Tasting Notes
Merlot has made a name for itself in the South Okanagan. Our 2008 Merlot has aromas of black cherry and red berries with notes of vanilla and pepper. The vintage is beautifully balanced and smooth with black cherry, floral, red berry flavours with hints of forest floor and vanilla on the finish.
Winemaker Notes
The 2008 Merlot came in at some chilly temperatures (later blocks came in as cold as 8 degrees Celsius!). Approximately 40% of the Merlot was hand sorted to remove any non-grape materials such as leaves and petioles. It then had a very cold soak for three days before fermentation. Fermentation temperatures reach up to 29 degrees Celsius. After fermenting to dry the Merlot was placed in a combination of new to three year old French and American oak barrels for 12 months. The Merlot is kept in separate lots throughout the harvest and winemaking processes. It is blended just prior to bottling.
