Blend: 100% Merlot
Analysis:
Alcohol: 14.0 % | PH: 3.71 | Titratable acidity: 5.59 g/L
Bottling Date: May 2024
Cellaring: 5+ years
Tasting Notes:
A complex, intense and ageable Merlot. Deep ruby in colour with a powerful nose of black plum, baked blueberry, mint dark chocolate, violet, black licorice, vanilla and clove. The palate is full-bodied, richly textured and nicely balanced with fresh acidity and firm, ripe tannins. Flavours of ripe raspberry, shortbread, espresso, nutmeg, paprika and sage linger through the long finish. Pair this with grilled ribeye with a red wine demi-glace or roasted portobello mushrooms with herb butter.
– Rhys Pender, Master of Wine
Wine Making:
The 2022 growing season will be remembered for its very late start and remarkable finish which allowed for an abundance of quality grapes grown and fine wines produced. An uncharacteristically cool spring resulted in bud break occurring in early May. With delays in fruit development by as much as three weeks, careful vineyard management and cooperative conditions were needed to reach proper sugar levels and ideal natural acidity. The summer months were spectacular, offering the perfect amount of heat and sunshine to allow for our largest yield of grapes to date followed by an unbelievable fall heading into a condensed harvest that began in October.
The excellent quality grapes for this 2022 vintage Merlot were harvested from Burrowing Owl’s Vineyards in Oliver and Osoyoos throughout the latter part of October. The destemmed fruit was gravity-fed into stainless tanks for a cold soak (three days) before alcoholic fermentation (25 days) and post-maceration (7 days). Both “free run” and “pressed” wine were then moved into barrels for malolactic fermentation followed by ageing for 14 months in primarily French oak with a touch of Hungarian and American oak barrels to complement. The selection of barrels helped round out the tannins and contributed to complex savoury and spice notes.
