2021 Anarchy Merlot
Harvested from Anarchist Mountain Vineyard in Osoyoos, BC from merlot vines planted in 1994. We produced only 120 cases.
Aged in 53% new French oak and 47% seasoned oak for 11 months. The merlot was then blended with 2% cabernet franc and returned to barrel for a further 9 months of aging. It was bottled unfined, and unfiltered in late Spring of 2023.
There is a complexity on the nose which displays aromas of dark plums, sour cherries, black tea, and cedar along with spices reminiscent of Autumn, such as cloves, cinnamon, and star anise. The palate reveals ripe red cherries and bramble berries enveloped by grippy, but powdery cocoa tannins counterbalanced by a gushing rush of acidity.
Enjoy this wine now or over the next 3-5 years.
93 Points, John Schreiner
92 Points, Julian Park in BC Wine Trends
- Alcohol 14.4%
- Acidity 6.71 g/L
- Bottling Date April 21, 2023
- ph 3.54
- Region Osoyoos, BC
- Residual sugar 0.15 g/L
- Type Red
- Varietal 98% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
- Vineyard Anarchist Mountain Vineyard
- Vintage 2021
- Winemaker Ajay Chavan
Food Pairing
Seared duck breast with Okanagan cherries and Port sauce.
Vineyard Notes
The 2021 vintage started off well; however, June presented extremely hot temperatures creating some challenges with many temperature fluctuations. In the vineyards, tonnages were down by about 35% on average but we were able to stay on top of our canopy management and irrigation scheduling which resulted in great quality, small berries with concentrated flavours. These optimal fruit flavours can be seen in the 2021 Anarchy Merlot.
The fruit was hand-picked on October 13th from Anarchist Mountain Vineyard in Osoyoos, BC which is located 1,700 feet above the valley floor overlooking the town of Osoyoos. Home to Terry and Andrew for 12 years, this vineyard is nestled on the side of a mountain and surrounded by sage brush and desert scrub. The merlot was planted in 1994 by the Mauz family. Grown on silt and sand deposits from the glacial movements of many years ago, this block is irrigated using natural spring water from a cave in the side of the mountain.
Winemaker Notes
Every glass of wine tells a story. It starts with the land, down to the soil, the vines, the vintage, the farming, and most importantly, the people. It carries a sense of character and personality from those who have helped farm the fruit, to those who have helped craft the wines in the cellar. To allow the sense of place and true characters of the wine to shine, we like to take a hands-off approach during winemaking. The fruit was destemmed into stainless steel, open top fermenters where it received a 5-day cold soak before a natural fermentation took place. The wine spent a total of 30-days on skins before only the free run juice was taken and aged in 53% new French oak and 47% seasoned oak for 11 months. After it went through a natural malolactic fermentation in the Spring, the merlot was blended with 2% cabernet franc and returned to barrel for a further 9 months of aging. It was bottled unfined, and unfiltered in late Spring of 2023, spending a total of 20 months in barrel.
