Ewe Hoo

541. 2005 Marley Farm Ewe Hoo Pinot Noir (Vancouver Island)

This was one of the bottles that we picked up last Fall while over on Vancouver Island to visit with Bella Jianna and Flyboy B. I've always thought of Marley Farm as producing fruit wines; however, they planted some of their acreage with grapevines that consultants felt could flourish on the Island. Pinot Noir was the one red that they planted and the vines are now producing enough that limited amounts of varietal based wines are now available - in addition to the plentiful (and whimsical) fruit wines.

The Ewe Hoo is a small lot release that celebrates one of the winery's signature community events - the Ewe Hoo Sheep and Wine Festival that features sheep shearing and wool demonstrations. Part of the winery's relaxing and bucolic setting can be noted as resident sheep and geese wander the rows to help weed and fertilize the fields.

Unfortunately, at $30 a bottle, this Pinot didn't really strike our fancy. It's not like I'd go so far as to draw analogies to the sheep meandering in the fields, but we didn't notice the "promised" fruit profile. Rather, it was an earthiness that simply wasn't our cup of tea - or glass of wine, as the case may be.

This is the second Marley Farm bottle in a row that didn't meet our expectations. My first impressions, so many years ago, were really favourable. This last visit has left me somewhat wanting. Hopefully, our next tastes will offer a little redemption (no pun intended).