WTN: 2002 Osoyoos Larose

[Jenise]

This is a British Columbian wine heralded, upon entry into the market (the 02 was either the first or second vintage), as The Next Big Thing in high class Canadian wine owing to a partnership with a venerable Bordeaux house. At least I think that's the story. Opened this first bottle last night: great nose, but on the palate dry underripe blackberry notes with a starchy flavor much like brown paper bags and red clay tiles. I've run into this in a number of BC reds--the first marechal foch I remember tasting had that, too. I took it to a party and poured it for a number of people, and where it wasn't undrinkable it just wasn't a pleasant drink, but a large dollop of a fruity California Souverain cabernet added back what the Osoyoos was missing. I don't know where this is going from here, but I don't sense that there's any reason to hold one's breath that it's going to improve--the fruit needed just doesn't seem to be here.

I thought these BC fruit bombs were for early drinking!!!! Where is Bob McD when you need him?

[Jenise]

The Osoyoos is not and was never intended to be a fruit bomb, but a true attempt at making a serious Bordeaux style wine. Seattle retailer Garagiste has put young bottles in tastings with First Growths etc, and from their reports it scores very very well every time (which of course has nothing to do with how it ages, which is the whole point of Bordeaux, BUT). But I don't think this 02 was one they did that with, more likely 04 or 05 which I've been told are finally starting to show some of the promise the earlier bottlings (like this) failed at.

In my experience, this result is a fair reflection of the broader BC (and Canadian) wine quality. There have been several companies (e.g., Osoyoos Larose, Note Bene) that have come on the scene with much fanfair and hoopla, an accompanying high price tag for a wine with no history and very young vines, and have left me puzzled after several years of cellaring. I hasten to add I have very few Canadian wines in my cellar, as I have usually been disappointed, but I do try a few from winery visits and friends' cellars.

I just tried some wines from the Ontario media darling, Le Clos Jordanne, another partnership between a French company (Boisset in Burgundy) and a major Canadian wine company, and they came up with the same media splash and relatively high prices for young vines with no history. The wines were actually pretty good, and I bought a mid level chardonnay and pinot noir to try in a few years just to see what they are like. But I'm not sure they match the media frenzy. I think Canadians are so hungry for a great Canadian wine, they sometimes get ahead of themselves.

I have tried 3 vintages of the Osoyoos Larose, and have always thought it a reasonable table wine in the B/B+ range, but I've never thought it reached the heights it should have, given the pedigree and price. Again, this is a microcosm of the experience I've had with 'premium' BC wine in general.

.

I have tried 3 vintages of the Osoyoos Larose, and have always thought it a reasonable table wine in the B/B+ range, but I've never thought it reached the heights it should have, given the pedigree and price. Again, this is a microcosm of the experience I've had with 'premium' BC wine in general.

I had a couple of bottles of this wine about 2 years ago... I agree completely. A reasonable table wine in the bourdeux style but nothing special. You could do easily do better at a lower price assuming that you didn't add value for it coming from Canada.

Glenn

Jenise,

The 02 was the second vintage of Osoyoos Larose. I've been buying their wines since the 02 vintage (can't find the 01 anymore...). I agree with you, it is one of my favourite go to wines from BC. More balanced than Fruit bomb, shows more like Bordeaux than CA, which is against many of the cultish producers in the area. Being in MA, it takes a bit to buy these but I've got a vertical that reachs back to 03.

I showed these off one day (along wih a bunch of other BC wines, Le Vieux Pin, Mission Hill, Nik Mip, Poplar Grove, Road 13, etc, to in the trade people and the Osoyoos surprised many many people (as did the others). Not cheap but not expensive at around $45 CDN in Toronto, it is one of the wines that I intend to keep a vert on to see its change.

Interesting "thread".

I have the '02, '03 and a couple of '04 in the bsmt and quite enjoy Osoyoos Larose if not the price. Do not recollect if it was '05 that we last drank and did not think to make notes.

I may track down a bottle to have with a New Year's dinner of roast "beast". Definitely prefer the O-L to Nota Bene which I still cannot get past the green bell pepper vegetal characterisistics which makes me think it has a large % of unripe cab franc which is not supported by what is said on the label.

Speaking of cab franc, am really enjoying Tinhorn Creek's '07 release of this varietal which heretofore I have avoided apart from Poplar Grove which is extortionately high priced here in Alberta if one can find it.

I just happened to be in Victoria in October when the wine write in the "Grope and Flail" gave it a good review and I wandered down to the VQA store on Broughton and acquired their first bottle tucked behind their remaining bottles of the previous vintage.

[Jenise]

Interesting "thread".

I have the '02, '03 and a couple of '04 in the bsmt and quite enjoy Osoyoos Larose if not the price. Do not recollect if it was '05 that we last drank and did not think to make notes.

I may track down a bottle to have with a New Year's dinner of roast "beast". Definitely prefer the O-L to Nota Bene which I still cannot get past the green bell pepper vegetal characterisistics which makes me think it has a large % of unripe cab franc which is not supported by what is said on the label.

Speaking of cab franc, am really enjoying Tinhorn Creek's '07 release of this varietal which heretofore I have avoided apart from Poplar Grove which is extortionately high priced here in Alberta if one can find it.

I just happened to be in Victoria in October when the wine write in the "Grope and Flail" gave it a good review and I wandered down to the VQA store on Broughton and acquired their first bottle tucked behind their remaining bottles of the previous vintage.

Mike and Bob, I actually have a vertical of this going, I have every vintage since 02. What's funny about that is that the only one I've tasted was the 02 (now and on release) and I don't actually give a fig about owning verticals. It's just that in this case, offers to buy it have shown up on my virtual doorstep and made it easy to acquire them at around $29 each time. So I've got 02 thru 06.

As for the Nota Bene, I agree it has green bell pepper but I actually like. And a few years ago a dearly departed friend of ours brought a 99 NB to a Bordeaux tasting--and guess what, it passed. That is, it got by both me and Bill Spohn who was also present and is more expert in Bordeaux than I am, and was among our favorites for the night. As a result I own four vintages of that, though the price hikes may mean I stop buying. In the $30's okay, but in the 50's? Can't justify it. As John said, these wines aren't world class yet, and for that kind of money you CAN buy world class wine.

Great to see you here Bob McD. Hope you had a nice Xmas, lots of doggie walkies? Miss seeing you around you-knows-where!

Jenise:

$29? Yikes, I think the last bottle I purchased was up around the $54 to $56 range. I just paid $40 for their purported second label, Petalles de Osoyoos to have with some roast "beast" this evening and the same again for a merlot from Jeff Martin at LaFrenz.

Have a happy New Year.

Same to you "Doris". Has been too cold to wander over to DeVines and I can never find parking on the way home. Maybe in the New Year.