feature / Rod Phillips / Pinot Noir in Canada


Closson Chase Vineyards South Clos Pinot Noir 2020 Prince Edward County


A lovely wine in the sweet spot of the Pinot Noir style spectrum, this delivers layered, well-defined fruit that’s paired with finely calibrated acidity. It’s relentlessly dry without being astringent and has fine, easygoing tannins. | 93


Cave Spring Vineyards Dolomite Pinot Noir 2020 Beamsville Bench


Lying somewhere between resolutely dry and mildly astringent, this is a lovely wine that shows a spectrum of cherry flavors accented with spices. The clean seam of acidity sharpens the tone of the fruit and adds juiciness to the texture, while the tannins are fine-grained and drying. | 93


Quails’ Gate Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir 2020 Okanagan Valley


A delicious, medium-weight Pinot Noir that shows plush fruit (rich cherry, spices) reined in by bright and perfectly balanced acid. The texture is generous and smooth, and the tannins are quite firm but easily managed. | 93


Vignoble Les Pervenches Pinot Noir 2021 Quebec


A classic, lighter style of Pinot Noir, with well-defined and nicely nuanced flavors, including red berries, dried fruit, and herbs. The acidity is bright, slightly ahead of the fruit, but it’s well balanced and very satisfying. | 93


Tightrope Winery Rubis Pinot Noir 2020 Naramata Bench


An impressive medium-weight Pinot Noir that delivers remarkable flavor complexity, centered on red cherries and herbs. The seam of bright, clean, juicy acidity is perfectly tailored to the fruit, and the tannins are relaxed. | 93


Blue Grouse Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2019 Cowichan Valley Vancouver Island


In a lighter style that does not skimp on flavor, this Pinot Noir shows gorgeous, layered fruit flavors centered on red cherry and berries and paired with perfectly balanced acidity. It’s resolutely dry, with light, smooth tannins. | 93


Moraine Estate Winery Reserve Pinot Noir 2020 Okanagan Valley


This is a barrel-selection that shows quite elegant flavors, mainly red fruit, and a fruit/acid balance that’s very well calibrated. There’s attractive juiciness in the texture, and the tannins give a dry finish. | 93


Stanners Vineyard Narrow Rows Pinot Noir 2020 Prince Edward County


This very attractive wine shows fairly concentrated flavors of dark fruit within a framework of restrained intensity. The acid is bright and assertive and balanced with the fruit, and the tannins are drying, with a gentle grip. | 93


1 Mill Road Winery Block 2 Pinot Noir 2020 Naramata Bench


Almost a textbook Pinot Noir, this very attractive wine delivers a complex flavor profile largely of sweet and sour cherries with top notes of spice. The acid is perfectly bespoke to the fruit, and the tannins are fine-grained and moderate in grip. | 93


Rosehall Run Vineyards Pinot Noir 2020 Prince Edward County


A classic Pinot Noir style in many respects. The aroma is perfumed, and the complex palate is all about cherries, herbs, and spices. The acidity is bright, juicy, and balanced, and the tannins have structure and a silky texture. | 92


Cedar Creek Estate Winery Home Block Platinum Series Pinot Noir 2020 Okanagan Valley


A weightier style of Pinot Noir, with quite concentrated and layered flavors of dark fruit, spice, and smoke. The generous, fleshy texture is lightened by the clean, well-calibrated acidity, and the tannins are slightly grippy and drying. | 92


Stag’s Hollow Winery Renaissance Pinot Noir 2020 Okanagan Falls


Almost full-bodied, this is a plush expression of Pinot Noir that delivers quite concentrated fruit, with the focus on red cherries and berries with a side of spice. The bright acidity adds juiciness to the texture, and the tannins are fine-grained and relaxed. | 92


Blomidon Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2020 Nova Scotia


The attack is a burst of bracing acidity, and fruit kicks in almost instantly. A well-defined profile of tart cherry and red berries, with dried-fruit accents. This is a translucent, light-bodied, savory Pinot Noir that speaks to a resolutely cool climate. | 92


Blasted Church Vineyards Pinot Noir 2021 Okanagan Valley


The flavor profile exhibits a very attractive combination of red and dark cherry, with notes of herbs and spice, with the fruit paired with well-balanced although quite forward acidity. Fine-grained, drying tannins complete the picture. | 92


Megalomaniac Wines Reserve Pinot Noir 2021 Twenty Mile Bench


Quite elegant in style, this Pinot Noir shows fairly concentrated and focused flavors of sweet, dark cherry, balanced by lovely, clean acid that complements the fruit and contributes juiciness to the texture. The tannins are well structured, with a gentle grip. | 92


138 | THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 79 | 2023


Photography courtesy of Blomidon Estate


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