Tasting Notes:
An intense explosion of red and black fruit on the nose leads into layers of complexity in this engaging wine. The ripe blackberry, blueberry compote, raspberry, plum and black cherry aromas are joined by sweet spices, chocolate and the alluring earthy scent of an autumn morning. The palate is well crafted, with intense brambly fruit, refreshing acidity, ripe tannins and well integrated coffee and cocoa oak notes. The finish is long with the savoury roasted sage element of the south Okanagan desert terroir lingering and adding a final element of intrigue. The complexity of this wine will pair nicely with intensely flavoured braised red meat dishes.
Winemaking:
This wine is a blend of five Bordeaux varieties grown in Burrowing Owl Vineyards. The components assembled for this blend vary from vintage to vintage, with the best blocks of grapes being selected each year. Each varietal was fermented separately for 12 to 20 days on skins prior to draining and pressing. At the conclusion of MLF, the wines were racked off lees and transferred back into a mixture of French, American, Hungarian and Russian oak barrels. During the final racking, the components for the 2009 Meritage were blended before being transferred back to barrel to settle and integrate while the wine awaited bottling. Total time in Oak, 20 months.
Blend Composition:
Merlot 38%
Cabernet Sauvignon 33%
Cabernet Franc 23%
Malbec 4%
Petit Verdot 2%
Analysis:
pH: 3.83
Titratable acidity: 7.2g/L
Alcohol: 14.5%
