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2011 harvest may be one of the best ever at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery!
The winemaking and viticulture teams at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery in Oliver, B.C. are very pleased with the way the 2011 vintage is shaping up. "It has been a bit of a nail biter for sure," explains President, Chris Wyse, "but we are very optimistic at this point that 2011 could turn out to be a stellar vintage." The nail biting came as a result of a cooler than average start to the 2011 growing season causing a delay in the initial growth and development of the grapes. However, warm temperatures through August and September, combined with the cool nights of the late summer and early fall are producing ideal conditions for cool climate phenolic ripening. This slow ripening of the grapes has created wonderful complexity and flavour development in the grapes, according to Winemaker Bertus Albertyn. "We are fortunate in the South Okanagan region that we have the ability to wait for the grapes to ripen to their full potential," says Bertus. "At this point in mid-October, we are pleased with the brix or sugar levels in the grapes, and now we are just waiting for the final release of colour to develop. We are checking the grapes daily and things are looking very good." This positive sentiment has also been expressed by Burrowing Owl's Viticulture Consultant from Bordeaux, Alain Sutre, who feels this may be the best vintage he has seen in the Okanagan. Burrowing Owl's vineyard team started harvesting whites on September 17th, and they will begin harvesting reds in a few days.
According to Bertus and Chris, the cool climate growing conditions of the 2011 season will produce wines with great intensity and flavour profiles. Bertus feels the slow ripening will create wines with great character and aging potential and while Chris is hesitant to make any predictions (it is farming after all!) he now feels confident that 2011 will end up being a year of great wines.
Harvest began on September 26th!
After a slow start to the 2011 growing season, harvest is back on schedule and our grapes continue to ripen quickly. The Pinot Gris arriving on the crush pad this week looks and tastes great. The late summer heat accelerated ripening and made up for the cooler weather we had in the Spring. Moreover, cool nights this Fall have helped to maintain acidity levels and to build flavour in the grapes. We are now forecasting another great harvest very close to last year's ripening schedule - which was almost perfect! If you visit Burrowing Owl during harvest, the crew on the crush pad are happy to chat and answer any questions. Stop by, say hello and meet our team.
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| Executive Chef - Chris Van Hooydonk |
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Follow Chef Van Hooydonk!
The Sonora Room's Executive Chef Chris Van Hooydonk has a busy line up of events this Fall, following a summer of back to back competition wins.
Click here for more details. |
Calliope Figure 8 is released into stores
The Wyse Family, founders of Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, is pleased to announce the release of the first red wine under the Calliope label. The new red blend called Figure 8 is a Syrah-Merlot blend and is named for the unique flight pattern of a hummingbird’s wings as well as the seamless integration of the two varietals used in making this wine.
Calliope (ka-LIE-oh-pee) wine embodies the freedom & beauty of its two namesakes: B.C.’s tiniest hummingbird, and the Greek Muse of Eloquence. Calliope is an escape from tradition; winemakers are empowered to utilize their creative talents to explore new taste profiles and expressive, fresh characteristics in each variety.
www.calliopewines.com |
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Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
is Pleased
to Announce
the Release of the
2008 ATHENE
Pronounced a-THEE-nee, it’s the first new label to be added to Burrowing Owl’s award winning line up of premium wines in 8 years!
The name chosen for this blend comes from the biological genus, Athene, to which the burrowing owl belongs: Athene cunicularia.
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Athene cunicularia
Burrowing owl |
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The 2008 Athene is a blend of Syrah (53%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (47%). The two grape varieties were harvested from Burrowing Owl Vineyards in Oliver, and were crushed, fermented and aged in oak together for 14 months prior to bottling in June, 2010. What started out as an experimental blend in the cellar, turned into a beautiful wine which features aromas of dark red luscious fruit, chocolate, mint, black currant and spice. One can also detect white pepper, cassis and ripe red cherries. The palate is dominated by dark red fruits, cassis and black currant with hints of cigar box and tobacco leaf. The tannins are silky smooth and the acidity is well balanced. Only 663 cases were produced.
In the Fall of 2010, the 2008 Athene is available in the Sonora Room Restaurant at Burrowing Owl Winery and will soon be found in finer restaurants in the Lower Mainland. There will also be a limited release at the Wine Shop in Oliver, B.C. during the 2011 Okanagan Spring Wine Festival – April 29 - May 8, 2011. |
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August 2010:
The Wyse family, founders of Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, are pleased to introduce the first release of their new Calliope (ka-LIE-oh-pee) wine label - a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. The freedom granted to the winemakers with the Calliope brand offers a chance to break from tradition and to express their creative talents with non-estate grapes vinified in small batches. New frontiers and flavor profiles will be explored, along with interesting blends that highlight the terroir and characteristics of the various grapes used.
CLICK HERE to learn more about
this new wine! |
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