The wine tasting at Black Hills Estate Winery’s Wine Experience Centre is more personalized than you would expect. Instead of a crowded tasting bar, all of the tastings here take place in a relaxed table setting with spectacular vineyard and mountain views. A trained sommelier will attend to your table to talk about each wine and answer any of your questions. It’s an extremely tailor-made experience that visitors can appreciate entirely at their own pace regardless of your experience level with wine. In fact, many people who are new to wine find it a fun and easy way to learn the basics of wine tasting!
There are currently three different tasting options available from which you can choose. The “Introductory Tastings” involves three wines – the Alibi (a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon), the Chardonnay, and the Syrah. The “Portfolio Tasting” includes all six wines produced by Black Hills and includes the extremely rare single variety Carmenere along with the perennial star of the show, the flagship red Nota Bene. If one vintage of the Nota Bene isn’t enough, the “Vertical Flight” tasting includes four of the most recent vintages of this stunning Bordeaux-style wine that remains a cult favourite in BC even after 14 vintages.
September 1st is the official release date for the new 2012 Syrah. An aromatic and complex wine, this vintage of Syrah has all the flavours and elegant textures of a superbly crafted quality red. As the harvest commences this year, visitors to the Wine Experience Centre will have a front row seat for the action as the 2014 vintage of Syrah grapes are picked from the vineyard within sight of their tables.
On October 4th, a special vertical tasting of 15 years of Nota Bene will take place at the winery. 14 vintages in bottles dating back to 1999 are part of the tasting along with a preview tasting of a barrel sample of the 2013, which is due for release in the spring of 2015.
Along with the wine experiences, visitors can also experience the culinary delights of Joy Road Catering’s Kitchen in the Vineyard. Featuring a full menu from 11:30 to 4:30 Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, guests are able to dine steps away from the vines.
~ Luke Whittall