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2022 Syrah Cuvée Violette
92 points
For many years Cuvée Violette lives up to its floral moniker, with an abundance of perfumed violets and irises. Though the 1% viognier of previous vintages has now been dropped, this continues with its alluring charms. In 2022, the Syrah came off the south Okanagan’s Crowley Vineyard, Deadman Lake Vineyard, and Le Grand Pin. After a ferment in concrete and stainless, this rested 15 months in older French oak barrels and foudre (77%) and 23% in concrete. Fragrant violets, wild blueberries, and blackberries flow throughout this medium-bodied red, with long, fine tannins housing the lifted fruit, and a dusting of red and black pepper seasoning the finish. There’s a lovely poise and delicacy here, atypical of South Okanagan reds, but not of winemaker Severine Pinte.
2022 Syrah Cuvée Violette
92 points
Cuvée Violette continues to evolve and impress, becoming more serious for the price, albeit with all the fun you could want drinking syrah. 2022 is a complete syrah from its floral violet and blueberry to its meaty, licorice, black olive, savoury, peppery, sagebrush notes, met with silky smooth, dense tannins. I appreciate the freshness and tangy acidity that brightens the mid-palate and keeps the finish lively. This is more than ready to drink, but if you have a cellar, it is also worth laying a few bottles away. Classic Severine Pinte.
2022 Syrah Cuvée Violette
91 points
This is a leaner yet so precise expression of Okanagan syrah in an excellent vintage, that began very cool then picked up heat toward harvest. There is an energy and tension, with lower alcohol (moderate 13%) good acidity and fine yet mildly edgy tannin. The nose is cooler clime classic syrah with typical red cherry (not black), sage, pepper and smoked meat. With aeration some florals emerge. There is a sense of contained rawness and authenticity I really like here – very BC. The length is very good. I wanted more but it fits the price tier. I would buy as much as you can afford and age this over the next five years.
2023 Vaïla Rosé
This pale salmon shaded rose is dry, well textured and shows very good length.[…] The nose is quite complex with a compote of red fruits – rhubarb, currant and strawberry – very typical of pinot noir rose. There is also a subtle, odd meaty/charcuterie note. It is medium weight with good flavour intensity and very good to excellent length. This will be best enjoyed with food rather than as a patio charmer.
2023 Sauvignon Blanc
91 points
Located near Oliver, Le Vieux Pin is focused on provocative white blends of Roussanne, and expressive red wines from Syrah and Marsanne and Viognier. But wine lovers shouldn’t overlook this stylish expression of sauvignon blanc made from vineyards in the South Okanagan. A blend of tank- and barrel-fermented wines, this is really refreshing with intense citrusy and earthy notes that carry through to a lingering finish. Drink now to 2027.
2019 Équinoxe Merlot
93 points
The last time I tasted this wine was the 2016 vintage, and I remarked that we need more, and we still do. Equinoxe Merlot, a specific block of 25+ year old vines, mid slopes at the south end of the Golden Mile Bench, is a powerful expression of this much-maligned grape. There is 19 percent new oak for support, but it doesn’t need much help. Winemaker Severine Pinte’s has a quieter, drier French style that suits the site and grape. Plums and blackberries coat the palate with streaky cedar and minerals, with a dash of cocoa. This wine will only get better through 2030. Lamb is today’s ticket while we wait for it to reach total harmony.
2023 Sauvignon Blanc
89 points
Winemaker Severine Pinte was inspired to make this wine, having tasted the wines of the late legendary Loire winemaker Didier Dagueneau. Grassy grapefruit marks the nose and spills onto the palate, with a citrus herby undercurrent running through its leesy mid-palate and finish. Dry with a touch of bitterness, it is built for local shellfish. The wine is aged for 6 months on its lees and regularly stirred in a mix of 43% stainless steel tanks, 15% French barriques, and 42% larger (puncheon) barrels. Delicious and ready to drink.
2023 Sauvignon Blanc
90 points
Inspired by the late legendary Loire winemaker Didier Dagueneau, this sauvignon blanc rested 6 months on lees in a mix of 43% stainless, 15% French barrels, and 42% puncheons, with regularly diminishing bâtonnage. Crunchy grapefruit, greengage, and lime blossom are lined with a fine lees bed and shaped with grapefruit rind along a slender palate, finishing with a citrus twist. Very stylish, and moreish. 599 cases.
2022 Sauvignon Blanc
First taste of 2022 from our local vineyards – and what a fresh zippy start. I wasn’t so convinced on Sauvignon Blanc in British Columbia until recently but Le Vieux Pin is further proof. Scents of elderflower and green herbs with a leesy accent. The palate is racy yet creamy and packed with lime pith and grapefruit all at a refreshingly modest 11% abv. It screams spring sipping.
2019 Syrah Cuvée Violette
93 points
Michaela Morris (MW candidate and Decanter Magazine writer) had Syrah Cuvee Violette as one of her top 10 wines of the year in 2022.
Le Vieux Pin crafts three Syrahs each highlighting a different aspect of the grape – Cuvée Violette an ode to the grape’s elegant, floral side. It is also consistently one of BC’s best-value Syrahs. Winemaker Severine Pinte ferments at low temperatures for a gentle extraction and the wine ages in a combination of stainless steel, concrete and French oak allowing the brightness and freshness of plum and raspberry fruit to take centre stage. Nuanced by herbs and violet and framed with fine tannins, the 2019 is a gorgeous mid-weight charmer.
2020 Syrah Cuvée Violette
95 points
A beautifully composed, medium bodied wine with all the elements in balance. Gorgeous red fruit with savoury tones
2020 Syrah Cuvée Violette
96 points
Opens with a medley of black and red forest berries. Medium bodied, with good freshness and vibrancy excellent well-structured tannins and a long persistent finish. Andrea Pritzker MW -96 points
2019 Syrah Cuvée Classique
92 points
This is the big brother to Violette, mostly from the Le Verger vineyard (used to be known as Airfield, due to the vineyard’s slightly elevated location on a small bench underneath the Osoyoos airport). This year’s Cuvée Classique comes 73% off Osoyoos Lake District and 27% off Black Sage Bench, with 19 months in French oak barrels and puncheons (35% new). Sultry dark blackberry, black plum are imbued with baking spices and downy violets running the length of the fuller palate, housed by ample, well-integrated tannins and lit with a grapefruit pith acidity. Dark cocoa and espresso is woven throughout, and the finish lingers with cracked black pepper. Very complete. A brooding, structural style drinking smartly now, and with time ahead.
2019 Équinoxe Syrah
93 points
Equinoxe is the flagship syrah of LVP. This comes from a few sites in the southern Okanagan, and vines nearing 20 years. This year sees 97% syrah, 3% viognier, with 19 months in French barrel (36% new) before bottling unfined. This masterful, structural red is entirely in balance, with rivers of wild blackberry, black cherry, espresso, iron, and cracked peppercorn. Tannins are long and fine, and acidity is easily matching the Southern Okanagan weight. The finish lingers with luring violets and bacon fat. Savoury and confident, this is drinking beautifully now and with time ahead. 199 cases.
2019 Équinoxe Syrah
94 Points
Consistently well made and at the top of the BC syrah mix, Équinoxe is all about balance: equal day, equal night; an equal heat of the day, the equal cold of the night leading to an equal New World, Old World style. As good as 2017 was, this is equally fine, if not even more elegant, despite having so much density and length on the palate. The balance is perfect, making it a joy to drink, and I know that kind of balance spells a long life in the bottle, meaning more and more complexity. The flavours are desert scrub, licorice, pepper, and savoury dried herbs mixed with ripe, dense, dark black fruit. The source is a mix of South Okanagan Valley sub-appellations, again honouring the adage that the whole is greater than its parts.
2019 Syrah Cuvée Violette
90 points
La Violette has been considered the benchmark in more affordable BC syrah for the past handful of years, thanks to the deft winemaking of Severine Pinte who emigrated from the south of France to the Okanagan several years ago. She is combining viticultural know-how and winemaking acuity to create syrahs that capture the grape to a tee, with a structural and winemaking sensibility that the French have mastered. There is a weave, complexity and balance that is very fine, if just a bit Euro rustic rather than New World glossy. Expect accurate syrah cherry, pepper, BC sage, dried leaf and dusty earthiness on the nose and palate. The length is very good to excellent, although I wished for more (which is to be found in her more expensive wines). Best 2022 to 2025.
2019 Syrah Cuvée Violette
92
Fresh and delicate with haunting aroma of red plum, violets and white pepper with subtle licorice notes on the finish. The touch of oak is integrated. Polished tannins with bright acid and a savory finish. One of the best Syrah coming out of the Okanagan. Bravo. Tasted blind at NWAC in October 2021.
2020 Ava
91 points
Fullish, fleshy, lightly grippy, noble bitters, comfortable palate, long finish. Very good wine. Tasted blind at the National Wine Awards of Canada October 2021. 5/5 value rating
2019 Syrah Cuvée Violette
91
Fruit lurks and the wine waits. Closed in such brooding youth. Darkening red fruit to purple and black. Quality tannins, sweet and high acid retention. Tang in spades, hearts and across palates. Wild ride, not the silkiest nor the most ethereal as far as syrah is concerned but do not judge less you be judged and here syrah perfume will emerge, emit and express. Be patient. Drink 2022-2026. Tasted blind at NWAC2021, October 2021.
2019 ‘Ava’
I’ve long been a fan of this wine, which in all honesty, is the opposite of the lean minerally whites I gravitate towards. Ava blends Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne in varying proportions depending on the vintage. It’s a tip of the hat to France’s Rhône Valley but ultimately BC in personality with peaches and apricots underscored by fragrances of lavender and sage. The palate is voluptuous with a fairly viscous texture but not heavy – just rounded and flattering. Exotic ginger and orange honey kick in on the lively finish.
