Hillside 2017 Muscat Ottonel 750ml

Muscat Ottonel was first in the ground at Hillside over 30 years ago when the winery was among a handful of pioneering farmgate producers. In many ways, winemaker Kathy Malone has taken back the farmgate notion, breathing Naramata into the winery and the bottles. The muscat received a much-needed intervention in the vineyard, allowing theses old vines to express their origin in a meaningful way. Last year was good, but the 2017 may be even better with its bright floral and spice nose that would shock the Alsace crowd. The grapes are hand harvested, destemmed and held overnight in contact with the skins before a gentle press and a long slow cool ferment. Expect intense delicacy in this sophisticated white wine full of floral, orchard fruits, rosewater and tangerine flavours. I served this with cauliflower soup and it was perfection.

Score: 90 points -- Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine.com, 2018