Blend: 75% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, and 2% Syrah
Analysis: Alcohol: 13.5% | PH: 3.70 | Titratable acidity: 6.0 g/L
Bottling Date: January/February 2023
Cellaring: 3+ years
Tasting Notes:
Deep ruby in colour with aromas running the range from red and black cherry, black plum and violet through complex notes of orange zest, tobacco, burlap, licorice and pepper with cocoa and espresso. The palate is full-bodied and plush with balancing fresh, chalky medium tannins, crisp acidity and flavours of red plum, red currant, black cherry, paprika, clove, cedar, dark chocolate, dried thyme and mint. Pair this with Carnitas or eggplant parmigiana.
– Rhys Pender, Master of Wine
Wine Making:
The 2020 growing season was a rather average one characterized by certain weather events. Spring’s arrival was delayed, followed by bouts of rain in late May and early June which led to slightly lower yields and resultingly high-quality grapes. August added ideal summer heat, ripening the grapes slowly which extended into
September. Sunny, clear skies in the fall helped make up for the late start to the season and benefited flavour development in the grapes while cool nights helped retain acidity.
All of the grapes for this blend were sourced from a mix of our own estate vineyards and that from our trusted growers throughout the Okanagan Valley and harvested between late September and early November. They were picked at peak ripeness, hand sorted and then gently crushed before being dropped into tanks for alcoholic fermentation. At completion, the wine was transferred separately into oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and subsequent ageing in majority neutral, mostly French barrels for 9 to 14 months.
