Saturday, June 4, 2016

Okanagan wine trip continues: Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday......

....hello Ruby Blues...

It's been about 5 years but this winery used to be called Ruby Tuesday, after the Stones song of the same name, but after deciding it wasn't worth the effort to fight a lawsuit filed by the restaurant chain Ruby Tuesday, the name was changed to Ruby Blues.

Consider that your useless-bit-of-trivia for the day.

Let me tell you, though, the wine is far from useless.

With a sign that advertises "tasting fee is a smile" you know this is winery is a little bit different. Their wines are different too.

Ruby Blues 2015 Peace, Love & Bubbles ($25.00)

Frizzante style rose wine, with notes of strawberry, passion fruit and grapefruit. 85.








Ruby Blues 2015 Pinot Gris ($20.00)

Aromas of tropical fruit and citrus. The palate features some understated flavors of apple, pear and passion fruit. 87.








Ruby Blues 2015 Viognier ($25.00)

Impressive aromas of white flowers and orange blossoms. Notes of pineapple, passion fruit, and lemon lime. Finishes very well. Lovely. 89.








Ruby Blues 2014 White Stiletto ($20.00)

Their signature white blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Viognier.

Aromas of pineapple, white flowers and citrus. The Chardonnay brings just the smallest hint of butterscotch to the party. A perfect summer patio sipper. 89.





Ruby Blues 2015 Gewurztraminer ($20.00)

Intense aromas of pineapple and lychee are the highlights here. The palate is soft and supple, with floral notes and beautiful tropical fruit. We picked up a couple of these, and in fact I am enjoying one as I type this review. 90.







Ruby Blues NV Red Stiletto ($25.00)

The first non-bubbly NV wine I have encountered in the Okanagan. 70% of it is made up of 2013 Syrah grapes, with some Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from other vintages mixed in for good measure. Smoky aromas and flavors of black cherry and just a touch of spice. It's not bad, just.....odd. 87.





Ruby Blues 2013 Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon ($30.00)

Black cherry, vanilla, blueberry and tobacco on the nose. Blackberry, tobacco and spice on the palate. Finishes well but tannins are still a bit sharp; suggesting some more aging is in order for this to reach it's potential. 88-90.







Ruby Blues 2014 Late Harvest Chardonnay ($35.00)

Aromas and flavors of honeysuckle, butterscotch and pear. Lovely for those of you who like a nice dessert wine that isn't very sweet. Pair it with cheese or desserts that aren't overly sweet. 90.





They have a couple of reserve-level wines which unfortunately they weren't tasting for our visit; but we had a lot of good wine anyway. Nice experience!

Next up: Just down the road where we were either going to find some good wine, or perhaps the worst gimmick in the history of professional wrestling: Red Rooster.



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