Blend: 91.5% Sauvignon Blanc, 8.5% Sémillon
Analysis:
Alcohol: 13.5% | PH: 3.28 | Titratable acidity: 5.53 g/L
Bottling Date: June 2023
Cellaring: 3+ years
Tasting Notes:
A textured and powerful Sauvignon Blanc showing intense lemon, lime, green pear, hints of passionfruit and gooseberry and some vibrant lemon verbena herbal notes. The palate is dry, crisp and racy, balanced with a silky vanilla and cream note with punchy, zesty lemon, nectarine, sage and chalky, mineral notes through the long finish. Pair this with fried zucchini flowers stuffed with sage and mozzarella, or prawn, mango and avocado salad with a nuoc cham dressing.
– 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 Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes were harvested by hand between October 10th and October 17th from our vineyard in Keremeos. The fruit was picked in two groups with 55% of the juice from the riper portion of Sauvignon Blanc designated for co-fermentation with the Sémillon in barrel, and the remaining 45% with higher levels of acidity fermented and aged on its own in tank. The barrel program was designed to add complexity of flavour, aroma and texture with regular bâtonnage over 3 months on the lees before being racked and returned to barrel for a further 5 months of ageing. After these 8 months, the two wines were blended in tank and allowed to integrate for an additional 2 months before bottling.
