Black Cloud Wine Altostratus Pinot Noir

2008 Vintage

Tasted: October 2010

Altostratus is that kid in high school that hasn’t quite realized their “cool potential” yet. It’s not to say that they don’t fit in with the cool kids, but they tend to slide under the radar a little unnoticed.

Black Cloud wine is the “virtual winery” project of Bradley Cooper, the winemaker at Township 7, and is available for under the counter purchase at Township 7 winery on the Naramata Bench and at select specialty wine stores in BC and Alberta.

I originally heard about this wine through Twitter and have meant to get my hands on some for a while, but have been otherwise occupied. Now that I’ve tried it I can say that this is probably the dark horse of the Naramata Bench.

You see, Naramata has developed a “scene.” That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but there is a cool crowd here, and there are hordes of nerds trying to get in on the action. These nerds come from all over, and frankly I’m probably one of them.

I won’t name names, but there are certain wineries that have entered the upper echelon of the Canadian wine scene and are reaping the benefits and commanding a good price for their product, and honestly there are so many great wineries on The Bench that finding the standout wines is getting a little more difficult.

Enter the Black Cloud Altostratus. This is a $28 Pinot Noir grown in Okanagan Falls, but sold on the Naramata Bench. It’s a smoky, earthy, cassis tasting Pinot that is on par with the more complex reserve style Pinot Noirs available here in the valley (the other style being the typically lighter, fruitier, less oaky, cheaper kind). It’s not too heavy though and has a healthy amount of tannins for a Pinot Noir, which indicates good aging potential. For the price this one is actually about $7 cheaper than most of the competition, but is performing on an equal level.

Aside from quality, the appeal of this wine is the discovery. You need to go out of your way to find it. There is a certain humility in that understatement, and it’s even reflected in the blurb on the back of the bottle where Bradley gives props to the grape growing partners and the vineyard in which the grapes came from. This is cool to me. Wine making can be a very egocentric pursuit, but there is something to be said for a captain who gives equal credit to his team. I like that.

Black Cloud Wine in my eyes is the talented underdog. The one that’s waiting in the wings. Like Mr. Myagi and his canvas Karate belt.

If you want to introduce your friends to the next big thing then bring them a bottle of the Altostratus. Nobody will have heard of it, and you’ll have a good story to tell about how you got it. The cool kids won’t even know what hit them.

Note: This post and my other Okanagan wine posts are moving to EatDrinkDrink.com

www.blackcloudwine.ca