Community Tasting Notes 3

• PlanetX wrote: 93 points

  December 11, 2022 - This has evolved into an absolutely seductive wine. Unanimously won a blind tasting of aged Okanagan reds including a couple of Burrowing Owl offerings. At its peak with years to go. Bravo.

  1 person found this helpful Comment

• deBare Likes this wine: 95 points

  November 20, 2021 - I was nervous pulling out this 2007 vintage for my wife’s birthday. Cellaring a BC wine for 10+ years seemed risky at best. Honestly I had just forgotten about the bottle on a bottom shelf where I keep the good stuff.
  At the same time, having met winemaker Robert van Westen personally on a 2011 tour of his Naramata Bench winery, i was optimistic. He literally came out of his vineyards in his overalls to show us around and conduct a tasting. Robert was clearly passionate about his wines, even experimenting at the time with a small 45-bottle “Roman-style” red.
  My optimism was rewarded by an outstanding Merlot that had aged beautifully in the bottle.
  Van Westen’s notes: “Built for ageing with structured, ripe tannins and intensity and complexity. Aromas of cassis, damson plum, burlap, chocolate and orange lead to a full and rich palate of chocolate covered cherry, brown sugar, mineral, sage brush, coffee and cassis.”
  The winemaker said it better than I can. My only regret in hindsight was not buying more bottles of Vivre la Vie.
  Cheers 🍷
  db

  Comment

• PlanetX wrote: 89 points

  June 9, 2013 - This is still a big, intense and tannic wine with a good core of vanilla infused fruit. Will be interested in seeing where this is in a couple of years.

  1 person found this helpful Comments (3)

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Wine Definition

• Vintage 2007
• Type Red
• Producer Van Westen Vineyards
• Varietal Merlot
• Designation Vivre la Vie
• Vineyard n/a
• Country Canada
• Region British Columbia
• SubRegion Okanagan Valley
• Appellation n/a
• UPC Code 626990097266

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 2 (7%)
• Consumed 27 (93%)

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