3 bottles. I to try again right now and the other two to "bury away" for a few years.

[wattacetti]

If it was available locally I would probably buy 3 bottles. I to try again right now and the other two to "bury away" for a few years.

What's "locally" for you? If you are in Alberta (or travel to Calgary), it is available via Kensington Wine Market ($38.99 + GST), though their supply is limited.

By the way, it's a good inaugural vintage. I've had a quick taste of a bottle that had been opened for at least several hours - typical Merlot/Cab bouquet though I found it a bit light. Picked off two bottles just to see how it will do over time, so we'll have to see just how well it does do in the coming years.

[Lancelot]

I saw a small stack of Oysoyoos Larose at Thurlow and Alberni liquor store earlier this week;(it comes in wooden 6 packs). There might still be some there. For what it's worth i thought the wine was a snapshot of what some Bordeaux tasted like 20 years ago,IE Chateau Meyney 1985. Very rustic with the fruit buried really deep, it may come around but i'm not sure. It was also exceedingly floral. Rumour has it that the original working release price was pushing $70.00.

Cheers

BTW Working price for Mission Hill Occulus is $35.99 not $50.00 as stated earlier. Not that the price difference would change my purchasing decision.

[merlin]

What's "locally" for you? If you are in Alberta (or travel to Calgary), it is available via Kensington Wine Market ($38.99 + GST), though their supply is limited.

thanks for the reply...as luck would have it I am currently in Calgary on business and the wine store is just across the river from me...I have another on 8th Ave that I will check on the way back to my hotel but otherwise, I willl give Kensington Wines a shout...thanks again

[M'd]

I have had the fortune of tasting the Osoyoos Larose many times since it's debut a month or two ago.

In my humble opinion:

This is an exciting example of what can come from our terrior!

Although a little wound up and youthful at the moment, it offers a degree of complexity and hosts multiple layers of flavours that I have yet to experience from a Canadian red wine until now.

I find it drinkable if a bit green when decanted.(--ideally the day [yes 24hr] before.)

If I was in posession of some of this new blockbuster from BC I would "lay it down" but with an aggressive decanting technique I feel one can enjoy a glimpse of where this wine might be in a couple of years. It definetly seems to have the characters present to facilitate some prolonged aging.

This wine was obviously crafted by a skilled hand and I beleive this property may hold more in it's depths than just the typical black sage sand.

With wines like this, from people like these, BC's wine future just seems to be getting brighter. With the positive coverage in the Dictator and now a wine that Vincor can parade around to their international cronies we may possibly acheive some world wide recognition afterall.

Cheers,

M'd

[paul mitchell]

M'D:

By "Dictator" do you mean Wine Spectator? Seeing that we are now getting some tasting reviews in there? On Larose my sommelier and I came to the same conclusion of having to lay it down for awhile - very similar to the 02 Nota Bene that just disappears 20 minutes after decanting - I always find it frusterating that when we get in a new vintage or bottle of wine that I haven't tried that there is sometimes no point in even opening it up - for example Mission Hill Occulus 02 (I think) and Calliope Cabernet - I walk past them in the cellar and curse at them.

[Redhead]

I walk past them in the cellar and curse at them.

Cool, does Clayoquot Wilderness Resort have a cellar? I've only been there once and the entire operation was built on a floating barge.... what with the Outpost accommodations added, etc., I guess the resort is really humming now!

[paul mitchell]

Yes we are definetley growing and our cellar is too - we are hoping to build to enough labels that we start to get recognition in wine spectator and other publications as other properties like the Aerie and Sooke Harbour House - we have the cream of the crop of the high end side of all of the B.C. wineries and have selections from all of the island wineries - our american, french and italian reserve cellar is nearing 250 labels - we maintain a selection of over 75 single malt scotches and have been strengthening our vintage port list - it has also been a lot of fun broadening our liquor selection - most notably summer quaffers of unique vermouths, apertifs and out new favorite friend 70% absinthe.

As for the building we have a full service spa, a corporate longhouse facilty and at the outpost a new kitchen / dining facility - it is an exciting place to be.

[M'd]

Paul Mitchell:

Sorry for replying so late but I have been on the trails instead of in front of my computer.--this is a good thing.

Yes, I am referring to the Wine Spectator when I say "the Dicatator".

I am in agreement with yourself and your Sommelier. The Occulus '02 is in a similar state, but I doubt it will offer up the same level of complexity when it's time comes.---I may take a page from your book of cellaring techniques and begin to sware a bit at it when I pass it in it's bin. Maybe I can berate it into prematurely aging a bit. LOL

Your facility sounds like an amazing experience. I have heard great things, and I can think of very few more moving dining experiences than those involving our awesome west coast wilderness and a great bottle of wine.

Cheers,

M'd