Red Wine Black Sage Vineyard Merlot 2018. Set on rugged benchland that was long only considered fit for grazing cattle, this stunning estate is located on the Black Sage Bench close to the town of Summerland and Lake Okanagan. The winery dates back to 1992 when Harry McWatters and Bob Wareham, owners of the nearby Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, decided to buy up a forgotten vineyard and plant some French vine cuttings. Over the past few decades Black Sage has become renowned for its fine red wines made from classic Bordeaux varietals like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Thanks to the well-draining sandy soils, arid desert-like conditions and sunny summer days the terroir here is ideal for crafting intense and powerful red wines with plenty of complexity and sophistication. This silky smooth Merlot is made with fruit harvested at full ripeness in mid-October and fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve the varietal character. The young wine is then transferred to French and American oak barrels where it ages for 15 months. The result is a big, multi-layered wine with intense notes of cassis, plum and dark cherry as well as hints of savoury herbs, leather and dark chocolate.
2018
Red Wine Black Sage Vineyard Merlot 2018
Red Wine Mustiguillo Finca Terrerazo 2018. Bodega Mustiguillo was founded by the Sarrion-Martinez family in 1972 and quickly became one of the region’s leading producers of the Bobal grape. Much to the surprise of his new neighbours, winemaker Toni Sarrion believed in the great potential of this grape which was primarily used for mass production at the time. Over the last few decades Toni has become a champion of the grape and Bodega Mustiguillo has blossomed into a globally-respected winery. Finca Terrerazo is the winery’s prized Vino de Pago or single vineyard appellation which works in a similar way to the French cru system. This special vineyard is the oldest belonging to Bodega Mustiguillo and the first Vino de Pago to be awarded in the Comunidad Valenciana. It’s planted with old Bobal vines over exceptional sandy and chalky soils and sits at 800 metres above sea level. The grapes on this unique site are all farmed organically and harvested manually using small boxes to preserve the quality of the fruit. Once in the winery the Bobal is fermented in large oak tanks and then aged in a variety of different sized French oak barrels for 14 months. This softens Bobal’s naturally high tannins, creating a bold, powerful wine that’s bursting with luscious dark fruit, a smooth texture and a very long finish seasoned with plenty of spice and woodsmoke.
2018
Red Wine Triton Tinta de Toro 2018. Decant 1 hour before serving. The wine region of Toro in northwestern Spain is famed for its deep, brooding red wines made with Tinta de Toro which is the local version of the Tempranillo grape. Wine has been made here since before the arrival of the Romans and these hearty wines enjoyed huge popularity in Spain during the Middle Ages. The Triton Tinta de Toro is a perfect example of how the Tempranillo grape excels in these harsh climatic conditions and poor sandy soils. The hot summers, very low rainfall and cool nights craft a generous, full-flavoured wine which exudes dark berry, licorice, herbal and delicate floral notes. On the palate the wine fills the whole mouth with intense layers of flavour which blend harmoniously with the firm structure, ripe tannins and a rich texture. Producer Jorge Ordonez insists on using organic farming and hand harvesting in the vineyards to maximise the quality of the grapes which go into this wine. The grapes are then vinified using wild yeasts and the wine is aged in oak barrels for 8 months before it is ready for bottling. To ensure minimal intervention with the wine, the Triton Tinta de Toro is bottled without filtering or clarifying so decanting is recommended before serving this wine.
2018