Wine Tasting at Poplar Grove Winery, the Okanagan Valley
This
article is part of the one-month road trip series, The Great Northwest
North American Wine Road Trip, during which we'll visit wine countries
in Oregon, British Columbia, and Washington.
No need to beat around the vineyard: Poplar Grove Winery makes some of my favorite wines in the Okanagan Valley. Let me try to explainn: the wines are so complex that they leave me wanting to know more, viz. drink more; they are well aged and only released when ready to drink, and this plays a key role in how expressive they are; and they give me a sense of place: these wines, particularly the Poplar Grove 2009 Merlot, taste like the Naramata Bench in the Okanagan Valley.
Now, let's move away from the subjective. Poplar Grove makes wines that are French in style and range from pinot gris, chardonnay, viognier, merlot, cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon varietals to the awesomely powerful Bordeaux-inspired red blends. many of which you can only taste and buy onsite. The tasting room is freakin' beautiful, too, and, yeah, I know, in this aspect, my Okanagan posts are getting redundant:
Poplar Groves wines are definitely some of the most complex that I tasted in the Okanagan Valley. I never exhausted their depths, and I doubt you would be able to either, even if you drank bottle after bottle, vintage after vintage.
Most impressive, Poplar Grove wines also come at a high value, and my favorite, a masculine, dark-leather and tobacco merlot, costs only $30. Jesus, why can't we purchase them in the USA! I didn't purchase this wine but chose the also awesome Blanc de Noirs rosé, and, so far, this is my one and only regret on The Great Northwest North American Wine Road Trip. It's a serious regret, since we can't get any of Poplar Grove's wines in the USA, as I understand it. I should have bought both.
I personally believe that all of Poplar Grove wines are stand outs—though they sadly weren't pouring their Cabernet Franc (this grape is easily one of my favorites in the Okanagan Valley)—but here were my favorites:
Now that's a tasting note.
To go wine tasting at Poplar Grove, visit any day of the week 10am-5pm (open till 6pm April through October). Tasting fee is $5, and it is waived with purchase. The onsite Vanilla Pod Restaurant serves lunch and dinner, and it offers a tapas-style menu inspired by the Okanagan's incredibly flavorsome produce.
Portions of this article included information obtained during a press trip funded by the Thompson Okanagan tourism board.
No need to beat around the vineyard: Poplar Grove Winery makes some of my favorite wines in the Okanagan Valley. Let me try to explainn: the wines are so complex that they leave me wanting to know more, viz. drink more; they are well aged and only released when ready to drink, and this plays a key role in how expressive they are; and they give me a sense of place: these wines, particularly the Poplar Grove 2009 Merlot, taste like the Naramata Bench in the Okanagan Valley.
 |
| Naramata Bench outside of Penticton, Okanagan Valley by Naramata Bench Wineries Association |
Now, let's move away from the subjective. Poplar Grove makes wines that are French in style and range from pinot gris, chardonnay, viognier, merlot, cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon varietals to the awesomely powerful Bordeaux-inspired red blends. many of which you can only taste and buy onsite. The tasting room is freakin' beautiful, too, and, yeah, I know, in this aspect, my Okanagan posts are getting redundant:
 |
| Poplar Grove tasting room stands on the famous Naramata Bench and looks out onto Lake Okanagan |
Poplar Groves wines are definitely some of the most complex that I tasted in the Okanagan Valley. I never exhausted their depths, and I doubt you would be able to either, even if you drank bottle after bottle, vintage after vintage.
Most impressive, Poplar Grove wines also come at a high value, and my favorite, a masculine, dark-leather and tobacco merlot, costs only $30. Jesus, why can't we purchase them in the USA! I didn't purchase this wine but chose the also awesome Blanc de Noirs rosé, and, so far, this is my one and only regret on The Great Northwest North American Wine Road Trip. It's a serious regret, since we can't get any of Poplar Grove's wines in the USA, as I understand it. I should have bought both.
I personally believe that all of Poplar Grove wines are stand outs—though they sadly weren't pouring their Cabernet Franc (this grape is easily one of my favorites in the Okanagan Valley)—but here were my favorites:
- 2011 Chardonnay
- 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2012 Blanc de Noirs (rosé)
- 2009 CSM (blend of cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and mourvedre and a play on GSM!)
- 2007 Legacy
Now that's a tasting note.
To go wine tasting at Poplar Grove, visit any day of the week 10am-5pm (open till 6pm April through October). Tasting fee is $5, and it is waived with purchase. The onsite Vanilla Pod Restaurant serves lunch and dinner, and it offers a tapas-style menu inspired by the Okanagan's incredibly flavorsome produce.
 |
Portions of this article included information obtained during a press trip funded by the Thompson Okanagan tourism board.
Comments