Gehringer Brothers Pinot Gris Optimum 2002, $19.95: Here is a lovely nose that features citrus peel, peach, apricot and a touch of freshly baked apple pie. On the palate the richness intensifies, the citrus runs through to the finish leaving a silky custard coating on the palate. Good stuff.

Gehringer Brothers Classic Dry Riesling 2003, $11.99: This value orientated Riesling begins with some chalky mineral, apple, sweet melon and ripe peach aromas. The palate offers plenty of fruit and refreshing acidity.

Gehringer Brothers Private Reserve Pinot Noir 2002, $12.99: The nose is full of cedar and raspberry fruit with a touch of cherry cough syrup to sweeten it. Its palate is clean, mostly fruit driven except for the tarry/young wood flavour on the finish. Another good value wine.

Gehringer Brothers Optimum Pinot Noir 2002, $19.95: I like the richness that the nose suggests. It offers up a sampling of cooked rhubarb, dark berry, flint, violet and floral notes. However, the palate is a bit of a let down. The fruit is light and the finish soon fades. Maybe it is shut down, but even the tannins are soft and do not overpower.

Blue Mountain Vineyards Pinot Blanc 2003, $16.90

Reid suggested I stop in at Hainle Vineyards, which is about a twenty-minute drive north, in Peachland. It was getting late, I had not eaten since breakfast, I felt unclean in my sweat soaked clothing and most of all I was tired. Fortunately I came to my senses and headed off to Peachland. Although I reached the winery only minutes before closing, wine maker, Tilman Hainle, was in no rush to leave and I ended up being there at least an hour after the doors were bolted.

This winery produces wine under the guise of several different labels. Hainle Vineyards is an organic winery, and was the first winery to be certified organic in the region. The winery has a history going back as far as 1972 when Walter Hainle, after emigrating from Germany several years earlier, purchased the land over looking the lake. Although the current winery was not officially opened until 1988, Hainle has the title of being the first in the valley to produce an Ice Wine back in 1978. Ontario's first Ice Wines were not produced until 1983.

Deep Creek Peachland Pinot Blanc, 2002 $14.90: A medium bodied wine that shows pleasing wisps of honeydew and apple. There is some pretty fruit, nectarine, white peach and it finishes with a little dose of sweet fig.

Deep Creek Chardonnay on the Shore 2002: This non-oaked Chardonnay has engaging aromas of pineapple, pear, floral notes, parsley stem and grapefruit peel. There is a slight sweetness on the tongue, which I really pick up on the finish, along with some mineral and citric acid notes. I like this a lot.

Hainle Chardonnay 2002, $17.90: Judging from the concentration of aromas oozing from the glass, this is quite the wine. I note daffodil, cooked apple, lemon grass, hazelnut and butter cream. It is thick and creamy (egg custard) on the palate and it finishes clean.

Deep Creek Pinot Gris 2002, $17.90: Another wine with good concentration, delivering aromas of chalk, under ripe pear, almond, apricot, Asian spice, kiwi and coriander. On the palate, the flavour of dried citrus peel really shines and there is a honey like sweetness that balances the wine nicely.

Deep Creek Gewurztraminer 2002, $19.95: I love the ripe floral, dark honey, banana skin, violet, lemon grass, fennel seed and mandarin orange flavours I find on the nose. The palate is not short of fruit and the finish is quiet long.

Deep Creek Riesling In the Rapids 2002, $16.90: After the Gewurztraminer, this is over shadowed. It has aromas of cooked applesauce, flint and citric acid. The palate is full of green apples.

Deep Creek Pinot Noir 2002: Onto the reds. This ripe pinot expresses soft berry and strawberry notes. A secondary layer of mineral, clove and cola sits in the background. The palate seems higher in acid than I imagined it would be. The fruit is mostly red currant, but the finish has a kiss of maraschino cherry on it.

The "Z" series of wines features Zweigelt, an Austrian varietal, that I have never really been fond of as the few examples I have had have been overly acidic, metallic and borderline unpalatable.

Deep Creek Z3 40% Pinot 35% Zweiget and 25% Merlot 2002 $14.90: An interesting blend that puts out a nose of lavender, potato skin, mushroom, pine needle and a dominating layer of blackcurrant. The palate is clearly fruit forward and displays a mix of damson, plum, currant and cooked rhubarb.

Deep Creek Z2 Zweigelt and Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 $24.90: A bold and spicy wine that offers strong scents of blackberry jam, cherry and cassis. The mouth feel is creamy and really expresses the fruit. Oddly enough, I found the finish to be soft and low in acid.

Z 2003: This is pure unoaked Zweigelt that will be destined for blending. It is a bit one dimensional, mostly dark blackberry fruit, but there are hints of lavender and tar. It reminds me a bit of an Ozzie Shiraz. I must confess this experience has changed my previously negative opinion of this Zweigelt.

Deep Creek 2001 Signature series Cabernet $24.90: The aromas convey some lavender, "After Eight" mint chocolates, blackcurrant pie, eucalyptus and cocoa powder. It is initially spicy on the palate, but the texture soon becomes creamy. The finish shows cassis and chocolate. A nice wine given the vintage.

2000 Hainle Syrah - Knollvine Vineyard $26.90: This aromatic fruit bomb starts out with raspberry and black fruit aromas that are followed with notes of dried porcini, roasted beet, Asian spice and cured meat. The palate shows good concentration of the fruit components and the balance on the finish is precise.