Analysis:
Alcohol: 14.5% | PH: 3.75 | Titratable acidity: 5.9 g/L
Bottling Date: August 2015
Tasting Notes:
An intense nose showing both the pretty, complex side of Cabernet Franc and the ripeness of the Okanagan’s 2013 vintage. There are aromas of lavender, purple flowers, red currant, oak and blueberry with a nice savoury note of tobacco, and dried sage. The palate is silky textured, medium in body with lovely refreshing acidity. Cherry, ripe raspberry, cassis, blackberry and some peppery spice end with a long finish. This wine has the concentration and structure to age well. Try with braised lamb shanks.
Wine Making:
The 2013 early spring allowed for an even bud break, flowering and fruit set. Summer heat ripened the grapes nicely and the cool autumn provided conditions for the acidity to be retained giving the wines a lively freshness to balance the ripe fruit.
The grapes were harvested by hand from Burrowing Owl’s Vineyards in Oliver and Osoyoos from October 21st to November 4th. They were destemmed and gently crushed before being fed by gravity fl ow into stainless tanks for skin maceration and alcoholic fermentation, with temperatures ranging from 17 to 25 Celsius. Both free run wine and pressed wine were then moved into barrels for malolactic fermentation followed by 18 months’ ageing. The selection of barrels helped round out the tannins and contributed complex savoury, toasted and spicy notes.
After the blending of the barrels, the wine was bottled unfiltered and left to mature in bottle until its release.
Aging: 70% French oak, 27% American, 3% Russian, 35% new oak
