Black Hills Estate Winery, Nota Bene, Okanagan Valley

This bottle is drinking incredibly well right now. Over three days, mild-mod tannins, bite of green pepper, soft dark cherry. Sad it’s our last!

2013 vintage

Ruby/garnet. Earthy aroma, but not very compelling. Palate was very fruity with stewed red fruit and wild berries, but not overwhelming or juicy. Tannins were nicely integrated and silky. Medium finish. She’s ready to go but had a few years left for sure. Could wait another 1-5.

2015 vintage

Aged perfectly at this point. The palate features plum, stewed fruit, coconut and black cherry thus covering all the bases. Nicely integrated tannins accompany the high alcohol, acidity and full body.

2015 vintage

Medium all around. No real evolution for the nine years of aging which is what I have been finding with most of my Okanagan purchases.

2015 vintage

Thanksgiving dinner. Still a fav vintage. Still drinking well

2013 vintage

Christmas spice, eucalyptus. Powdery tannins. Classic Bordeaux blend character with some age.

2015 vintage

Bringing to Calgary. Will taste it over the holidays.

2015 vintage

You may as well take a bite of a green pepper…

2015 vintage

Nice but a bit fruit forward for my palate. Hope this will settle. This is the hot smokey summer that i recall the sun as an orange globe in the sky.

2015 vintage

Goes good with perogies and spicy Italian sausage. Still has some, but not much, time to age. Driink sooner than later.

2013 vintage

Very consistent to previous TNs. Do recommend a 30-45 min decant.

2015 vintage

Medium ruby with medium intensity notes of strawberry. Dry, medium plus acidity and tannin, full body and high alcohol. Medium plus intensity strawberry, black currant, coconut and just a bit of leather. Nicely balanced with a medium to long finish.

2015 vintage

Similar to previous TN. No decant this time. Primal at first but quickly took a seat at front of the class. Rich but elegant. Oak is in check. Acid is refreshing. Great wine for grazing (olives, cheese and charcuterie).

2015 vintage

Even at age 9, it needed 2 hrs decant to soften rough edges and round out a strong licorice note. But as it opened up it balances beautifully. Black cherry fruit with hints of violet and anise, a little wet stone with medium dusty tannins and medium acidity. Very nice.

2013 vintage

This aged wonderfully. Better than the 2014 in my opinion. Opened and decanted for about an hour. Garnet. Herbs and earthy notes on the nose. Velvety. Nice integration of red fruits: cassis, black currant, raspberries. Hints of vanilla. Tannins are subtly subsiding. Nicely integrated. Medium finish. Wonderful. One of the better wines I’ve had in a while. 93-94+. This thing still needs to breathe and still can do with a few more years in the cellar.

2015 vintage

Nathan’s 50th gift

2015 vintage

Aged beautify wish This wasn’t my last 2015

2015 vintage

Molto Bene Nota Bene! (Vino Loco & Lolo's Seaside Tasting Lodge) : Part of eight vintage vertical. This was probably the best aged wine of the bunch. Lovely nose of mature red and dark red fruit with a hint of balsamic and salted liquorice. That combo transfers well to the palate. Medium bodied and elegant but a note of restraint. Medium finish. Tied for 2nd amongst the group. Kinda of the type of wine you stop thinking about and start …

2013 vintage

Molto Bene Nota Bene! (Vino Loco & Lolo's Seaside Tasting Lodge) : Part of an eight vintage vertical tasting. Vavavoom out of the glass - pronounced nose of sweet ripe dark red fruit and a touch of balancing savoury spice and dark chocolate. The sweet core carries on to the palate and has a generous depth of cocoa, fig paste and dried black olive. I'm almost concerned this wine has accelerated in its core components and will fade fast but …

2015 vintage

After a 90 minute decant, was quite horsey -- possible brett? Had disappeared by day 2. Drink or hold.

2015 vintage

8 hour decant was perfect Drinking very nicely right now.

2013 vintage

2015 Best of BC Bordeaux Blends : 56% CS, 38% M, 16% CF. Slightly lighter and showed more age in its colour. Nose of the outdoors - earthy, wood. Lighter on the palette. More old world than new. Reminded me of the 17 Red Icon I recently had. Some greenness, which seems to be common for Black Hills’ reds. It's the wine that's in the friend zone, you're happy to spend time with it, but don't want to date it.

2015 vintage

Always delivers. I note the significant price jump in the 2019 vintage, Pelham estate making their mark. ;^(

2013 vintage

massive wine, big bouquet. still young and a little green, so i expect it will benefit from another 3 to 5 years on its side. but if you're so inclined, pop the cork now and enjoy. lots of blackberry, smoke, black olive, green pepper and smoked salmon cedar plank on the nose. palate is more direct, very fruit fwd. there's a very attractive sweet and spicy thing going on and surprising balance this early on. very good. may be even …

2015 vintage

Once again, one of the best Nota Bene in the past 20 years. This is drinking fantastically with great intensity and complexity...very typical of Nota Bene, but with an increased precision vs previous vintages. Lots of blackberry, cassis and blueberry aromas, supported by sage and dried aromatic herbs. Perfectly balanced and long on the finish. Enjoy now or cellar for another 6-10 years.

2015 vintage

Beautiful wine, complex aromas of dark berries, smokiness, sage/garrigue. Rich smelling. Medium to full bodied, rich, dark berry fruit is primary, dusty smooth tannins, good structure. Bit of sweetness to the fruit. Acidity +, plush mouthfeel. Finishes with a greenness/sage/garrigue and touch of mineral/salinity. The fruit is still primary and in control. I would like it to mellow a bit more. Long finish.

2015 vintage

A predominance of Green bell pepper. Not my favorite vintage. There are better Bordeaux blends in the Okanagan.

2013 vintage

A rich bouquet on the nose, oak - not picking up the smokiness from the last bottle. Tannins are becoming well integrated. There’s a freshness to it, but still some greenness (specifically green pepper that is also prominent in their Carmenere). Those with patience will be rewarded. All said, it’s a decent wine, just prefer their Ipso Facto.

2015 vintage

Still some dark berries on the nose with secondary notes of chocolate / mocha and leather. Medium to long finish with softening tannins and balanced acidity. Great bottle of wine.

2013 vintage

Oh La La. Always one of my favorite vintage of NB...but this one was almost too much (I rarely say that) Super expressive and intense on the nose and the palate. Typical Nota Bene & Black sage bench aromas, but the wine is almost screaming or maybe it felt like Marty McFly in Back to the Future when he tries Doc's amplifier...bam! In your face. Needs to go to the penalty box for a few minutes to get more civilized. …

2015 vintage

Ahhh, after the crazy teenager (vintage 2015), here's the aristocratic and classic 2013. Loads of black berries, aromatic dried herbs and refined toasted oak, with smooth tannins, perfect acidity. This is still very young and only showcasing primary and secondary aromas. Enjoy now or cellar for 5-6 more years.

2013 vintage

I haven’t tasted the 2018 yet, but IMHO this is still the best vintage ever for Nota Bene. The nose explodes with aromas of sage, berries and a note of almond. As expressive on the palate and supported by a wonderful acidity. Great supple tannic structure; combined with all the fruit/acidity, this wine will be in top shape in 2025-2027. The finish is also very spectacular, with a touch of Amaretto/Marzipan aromas - first time I notice that in a …

2015 vintage

At the end of the road for this vintage. Want well with steak.

2013 vintage

Crowd fav at recent BH NB vertical. Lovely to drink with dense fruit, tobacco, sage aroma. Long finish and will improve over at least 5 y

2013 vintage

Lovely again but not as exuberant as other vintages. It improved significantly over the evening tho. Worth a decant.

2013 vintage

I just don't get why people think this wine is so good. Pretty average to me and definitely not worth the price.

2015 vintage

Tasty now but still needs more time in the bottle. Quite smokey. Think I prefer the 2014.

2015 vintage

Fantastic wine

2015 vintage

Best Nota Bene 2013 so far. Starting to develop more complexity. This should be a lot better in 2-3 years. Let’s wait a bit...but as usual I’ll be impatient.

2013 vintage

Nose: blackberry yoghurt. Palate: woodsy, violets and black fruit, mocha. Good but feels like we caught it in a transition period, and either should have drank it 6 months ago or waited another 2 years.

2013 vintage

As it's been the case in my previous notes, this is my least favorite vintage of Nota Bene in the past 10 years; don't get me wrong, this is delicious, but not as expressive and exciting than other vintages. Well balanced and refreshing are the first two word that comes to mind to describe this wine. I've been spoiled by the 2015 Punch Down Red maybe;)

2013 vintage

Love this wine...I think it will reach cult status in the coming years. The wine opens with a savoury, peppery, crushed leaf, tobacco nose flecked with resin, leesy, black olive, green bean, coffee, vanilla and cassis aromas. Very complex...the aromas are intoxicating. On the palate, it is dry, fresh, round, elegant, slightly lean entry with reasonably smooth tannins. Coffee, black pepper, black olive, tobacco, cassis, inky, Oxo, cedar, cranberry, black tea and vanilla flavours. As always this needs a three …

2013 vintage

I love it. Young, but complex and very approachable. Floral, sage aromas. Great balance and very good lenght. Drink now or hold until 2023.

2013 vintage

Probably my least favorite vintage in the last three. Always very good and classic, but it doesn't have the wow factor of a 2014 or a 2012. I should leave this vintage rest in my cellar for another 2-3 years before opening another bottle.

2013 vintage

Great flavor but young. Still sharp. Will be very good with age.

2013 vintage

49% Cabernet Sauvignon 40% Merlot 11% Cabernet Franc

2013 vintage

Tasted side by side with a Cellar hand 2014. Both were very fresh and quite fragrant, but the Nota Bene showed more depth, complexity and intensity. The Cellar Hand is an amazing QPR at $25.

2013 vintage

Awesome.

2013 vintage

This was my first Black Hills wine and I have been missing out. What an amazing wine. On the nose and palate were dark fruits with some nice cherry, hints of chocolate, floral hints and a nice spice. This might actually be the first BC wine that I feel hits the appropriate price/quality point. I am very impressed and will look for more. Give this another couple of years in the cellar.

2013 vintage

Gave to deb and al

2013 vintage

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Black Hills Estate Winery, Nota Bene, Okanagan Valley

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