2007 Stoneboat Pinot Noir

Last night I opened a bottle of 2007 Stoneboat Pinot Noir.  Stoneboat has been one of my favourite wineries to visit in the south Okanagan Valley.  And their wines are consistently some of my favourites.

One of the things that always catches my eye is their distinct labels and bottle shape.  The picture here doesn’t show the shape of the bottle very well, but it’s definitely unique.  The diameter gets larger as you move up the bottle, and just above the label it cuts back in to form the neck.

According to their website (click HERE), a stoneboat is a sled used to remove heavy stones and was “originally used to clear our home vineyard of its abundant river rocks.”  They chose the name because “a stoneboat is representative of qualities that we value: hard work, tradition and perseverance.”

I find their wines to be very smooth but with lot’s of flavour.  They always have a distinct oak flavour that is unique to their wines.  A couple of years ago, the wine that really caught my attention was their pinotage.  And this past year as well.

This pinot noir didn’t disappoint either.  I highly recommend either of these wines if you ever have the chance to pick one up.

2007 Gehringer Brothers Private Reserve Pinot Noir

I bought this bottle last year at the winery when I visited in May.  Seems to be a bit of a trend, I know.  In any case, I have not had a lot of experience with Gehringer Brothers wines.  But I was impressed with this one when I visited their winery last year.  I have found some of their wines to be a little bit soft for my taste.  However, this one was different.

I found the wine very enjoyable and easy to drink.  When I’m excited to try a wine I haven’t had before, I tend to save it until after dinner so that nothing gets in the way.  For some wines, this isn’t they greatest idea (as the flavours sometimes need some accompaniment); however, this wine was great on its own.  Next time I’m up there,  I’ll be sure to pick up a couple more bottles of their Private Reserve line.