Vineyard Notes
An unseasonably cold start to the spring growing season delayed vine
development by a record 3 weeks, instilling anxiety in what would eventually
become an abundant and regionally unique crop of reds and whites. Cooler
years coupled with large crops generally result in grapes with lower sugar
and more red-fruit centric flavours. Redemption came in the fall with
exceptionally warm temperatures permeating well into October, allowing
our late ripening reds to reach their full flavour potential. Late ripening reds
picked in freezing conditions usually result in wines with smoother tannins
and a more approachable profile. For white wines, aromatics were very
advanced in development with delightful structure stemming from the large
swings in the diurnal temperatures that separate the Okanagan Valley from
other wine regions.harvest. Yields were down on all varieties (about 10-20%), but quality was excellent. The warm, sunny days and cooler evenings allowed the grapes to develop phenolic ripeness without any breakdown. Not unexpectedly, the warm, dry growing season for the vines produced grapes with high sugars and low acids. Unfortunately, the overall yield was negatively impacted, with most varieties down between 10-20% of expected tonnage. Early November brought almost summer-like weather for more than a week, allowing us to finish up harvest with great picking conditions.
Production Notes
Grapes for this single vineyard came from our Montague Vineyard in the
sub-appellation of Four Mile Creek in the Niagara Peninsula. After gently
de-stemming and crushing the grapes, the juice was inoculated and
allowed to ferment at an average temperature of 25C for 11 days before
being transferred to new and older French barrels to undergo a complete
malolactic fermentation. After 15 months in oak the wine was racked in
stainless steel tank.
Winemaker Notes
This classic burgundian varietal shows ripe notes of dark cherries and
raspberries. It has refined notes of spice and toasted oak, with a long and
elegant finish. This wine is lush and showing great balance and intensity.