Analysis:
Alcohol: 14.5% | PH: 3.75 | Titratable acidity: 6.09 g/L
Bottling Date: August 2015
Cellaring: 5+ years
Tasting Notes:
The warm 2013 vintage has produced a Cabernet Sauvignon with all the structure and ripeness you hope for while remaining quintessentially Okanagan: the nose shows a complex mix of cassis, blackberry, black olive, dusty oak, cedar, tobacco and lots of dried wild sage adding a fresh element. The palate is firmly structured and intensely flavoured with flavours mirroring the nose. There is also dried plum, dried black cherry, distinct mint, charred meat and a little liquorice spice with a long, satisfying finish. Young now, it has all the elements to cellar for many years. Pair this with venison loin or a grilled rib eye.
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, on November 4th and 8th 2015. They were destemmed and gently crushed before being fed by gravity flow into stainless tanks for cold soak (4 days) and alcoholic fermentation (13 days).
Both free run wine and pressed wine were then moved into barrels for malolactic fermentation followed by 22 months ageing. The selection of barrels helped round out the tannins, and contributed complex savoury, toasted and spicy notes. After blending, the wine was bottled unfiltered and left to mature in bottle until its release.
Ageing: 76% French oak and 24% Hungarian, with 37% new oak, 30% one-year old and 29% neutral
