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Tastings: June 2026
05 June 2026
90PTS
Tantalus Riesling Lab Hard Pressings Experiment 15 2025
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe Tantalus Lab series shines a light on the harvest crew, who often come from around the world. Winemaker David Patterson gives them the challenge of making their own wine from the leftover hard pressings from the annual Riesling harvest. The label is designed to explore non-traditional expressions of Riesling, focusing on "hard pressings" yielding juice extracted at higher pressure, which is typically richer in phenolics and texture. Production is very limited and often sold direct-to-consumer or wine club only. This 2025 trades elegance for some extra mid-palate weight and a more rustic texture. It is finished in an off-dry style that covers any bitterness from the pressings and, all in all, is pretty delicious. Much better than the previous version in my estimation. This would be a fine match for any dish that brings a medium measure of spice to the dinner table.Prices:| BC | $21.75 | 750ml |
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91PTS
Tantalus Riesling 2025
East Kelowna Slopes, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada2025 marked a return to some normalcy in BC vineyards, and at Tantalus, this riesling, a blend of clone 21B (75%) and clone 49 (25%), is proof in the glass. The fruit is a mix of estate plantings, now more than two decades old, and a nearby site in the East Kelowna Slopes. It presents as a touch riper than in previous years, with attractive lime blossom, grapefruit, and even pineapple. It is just off-dry in feel despite its 14.9 g/L of residual sugar, because, as winemaker David Patterson says, "the fruit is self-balancing," with the residual sugar working its way into an explosion of acid tension. Chalk, lemons, minerals, citrus, and peach rule the palate and the finish. A masterpiece in simplicity and a star with food. This will age effortlessly under screwcap, too.Prices:| BC | $30.99 | 750ml |
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91PTS
Lightning Rock Riesling 2025
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaLightning Rock continues to refine what is a taut, electric version of BC Riesling, coming off the Naramata Bench just across, as the crow flies, on Okanagan Lake. The core is bright lemon, with a hint of sugar gobbled up by the acidity as it moves across the palate, finishing perfectly balanced. Both stony and mineral, it sits on the dry to barely off-dry spectrum, with a delicious saline edge that carries through to a long, precise finish. Transparent, energetic, and quietly complex, favouring finesse over power. All that at 10.6 degrees of alcohol is a beautiful thing.Prices:| BC | $25.00 | 750ml |
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89PTS
Culmina Family Estate Decora Riesling 2025
Golden Mile Bench, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaDecora is certified organic and grown at 595 metres above sea level on Margaret's Bench, one of the highest vineyard sites in BC. It is essentially dry, with a mix of quince, petrol, and honey. Another Riesling suited to the dinner table, combining quince and petrol in a medium-rich texture. The finish has a touch of flinty minerality that leans it out. I like our previous match again this year: braised pork belly bao buns topped with fresh cucumber, radish, and cilantro.Prices:| BC | $24.99 | 750ml |
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87PTS
Nk'Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Riesling 2025
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThis first edition of the Qwam Qwmt we have seen may have overreached a bit. The nose is muted, and the palate follows with watery, green apple and a short finish. Larger corps were an issue, causing some dilution, and it looks like this is what is happening here. It is also a drier version of the grape that basically lacks charm.Prices:| BC | $32.00 | 375ml |
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90PTS
Terravista En Terre Riesling 2025
Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe nose is full of grapefruit and stonefruit that spills onto the palate, with more pear dusted with a hint of lime rind. It is crisp and fresh, with just the right amount of residual sugar, beautifully balanced by the acidity and minerality throughout. Again, a style we do so well in BC that deserves so much more support than it gets from local chefs and restaurants. The fruit is hand harvested from the two separate blocks at the 107 acre Storm Haven Vineyard, located in Okanagan Falls: Gold Digger and Boulders Blocks. The grapes were whole cluster pressed and fermented for 18 days, then blended and aged in steel.Prices:| BC | $30.00 | 750ml |
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89PTS
Upper Bench Riesling 2025
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe '25 riesling has moved to the estate tier at Upper Bench and is a shining example of the 2025 vintage. The nose is bright and fresh, with honey and crunchy red apples. Similar notes mingle in the juicy, easy sipping midpalate, with hints of honey and a mineral, wet stone finish. It was a generous vintage, and it is a generous riesling that will be perfect to serve all summer with a wide variety of appetizers on the deck, especially anything with a bit of spice.Prices:| BC | $30.00 | 750ml |
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91PTS
Lunessence Estate Single Vineyard Riesling 2025
Summerland Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThis Summerland estate fruit is 50% destemmed and 50% whole bunch fermented, then aged on its lees for five months. The result is a fabulous, juicy white wine that dances across the palate with citrus, red apple, lime cordial, and pear from front to back. As before, it is on the verge of being mouthwatering, begging to be served either on a warm patio with appetizers or at the dinner table. This is a style few countries can make, and we need more of it.Prices:| BC | $26.99 | 750ml |
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90PTS
Bartier Bros. Riesling 2023
Thompson Valley, British Columbia, CanadaBartier had no idea of the challenges that lay ahead for his vineyards while he was crafting this wine ahead of the winter of 2023-24, but this 2023 is a window into his precision and style as a winemaker. It's a lip smacking, zero sugar, citrus laced lemon bomb that is about as taut and clean as most palates can stand without a plate full of freshly shucked oysters. Stony, bony, and clean, this is Bartier purity at its best. Not for the timid, but rewarding for the curious riesling lover.Prices:| BC | $24.99 | 750ml |
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88PTS
Four Shadows Classic Riesling 2025
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe Classic is a straightforward off-dry riesling with an appealing 9.9% alcohol. The nose is modest, and the palate lacks intensity, but there is enough residual sugar to keep most drinkers interested in it as a well chilled summer sipper. Is this another victim of overproduction in a vintage whose size caught some growers off guard? It is ready to drink now. Taco chips and a mild salsa would make a fine match.Prices:| BC | $26.00 | 750ml |
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