West Coast Wines
Osoyoos Larose Pétales d'Osoyoos 2009, BC VQA Okanagan Valley $25
You'd think you would have to move heaven and earth to relocate a French winemaker from Bordeaux to Osoyoos in the semi-arid south Okanagan. For Pascal Madevon, the earth alone did the trick.
"At Osoyoos Larose, I discovered some of the best terroirs I have seen in my life," says the classically trained viticulturist. "The challenge was how to get my wife to move to the Okanagan Valley."
Mr. Madevon's top-rated Osoyoos Larose Winery, a joint venture with Bordeaux's prestigious Chateau Gruaud-Larose, follows a Bordeaux tradition of making two wines with every vintage, and the second tier can be very good. Want proof? Try his Pétales, an elegant, merlot-dominant red with aromas of raspberries, mocha and vanilla bean. It's both good value and a pleasure to drink. It will pair nicely with grilled meats, pepperoni pizza and polenta-based dishes. Drink now through 2015. Available at BC Liquor, VQA Stores and private wine shops.
Kasey Wilson is food editor of Wine Access magazine and editor of Best Places Vancouver.