Blend: 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec
Analysis:
Alcohol: 14.5% | PH: 3.70 | Titratable acidity: 5.85 g/L
Bottling Date: August 2020
Cellaring: 10+ years
Tasting Notes:
A complex and intense nose of dried herbs, wild sage, red and black currant, cedar and black plum with hints of licorice that nicely combines savoury and dark fruit notes. The dry, full-bodied palate with firm, grippy tannins is built to last and the flavours of vanilla, toasty oak, cassis, mixed berries, pie crust and clove lead into a long, mineral graphite finish. Pair this with grilled venison loin with pink peppercorn demi-glace or rosemary and paprika spiced sausages.
Rhys Pender, Master of Wine
Wine Making:
2018 was a moderate growing season that started with an earlier budbreak and a warmer than average May. The season cooled during the summer months and rebounded with favourable September and October temperatures. The cooperative weather allowed us to retain acidity and provide quality fruit with increased crop levels. While the sun and heat create intense fruit flavours, the cool evenings preserve the natural acidity in the grapes keeping the wine fresh and lively.
All five grape varieties were harvested by hand from Burrowing Owl Estate Winery’s vineyards in October and November. They were vinified and barrel-aged separately for 15 months before being blended together. The top barrels of single varietal wine are selected from our vineyard block wines for this blend. After the components are combined, they are barreled for another three and a half months to achieve their full integration. The wine was then bottled and left to mature further in a temperature-controlled environment before its release.
