Anthony Gismondi: Miss American red wines? Try these B.C. bottles instead

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• More reds fit the bill, but space will only let us name them: Burrowing Owl Meritage, CedarCreek Platinum Haynes Creek Syrah, Corcelettes Talus, Checkmate End Game Merlot, Culmina Hypothesis, Hillsdie Mosaic, Mission Hill Quatrain, Nk’Mip Qwam Qwmt Syrah, Orofino Red Bridge Red, Poplar Grove The Legacy, Road 13 John Oliver 5th Element, Roche Chateau and Tinhorn Creek The Creek.

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Weekend Wine Picks

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Clos du Soleil Célestiale 2022, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia

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$29.90 | 90/100

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UPC: 857088000527

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Célestiale has always been a lighter, early-drinking Clos du Soleil red wine, with one foot in Bordeaux tradition and one foot in the wild, windy Similkameen. The ’22 is a nice jump up in quality over the ’21. It is an unabashed Bordeaux blend mixing 44 per cent Merlot, 25 per cent Cabernet Franc, 22 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, five per cent Malbec and four per cent Petit Verdot. The fruit is fresh and ripe, with raspberry and blackberry blended seamlessly in concrete to preserve it. Richer beef or lamb dishes work here. Good value.

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Black Hills Nota Bene 2023, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

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$70 | 91/100

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UPC: 058976502981

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The ’23 vintage blends 37/35/28 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc; the ’25 vintage is the last from vines pulled after the deep freeze in 2024. The Black Sage Bench base offered a dry, savoury nose, a mid-palate of black and ripe red fruit, and a smoky finish. The tannins are dense but sweet and will continue to integrate over time. It is still a baby and will reward patience through 2028.

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Hester Creek The Judge 2022, Golden Mile Bench, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

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$52 | 92/100

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UPC: 626990112235

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The Judge is crafted from old vines dating back to 1968 that shone brightly in 2022. Winemaker Mark Hopley has refined the blend, oak regimen and overall freshness, with its silky texture perhaps its best attribute. The blend includes 47 per cent Merlot, 34 per cent Cabernet Franc, 17 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 1 per cent each Petit Cerdot and Malbec. It is fresher and tighter, with refined black fruit, savoury dried spices, and cedar that blend into a polished symphony.

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Laughing Stock Vineyards Portfolio +2110 2022, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

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$55 | 91/100

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UPC: 850451002104

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The ’22 edition celebrates Portfolio’s 20th anniversary. It has a fragrant nose similar to Napa reds, with black cherry, cocoa powder, cedar, pipe tobacco, and sweet oak on the palate. The wine features good structure and texture, and is surprisingly drinkable despite its youth. The blend consists of 51 per cent Merlot, 29 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 per cent Cabernet Franc, six per cent Malbec, and 4 per cent Petit Verdot.

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Osoyoos Larose 2022, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

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$60 | 94/100

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UPC: 871610001554

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A large team stands behind this wine, including renowned Bordeaux consultant Éric Boissenot, who helps blend for structure, restraint, ageability, and a sense of place, namely the Osoyoos Bench in the South Okanagan. The blend is a 74/14/7/4/1 mix of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec (the Cabernet Sauvignon has been increased to add structure now that global warming makes it easier to ripen every year). Osoyoos Larose has long been known as one of Canada’s best wines to cellar, and the ’22 will be no exception.