There is an actual Road 13 in the south Okanagan. The amazing desert sub-climate and the soils around make for some great wines, and in the case of red wines, fully ripe fruit. Before the red, though, open a bottle of properly chilled Road 13 Stemwinder, $17, a delightful blend dominated by chardonnay, marsanne, and some roussanne. Fruit is sourced from Cawston and Black Sage Bench as well as the Golden Mile. Peaches and pear wind around a nice vanilla note, this is luscious and food friendly. For the red wine, the Seventy-Four K, $25, is dominated by merlot and syrah, mainly from the Black Sage Bench but also from Cawston and the Golden Mile. Ripe, rich dark fruits, like blackberries and even prunes, wrapped around some pleasant chocolate and violet notes make this an intriguing wine, with fine tannins and great structure.
