2021 Cabernet Merlot
Note: In 2021 we experienced wildfires in the Okanagan which has resulted in smoke being present in some of our wines and so we have made the decision to offer a 25% discount on select products from this vintage. We are still tasting and selling these wines in our wine shop and found that many customers are still enjoying them. We do recommend opening and consuming these wines right away rather than cellaring them.
The fruit was hand-picked from two unique vineyard sites: Anarchist Mountain Vineyard in Osoyoos, originally planted in 1994, and Ryegrass Road Vineyard in Oliver, planted in 2009. It is a blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc.
Displaying aromas of blueberry, blackberry, and violets with a compelling black peppercorn note. The palate reveals big flavours of dark roasted coffee, leather, and tobacco with a touch of youthful and slightly tart cherries. The tannins are velvety with structure and there is length in the finish. Elegant and approachable with many layers, why wait… open and enjoy this wine now. Enjoy this wine now or within the next 2 to 4 years.
91 points, Julian Parks, BC Wine Trends
Top 100 (under $25) in 2023, Daenna Van Mulligen in The Wine Diva
- Alcohol 13.8%
- Acidity 6.52
- Harvest Date October 7, 2021
- ph 3.62
- Residual sugar 0.83 g/L
- Type Cabernet Merlot
- Varietal Cabernet Merlot
- Vineyard Anarchist Mountain Vineyard & Ryegrass Road Vineyard
- Vintage 2021
- Winemaker Ajay Chavan
Food Pairing
Charred steak topped with Dragon’s Breath Blue Cheese and roasted rosemary fingerling potatoes. For a sweeter option indulge in a piece 70% dark chocolate.
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 Cabernet Merlot.
Winemaker Notes
The fruit was hand-picked from two unique vineyard sites: on October 12th from Anarchist Mountain Vineyard in Osoyoos, originally planted in 1994, and on October 7th from Ryegrass Road Vineyard in Oliver, planted in 2009. The wine was whole berry destemmed into stainless steel fermenters and kept separate until the final blend. It remained on the skins for 15 days before being pressed off and put to barrel. Aged for 11 months in seasoned French barriques, a natural malolactic fermentation occurred in the Spring. The wine was bottled in late Summer, unfined and unfiltered. It is a blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc. Enjoy now or within the next 2 to 4 years.
