The dramatic downpours of November are firmly underway. While we still enjoy our whites, especially to sip on while cooking, this week two reds really stood out. At $18, the 1884 Reservado malbec offers more than its share of ripe cherry and dark plum fruits, with plenty of spicy white pepper to delight the olfactory palate. A group of four will go through a bottle in a flash, so better have another handy.
And, at $25, an Okanagan merlot that is simply outstanding, right at the head of the class with only a few others. It is Quails’ Gate merlot, and in this 25th anniversary year for the winery, this bottle alone is reason enough to celebrate. The wine is bursting with rich, almost decadent maraschino cherry and chocolate, introduced by a fulsome blueberry attack, and finishing with light cigar smoke notes. A complete success.
