Burrowing Owl Vineyards

It speaks to the loyal following that Burrowing Owl has won for its Merlot that Taylorwood Wines, a VQA store in Vancouver’s trendy Yaletown, limited its customers to one bottle each when the wine was released. It is not as if this is a rare wine. Burrowing Owl produced 7,145 cases! Obviously, not enough to satisfy the frenzied demand, however.

Burrowing Owl has enjoyed something of a cult following ever since it released its first wines, the 1997 vintage. Proprietor Jim Wyse shrewdly had retained a consulting winemaker from California, Bill Dyer, who had made a reputation for himself at Sterling Vineyards and added to it in British Columbia. In the Okanagan, he produced a succession of bold, ripe wines with the fruit from Burrowing Owl’s superbly-run vineyard. He left prior to the 2004 vintage but succeeding winemaker Steve Wyse, the proprietor’s son, is not tampering with the Dyer style.

This wine begins with attractive aromas of blackberries and black cherries. The first impression on the palate is vibrant fruit, with flavours of red currants and cherries. There is a hint of chocolate and a touch of earthiness on the finish. The tannins are ripe, contributing to a fullness on the palate. 88 points.

Reviewed November 8, 2006 by John Schreiner.