Jackson Triggs Sunrock Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

A lot of locals give me flak for saying that Jackson Triggs has some great wine. The Okanagan was built on cottage industry fruit growing, so it makes some sense to hate the big guy, but at the end of the day the most important thing is whether you enjoy the wine or not.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to support the local artisan winemaker, and that is where my heart is, but often that comes at a price. In these price conscious times I can argue with a really good bottle of JT for a substantial savings.

I realize that with so many different varietals and grades of wine Jackson Triggs can be a bit hit or miss, but the Sun Rock Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has been one of my favourite wines since I first started spending a lot of time in the Okanagan a few years back. The 2006 vintage is consistent with other years and has a deep chocolate, leather, tobacco, dark cherry kind of taste. It’s rich on the palate in a way that a really good espresso is — vibrant, but soothing! You could almost say this particular wine falls under what I would call “the strong silent type”, which would mean rich and complex, but not overwhelming or in your face.

For a Cab Sauv this is a fairly easy drinking one and I can do it with or without food, and if you happen to have some dark chocolate around it pairs with that exceptionally well.

Despite their “giant corporation” status, I have to say that I particularly like this wine in a totally unbiased kind of way. The Sun Rock label is the premiere label at Jackson Triggs and this one comes in right around $30 which makes it well priced in comparison to some of the $40-50 reserve wines that seem to be popping up all over the valley. Good value. Great wine.