Some call it Valley palate, some even dub it cellar palate.
It's the phenomenon of drinking only Okanagan wines, or just wines of a particular Okanagan winery, for an extended period of time.
Your palate gets used to those wines and you begin to think that's the only way wine should taste.
Well, it's not the only way.
In fact, while I love and appreciate Okanagan wines, every once in a while I have to have an international bottle just to remind me that wines are made in different styles of different varietals (and taste great) all over the planet.
So, give your taste buds a trip around the world to discover some new wines.
You can always come back to Okanagan wines with newfound appreciation and knowledge.
The following 10 wines from five countries -- three old-world and two new-world -- are a great place to start.
My wife, Kerry, and I have already test driven them, on our own and with company.
- Portillo Rose 2023 ($14) from Argentina
A light and juicy pink from Malbec that pairs well with a patio and-or pizza and-or salad Nicoise
- Gerard Bertrand Orange Gold 2020 ($33) from France
Extra skin contact on white grapes at the start of fermentation turns the resulting wine orange and textural.
I've never really been a fan of orange wines, but this one is interesting and can pair with a pasta in cream sauce.
- Greywacke 2022 Sauvignon Blanc ($38) from New Zealand
My sister-in-law from England, Joanne, loved this 'Sauvy B' for its peach=honeysuckle-ginger profile.
Paired beautifully with the seared scallops.
- Casa Santos Pitch White (Branco) ($16) from Portugal
You don't have to be a golfer (the 'pitch' name is a nod to the golf shot and there's a golfer on the label) to appreciate this approachable white (branco) wine.
- Casa Santo Pitch Red (Tinto) ($16) from Portugal
Same goes for the tinto.
- Uma Malbec 2023 ($23) from Argentina
Big and bold from the New World country that made Malbec its signature red.
- Crianza Rioja Vina Real 2019 ($25) from Spain
Big and bold, but from the Old World.
A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo.
- Chateau Daviaud 2020 ($19) from France
Classic red Bordeaux from a blend of Cabernet Franc and Malbec.
- Château Haut Bel-Air 2019 ($21) from France
Another ideal example of red Bordeaux from its homeland.
This one, a blend of mostly Merlot with some Malbec.
- Joseph Drouhin 2020 Pinot Noir ($36) from France
To another famed French wine region -- Burgundy -- for this signature Pinot with aromas and flavours of cherry, cranberry and earth.
Duck pate on a cracker or pork in a mushroom sauce are ideal pairings.
No. 2 winery in Canada
Hot on the heels of South East Kelowna's SpearHead announcing it won 'winery of the year' at the 2024 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada, Meyer Family Vineyards has revealed it came in second.
"This is a huge accomplishment and we are so proud of our winemaking and viticulture team, especially our winemaker Chris Carson," said JAK Meyer, who owns the winery with his wife, Janice.
Meyer's 'No. 2 winery in Canada' placing is thanks to a 12 medal haul -- two platinum, six gold, two silver and two bronze for the multiple Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays it makes along with a Gewurztraminer.
A total of 230 wineries from across Canada entered wines in the competition.
Steve MacNaull is a NowMedia Group reporter, Okanagan wine lover and Canadian Wine Scholar. Reach him at [email protected]. His wine column appears every Friday afternoon in this space.
