Wines of the Year

1 Sandhill 2007 Phantom Creek Vineyard Small Lots Syrah
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $35

This is an amazing, full blown, lush and massive wine that you want to critique for being a whopper (15 percent alcohol), but it is so well proportioned, so complex and engaging within its hulking frame that you are charmed anyway. Amazing flavours of ripe black cherry, prune, ink, smoke, pepper and chocolate.

 1 Kacaba 2007 Reserve Syrah
Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario  $40

It may surprise people that a Niagara syrah could be a Wine of the Year, but Kacaba's big reds have snagged important medals before. Ontario's 2007 was a big, ripe vintage and this is a big wine, yet not over the top at 12.5 percent alcohol. It's classic, northern Rhône style, with all kinds of pepper, smoked meat and dark cherry fruit. It's taut, cool and dry, with very impressive concentration and length.

3     Church & State 2007 Hollenbach Family Vineyard Pinot Noir
Penticton Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia     $26

4     Rosehall Run 2007 Rosehall Vineyard Pinot Noir
Prince Edward County, Ontario     $38
 

5     See Ya Later Ranch 2007 Rover
Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia     $25

6     Fielding Estate 2007 Meritage
Niagara Peninsula, Ontario     $40

7     Burrowing Owl 2007 Cabernet Franc
Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia     $33

8     Seven Stones 2006 Meritage
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia     $32

9     Tawse 2007 Wismer Vineyard Cabernet Franc
Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario     $38