The newly released Tinhorn Creek 2015 chardonnay ($20) is almost startling because it is so fresh, vibrant, and delicious. But surprise should not really be in the discussion anymore. Proprietor Sandra Oldfield and her team of two Andrews, winemaker Windsor and viticulturist Moon, seem to go from triumph to triumph. This wine is superb company for any delicate seafood dish, or for simple fireside sipping pleasure. Great to see what the Okanagan is doing on such a sustained, regular basis.
From Italy, the great Feudi San Gregorio Taurasi ($50) shows what heights the aglianico grape can ascend to. All kinds of juicy, brooding dark fruits, and hints of tar; at this current time it shows a bit of its oak aging, something that will leave off its spicy notes in a year or two, replacing them with a bit of chocolate, plums, and even black pepper. Complexity, length, a generous wine suitable for any grilled meat, or a stew you braised all day, knowing you would need to watch the Blue Jays finish their season or the Canucks begin theirs, instead of cooking.
