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2018 Syrah Cuvée Classique
92 points. 4/5 Value
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). Super peppery, with grippy, savoury tobacco, black cherry, wild cassis, thorns, darting pepper, violets, and tight, long tannins that draw this to the finish. This shows the wild and savoury side of syrah, fully ripe, yet so fresh throughout, thanks to Sev’s earlier picking regime. Drinking beautifully now, and with cellaring.
2019 ‘Ava’
Unreleased, and just bottled in June 2020, this was an early peek at the next Ava, named after Sev’s daughter. This vintage was 51% viognier, 37% rousanne, 12% marsanne, in a super floral blend, with viognier’s exuberance at the core. Anise, apricot, fleshy peach and a fine white floral perfume stream throughout to the finish. A showier style, very well handled. Makes a very interesting partner to the 2018 Ava, which was roussanne driven. Looking forward to retesting in a couple of months.
2018 Roussanne
91 points. 4.5/5 value
From Sev’s own vineyard on the Black Sage Bench, her ‘little Chateauneuf du Pape’, this was barrel fermented in all new wood where it remained for 9 months, with regular bâtonnage. Lovely honeyed nut nose leads into creamy pear on the savoury body, drawn by fine grained texture to a spiced nutmeal finish. Very elegant and long lived, this is a beautifully fine, structural and finessed wine. Only 50 cases made.
2017 Equinoxe Syrah
93 points. 4/5 Value
Équinoxe is all about balance: equal day, equal night, equal heat of the day, equal cold of the night, and equal New World, Old World. But more than that, it represents the top of the syrah chain at Le Vieux Pin, and one of the best in the Okanagan Valley. The fruit comes off a mix of South Okanagan Valley sub-appellations honouring the adage of the sum is always greater than its parts blending method. In 2017 the wine was monumental and elegant in itself, a win-win, but on the palate, it is simply a joy to taste and sip, and it has a long life ahead of it. From wild brambly dark fruit to savoury desert scrub laced with licorice and pepper, this is brooding, complex, and will age effortlessly. Brava.
2019 ‘Ava’
93 points. 5/5 Value
2019 is another terrific vintage, maybe one of the best, for Le Vieux Pin’s Rhône blend, in this case, 51% viognier with 37% Roussanne and 12% Marsanne, aged in a mix of new and old puncheons, and a large part in stainless steel. The nose is a delight of white and yellow blossoms, citrus and white and yellow-fleshed orchard fruit, sweet herbs and fennel, lemon zest and acacia honey. I also love the creamy-fresh texture, generous but firm, with a fine, sapid-saline quality on the finish. A truly delicious, well made, distinctive white, a perennial favourite from the Okanagan Valley. Drink or hold mid-term. Tasted January 2021.
2018 Le Faucon Syrah
92 points
Sourced from a single sandy soiled vineyard in Osoyoos, this supple syrah was fermented in concrete and aged in neutral French oak. The result is a lovely soft, ripe style with black cherry fruit, gentle pepper and herbs. It is full bodied yet soft and refined with very fine sandy tannins. Impressive texture, lovely palate. The length is excellent.
5/5 Value
2018 Équinoxe Viognier
92 points
From a block with some river stone and sand at the winery on Black Sage Road, this is 100% viognier aged in neutral French oak puncheon. Only 50 cases were made. Not a huge nose here, but very complex with orange, apricot, starfruit, sage and light spice. It is full bodied, creamy yet elegant with some heat. Excellent length, with a sense of minerality on the finish. Excellent length.
2018 Équinoxe Chardonnay
93 points
This is one of Severine Pinte’s first chardonnays, inspired by Meursault in Burgundy. It is sourced from a cooler Golden Mile Bench vineyard. It is certainly full bodied and firm yet elegant at the same time. The nose is a bit reserved but complex with pear, subtle oak and a slightly oxidative hazelnut note. Nicely structured and focused with excellent length.
2018 Syrah Cuvée Violette
Bronze Medal
peppery black fruit notes in fresh, firm and understated style.
2016 Retouche
Bronze Medal
Youthful cassis and pepper. One for both Bordeaux and Rhone fans. Aging potential +
2018 ‘Ava’
92 points
Calculated, figured and reasoned, a 51 per cent roussanne, (36) viognier and (13) marsanne organized, Rhône motivated blend that just fits right. A kiss of new wood and a 35 per cent wood campaign, slightly more in steel and then the other freshener, that being a fifth of this exceptional vintage fruit having seen time in concrete tank. Yes the aromas are wildly fresh, far away tropical and cumulatively enticing. A white blend of rhythm and soul, actionable in every part of its drift and coil, democratic, of no accident, come up to please and at the same time, foil. Offers this and that, high tempo acids opposite fully ripened fruit and all tolled, wrapped up with a tailored bow. Drink 2020-2024. 5/5 value.
2019 Sauvignon Blanc
89 points
Winemaker Severine Pinte picked this sauvignon early figuring an August hot spell would push it over the edge of ripeness if she delayed. The result is a sauvignon with notably tart acidity, but it has amazing aromatics and flavour intensity. Expect a huge nose of grapefruit, orange, sage and dill. It is mid-weight with substantial mouthfeel but the acidity crashes through on the finish. Very bracing indeed! The length is excellent. 4/5 value
2018 Syrah Cuvée Violette
92 points
Gateway not just to syrah but essentially the entire Le Vieux Pin Okanagan world order. Rarely can a varietal wine like this be just as aromatically precocious as meat juicy and the juxtaposition is radiant yet seamless in its joint behaviour. Violets (o[f] course) are in full bloom, a resting dry-aged steak spills pulchritudinous juices and one sip smacks lips and teases more, more and more. Everything here lines up, one after another, connecting tissue elastic and tying the entire thread together as one. Yes there is a slight rubbery reductiveness though it only serves to preserve freshness, add a waft of liquid smoke, then grind a proper salt and pepper seasoning over the gastronomy of the oeuvre. Telling stuff and worth every penny. Drink 2020-2026.
2018 ‘Ava’
92 points
5/5 Value
2018 is a stellar vintage for Le Vieux Pin’s Rhône-inspired white blend, here with just over half roussanne, plus a third viognier and the balance in marsanne. One third of the lot aged in wood goes undetected, save for the slightly more rapid, positive evolution than the concrete and steel portions. Gentle texture meets ripe acids in a full=bodied, round and creamy ensemble, while yellow and white fleshed fruit flavours dominate. Classy, flavourful, concentrated but fresh, this gets it right all around. I’d suggest another year or so in the cellar to develop even more complexity and nuanced flavour. Tasted July 2020.
2018 Syrah Cuvée Violette
91 points
The “entry-level” syrah in Le Vieux Pin’s portfolio, the cuvée violette has admittedly also been my favourite through the years. I’d happily trade a bit of weight and heft for syrah’s floral-violet, peppery perfume and finesse any day, historically hallmarks of this cuvée that contains a splash of viognier. Yet I find that the 2018 is less ‘violette’ than previous vintages, which is to say closer in style to its more expensive stablemate, the Equinox Syrah. It seems some of that floral perfume and finesse was traded instead this year for more depth and heft. It’s still an excellent wine, fresh and lively, just darker and with more wood spice character than before. Tannins are also a little more grippy, supported by tight acids. I’d suggest cellaring another year or two for maximum enjoyment, or hold into the mid-twenties. Though I do miss that violette.
2018 Syrah Cuvée Violette
92 points
Cuvee Violette has arguably been the benchmark for affordable Okanagan Syrah for the last few years. It is the least expensive in the portfolio of winemaker Severine Pinte, who was trained and worked with this grape in southern France. But the only thing “lesser” compared to its more expensive peers is weight and concentration. Otherwise it is very finely balanced, pretty and very much a syrah, with ripe plummy fruit, violets and trademark pepper. It is medium-full bodied with balanced, warming 13.5% alcohol, fresh acidity in this cooler year and finely parsed dusty tannin. There is a touch of green on the finish, along with licorice and pepper. The length is very good to excellent.
2018 ‘Ava’
92 points
Ava is inspired by the whites of the south of France made from roussanne, marsanne and viognier. In this vintage roussanne takes the majority position at 51%, followed by viognier at 36% and marsanne the balance. It was fermented and aged in French oak, new tulip shaped concrete vats and stainless steel. It is a very fine nuanced and balanced wine, quite rich yet elegant. The nose is gentle with yellow plum, starfruit and florals plus vanilla, light spice and toasty nuances from frequent lees stirring. I am most impressed by the delicate balance and smooth texture, with the 13.6% alcohol in check and very good acidity. The length is excellent with lemon joining the mix. Fine to enjoy now although I suspect more complexity in a couple of years. Tasted June 2020.
2016 Syrah Cuvée Classique
90
A slightly subdued nose with some nut and ripe/cooked black fruit notes. The palate shows more with a dry, full bodied, spicy, peppery and leather flavoured palate with a lovely round texture and firm but ripe tannins and a long finish.
2017 Syrah Cuvée Violette
92
Funky, wet woollen nose with a slight reduction, not so much peppery as cheesy. More peppery to taste with juicy dark red fruit and a chalky finale. Very characterful and needing time to open, develop and rejoice. And as it begins to do so, it does so in regaling fashion, with open brightness, persistence and a salty, fine-grained finish. Drink 2020-2025. Tasted blind at NWAC19, June 2019.
