Ex Nihilo Pinot Noir 2020

Former Albertans Jeff and Decoa Harder started Ex Nihilo, Latin for 'out of nothing,' in 2003 when they purchased land in Lake Country, the picturesque region along the northeast side of Okanagan Lake. With experience in marketing and the beverage industry, they planted their vineyards in 2004 and began selling wines out of their house in 2006. It was one of the first Okanagan wineries I visited. Since then, the couple, which added Mike and Janet Azhadi as co-owners in 2018, has built a popular stop on the region's Scenic Sip wine trail. The winery style is bold. They seek the pinnacle of ripeness before harvesting to squeeze every ounce of flavour out of the grapes.

This Pinot Noir reminds one of the wines from Sonoma County in California, with rich, ripe dark berry and strawberry flavours, some wet earth and vanilla notes and delicious spice. It's a memorable bottle from a terrific Pinot Noir vintage in the Okanagan Valley.