PALATE PRESS » Kathleen Rake

2007 Tinhorn Creek Merlot – Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Kathleen Rake — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:00:58 +0000

I served Tinhorn Creek’s ’07 South Okanagan Valley Merlot with our grilled hamburgers, homemade rosemary-and-olive-oil tossed chips and coleslaw. On the nose the wine was floral and fruity, with a dusty undertone. On the palate, flavors of berries, dark cherries, and a little cocoa worked well with the smoky goodness of the burgers and savory potatoes. While not terribly complex, this wine is juicy, bright and well balanced. To read more about the wines Kathleen drinks, visit her blog Between the Vines

NV Sumac Ridge Sparkling Rosé – Okanagan Valley, BC

Kathleen Rake — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:00:24 +0000

A blend of 51% Pinot Noir, 30% Gamay Noir, and 19% Ehrenfelser—is a fresh and sassy sparkler, with lots of citrus and berry flavours and a frothy mousse that shouts fun! Each sip left my palate clean and ready for more smoked salmon, cheeses and crunchy fresh veggies with dip. While there certainly was a lot of fruitiness, I didn't get a sense of sweetness with this wine. To read more about this wine, visit Kathleen’s blog post on Between the Vines.

NV Sumac Ridge Sparking Gewürztraminer – Okanagan Valley, BC

Kathleen Rake — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 03:00:30 +0000

When first poured, the wine shared aromas of citrus and tropical fruits, along with floral and honey notes and an exotic spiciness. The palate, however, didn't produce what my nose told me to expect. At all. I got some floral, spice, and citrus on the palate, but the elements didn't come together. I found its sweetness cloying, not in harmony with its acidity and fruit. To read more about this wine, visit Kathleen’s blog post on Between the Vines.

2008 Strut Red Over Heels, Okanagan, British Columbia

Kathleen Rake — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:00:10 +0000

I found plums, blackberries, black olives, and spice on the nose, with plums and ripe cherries on the palate. This simple, pleasant wine is value priced and ready to drink now. It worked just fine with tonight’s meat loaf and would probably match up with any meat dish that wasn’t too rare or rich. Read Kathleen’s full review on her blog Between the Vines

2008 Strut Well-Heeled White, Okanagan, British Columbia

Kathleen Rake — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:00:28 +0000

Lots of tropical fruit and citrus on both the nose and the palate with this entry-level white wine. For the price, it will serve perfectly as that Tuesday-after-work patio wine. And, when someone wants to add ice cubes in the glass or mix it with soda, you won’t flip out. Read Kathleen’s full review on her blog Between the Vines

2004 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Kathleen Rake — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:45:53 +0000

Clocking in at 14% ABV, this wine is a deep ruby red, with just a hint of purple. Floral notes and red fruit mingle on the nose, while more red fruit—especially juicy cherries—well-integrated tannins and an earthiness find their way onto the palate to work perfectly with rich foods like osso bucco. We had no decanter (this wine should be allowed to aerate) so I used my Centellino Areadivino to help the wine open up.

Harvest Report: Okanagan Valley

Kathleen Rake — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:56:56 +0000

This year saw a late spring and bud break followed by a long and hot summer throughout the Okanagan that led to one of the best post-veraison ripening periods the Valley has ever experienced.

2006 La Stella Allegretto

Kathleen Rake — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:35:34 +0000

This Merlot comes from BC’s Okanagan Valley. I found plum, dark berries and rose petal on the nose. On the palate, it had supple tannins and a level of acidity that worked with flavors of plum, dark berries, black cherries and chocolate to provide a long, pleasing finish. I served La Stella Allegretto with barbequed [...]

2008 Le Vieux Pin Sauvignon Blanc

Kathleen Rake — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:34:01 +0000

With partial fermentation in air-dried Billon French oak and the rest in steel tanks, this Okanagan Sauvignon Blanc presents with green grass, citrus and lemon drops on the nose. On the palate, it has citrus, pineapple, green apple and a little vanilla combined with great acid and a finish that hangs around. A super solo [...]

2007 Frescobaldi Castiglioni Chianti DOCG

Kathleen Rake — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:32:04 +0000

This Chianti (which happens to be 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot) was clear and clean, showing a bright ruby (with just a hint of purple) color. On the nose, I found tobacco, spice, sour cherries and cherry pit. In my mouth, the wine was not-quite-medium bodied and supple. It was juicy, with cherries, sour plum, [...]