Thelema Mountain Vineyards Merlot

So I heard a story recently about an award-winning winemaker from South Africa who used to be a chartered accountant...

I waited patiently for the punchline.

There isn't one. It's a true story and Gyles Webb from Thelema Mountain Vineyards (www.Thelema.co.za) really used to be an accountant, but more then that he was (and is) a man with a passion: excellence in wine.

Thelema vineyards (arial view)

   Gyles and his wife Barbara had dreamt of finding themselves the right spot in Stellenbosch to make the wine they knew they could make. It was a long search, but an abandoned fruit farm of approximately 157 ha became their new home. The farm had been long abandoned, and though grapes had once been grown there - there were none when the Webbs moved onto the property.

   The amount of work that went into developing the land from fruit orchard to working winery was staggering and the Webbs aren't done yet~! In 2000 Thelema bought a 45 ha apple orchard in the Elgin Valley and began to convert it to cool-climate varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Thelema vineyards (tasting room)

   But it was the 2006 Merlot that really caught my attention; deep, dark and delicious it's a uniquely rich version of the grape. Merlot of course is capable of many faces; from a soft and fruit-driven single varietal to a blend with Cabernet Sauvignon to a fully tannic and an intense dark berry and chocolate flavor profile. This showing from Thelema would certainly fall under the latter category and is brilliantly executed.

2006 Thelema Mountain Vineyards Merlot

$36    **** EXCELLENT VALUE ****

 http://tagliquorstores.com/fox-reach/

altitude:    approximately 500 m

soil:          Hutton: high proportion of decomposed granite

vines:        planted 1988

maturation:   20 months oak (40% new)

• visual:   clear; fully intense bruised plum core with slightest cherry/brick rim
• nose:   clean; moderate+ intense and developed aromas of blackberry, black cassis, black raspberry, light savory herbs and eucalyptus notes
• palate: clean, dry, moderately intense (red and black currant) acids, moderate+ (soft, smooth, silty) tannins, moderate+ body, moderate+ alcohol (14.5%), moderate+ intense and developed flavors similar to the nose with a distinct peppery finish. Very good to excellent balance and structure with long length
• conclusion:  I agree with the winemaker's notes that this wine is peaking now and should be enjoyed over the next 24 months. Will not improve with further aging.
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   a soft and smooth red wine with rich tannin structure screams red meat to me... I was thinking butter poached beef tenderloin with wild thyme roast BC mushrooms and crispy parnip chips but hey, that's just my style :)

  

 I like hearing stories that end on a positive note; an accountant and his wife have a burning passion for wine. They search for their place in the world and work their a$$es off to make the land work and work with the land. Many of you know that I have a new light in my life; Clare Elizabeth (the LittlestStudentofWine). I understand the value of hard work and have a new-found comprehension  for how and why people are willing to dedicate themselves to building something bigger then themselves.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Wolf Blass gold series Shiraz-Viognier

I remember first seeing the name "Wolf Blass" on an Australian wine and thinking "That's a silly name for a winery." I had no idea that there really was a man named Wolf.

   Well there really is a Wolf, and he's been making wine for longer then I've been alive... a long story made short; Wolf Blass was born in what was Eastern Germany in the 1930's and became the youngest person to ever earn the Kellermeister Diploma, or Master's degree in Eonology. He was just past twenty years of age.

   Some might think that he had been born with the grapevine in hand... not so. In fact, Wolfgang fell into the wine industry quite by accident~! Wolf ran away from school as a teenager and was given an ultimatum by his parents: return to school or apprentice under a winemaker. Well, school wasn't really Wolf's thing you see - so there wasn't much of a choice for him, and the world of wine has changed as a result of that ultimatum.

   Wolf Blass winery (http://www.wolfblass.com.au/) was one of the first wineries in Australia to start commercial production of Shiraz-Viognier. Shiraz, or Syrah as you may know it, has been grown to great success in South Australia for decades but what of Viognier?

   Viognier is a relative newcomer to the Australian wine-scene and the blend of the two is really more then just a blend. Viognier is a white grape varietal that in it's youth has an abundance of floral aromas, and depending on where it's grown - will give rich fruit and floral palate with crisp acids. Aging the wine is a risk though as the floral notes tend to die quite quickly (sometimes under 5 years).

   And then there is the blend which is more-then-a-blend; it's a co-fermentation. Anywhere from 2% to 8% of the grapes used in total production will be Viognier and it is this varietal which ends up preserving the blend's lively colors as well as fundamentally altering the flavor compounds and phenolics.

   It was a risk when it was first conceived, and even today there are winemakers and sommeliers alike who will contest it's merits. To me, there are obvious joys to the co-fermentation and downfalls: a joy would be the lightness that Viognier brings and "tones-down" the South Australia Shiraz' natural inclination to big, bold, jammy characteristics. There are more floral notes of course, and to my palate a richer, more developed fruit profile. On the downside however, there is that tendency for the palate to diminish more quickly than normal... a well made Shiraz can easily last 10 years or more, but I find many Shiraz-Viognier will have lost their flavors in approximately 5.

2005 Wolf Blass Gold Label Shiraz-Viognier

Adelaide Hills, South Australia

$38   *** Very Good Value ***

http://tagliquorstores.com/fox-reach/

varietals:   95% Shiraz, 5% Viognier

maturation:   15 months in oak (18% new oak) with a small amount unoaked to retain freshness

• visual:   clear; fully intense bruised plum core with slightest brick rim
• nose:   clean; medium intensity and developed aromas of lifted dark florals (irises, lilies), dark berries (blackberries, black raspberry), light cigar tobacco, savory winter spices (allspice, clove, pepper), background of baked earth
• palate:   clean, dry, medium+ (red currant) acids, medium- (soft, velvety), tannins, medium body, medium- ABV (surprising considering it's 15%), medium intense and developed flavors mimicking the nose with particular emphasis on crisp red berries (red currant, red raspberry)... light florals mix well with restrained oaking and light spice notes. Very good balance, excellent structure and long length
• conclusion:   this wine has peaked, and if you still have a bottle - drink it now~! Enjoy 2009-2012
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   crisp, vibrant acids in a red wine with light floral notes and moderate tannins? I can certainly understand people who want to pair it with venison~! consider a Maple glazed venison flank steak (medium-rare) with pure Kentucky bourbon demi-glace, steamed spaghetti squash and wild mushroom ravioli... just a thought :)

  To be honest, this was the first Wolf Blass wine that I've tried in years (and years). I can still remember the 1990's when they absolutely dominated the Canadian wine market and were simply the wine to drink. There was a reason for that: they were great wines for the price. I stopped to show myself that I'd grown beyond the "old favorites"... well maybe I've grown up enough to come back to those old favorites. After all, they became our favorites for a reason:

   Quality.

As always I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Saint Cosme, Chateauneuf-du-Pape

"Terroir" is a term, originally French, in winemaking that has come to mean all of the environmental impacts on the making of a wine; the land, the wind, the rain... even the winemaker is considered by many to be part of the terroir.

TheLittlestStudentOfWine

   So my apologies, firstly, for not writing for the past few weeks. Many of you know that my wife and I have a new addition to the family: TheLittlestStudentOfWine. Absolute truth; she smells every wine I taste at home and has her own list of wrinkly noses to explain how much (or how little) she likes a wine. For instance the Hainle (http://www.hainle.com/) icewine Riesling or the Summerhill (http://www.summerhill.bc.ca/) late harvest Erenfelser gets a big smile each and every time. Overly cropped Shiraz? Usually a big wrinkly face.

   But I digress.

  Today I was reading the latest Decanter Magazine (http://www.decanter.com/) and lo-and-behold, most of the articles on California were about a movement in winemaking back to the concept of terroir... winemakers who are not afraid anymore to allow the land and the grape to express themselves. This may sound like common-sense, but sadly is not the case.

   Many winemakers feel compelled by critics and points to make a wine "that-the-people-will-like", instead of a wine that they themselves will be proud of. There is chemical control, the addition of compounds, and many other "tricks" to manipulate a wine into being something other then what it wants to be. Think of it as plastic surgery for wine.

   But there is that movement that Decanter is talking about, and the movement is growing.

   And where did this concept come from again? France.

   Arguably some of the most devote students to the concept to terroir are Louis and Cherry Barruol of Saint Cosme winery in Gigondas (http://www.saintcosme.com/). Louis is the inheritor of 14 generations of dedication to allowing the southern Rhone terroir express itself through his wines. In fact, his family home has an archaeological site with the oldest wine fermentation tank in southern France, dated at 2000 years old. Serious winemaking on this land~!

   And serious about quality. Louis refutes the use of artificial yeasts during fermentation and is as sparse as can be with SO2 during production/bottling. I personally have seen poor results with winemakers who abhorred SO2 and then ended up with prematurely oxidized wines, but I am a new believer after tasting this vintage from Saint Cosme.

2007 Saint Cosme Chateauneuf-du-Pape

$65   **** EXCELLENT VALUE ****

http://tagliquorstores.com/fox-reach/

vines:   average age approximately 60 years

climate:   cool and late-ripening

• visual:   clear; medium+ bruised plum core with slight cherry/brick rim
• nose:   clean; medium+ to fully intense; youthful and developing aromas; red and black cherries with definite candied notes, rich, savory winter spice background with lifted floral notes and hints of white pepper
• palate:   clean; dry, moderate+ (young cherry/red currant) acids, moderate+ (fine, silty) tannins, moderate body, moderate+ ABV, moderate+ to fully intense and youthful flavors that mimick the nose; heavy emphasis on the young berry notes throughout. Excellent balance and structure with a long finish
• conclusion:   already starting to show exceptional promise, this wine will blossom into a superstar given a few more years; enjoy 2015-2028+
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   with the exciting acids and rich complexion, this wine would sing if paired with foie gras and beef... consider an oven roast tenderloin of beef with seared foie gras on Alsatian potato and leek croquette

Louis Barruol in his cellar

   In Louis' own words:



               "At Saint Cosme we usually work “à la main”. I want to make wines which express their terroir with purity and personality"

   And he succeeds. A winery that has very little following outside of France (so far) is becoming known to industry insiders as one of the value wineries in the Southern Rhone. Do they have expensive wines... of course. Are they worth the money? You better believe it.

   Bravo.

As always, I look forward to your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!      SLAINTE~!!!      CHEERS~!!!

Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Cabernet Franc

Many of you know the immense respect I have for organic farmers (of all varieties). Organic farming is a real and genuine commitment to the land (and the consumers) to treat it with respect and approach it with some level of understanding.

   How much more then, can I say for bio-dynamic viticulture? Or wineries who adopt zero-carbon emission standards, or make efforts to dramatically reduce their carbon footprint? The obvious answer is that I have the utmost respect for any business person who makes the effort, who takes the time to address our immediate and growing concern of limited resources on this planet and too few people grabbing at what there is.

   I had thought that our government in British Columbia was forward thinking enough to share these sentiments.

   Perhaps I was wrong.

Ezra Cipes, general manager

   Summerhill Pyramid winery (www.summerhill.bc.ca) is a true destination-location in the south Okanagan Valley DVA. Stephen Cipes first came to this region in 1986 and felt that he had found the place to call home for himself and his family. 35 years later, the family has bound itself to the land and says categorically that they are lucky to be able to do so. Ezra Cipes, Stephen's son says:

   "At Summerhill we have so much to celebrate. The quality of wine, food, and service that we are known for, and the good conscience we share knowing the care that goes into our products, truly brings us together as a family. I spend a lot of my life at work, and the love and friendship I share with the team at Summerhill helps me feel whole and like my life is well lived."

   So knowing these sentiments from the Cipes family, knowing that they have worked diligently on their organic certification for all of the farms who provide the winery with it's grapes and also work towards bio-dynamic certification... knowing all of this and knowing the vast array of awards that have been earned by these craftsmen I was well and truly stunned to learn this month (August 2011) that the winery will be losing it's VQA status on one of their wines.

   Why? What terrible thing could Summerhill have done?

   They created a 3-Litre box for their wine.

   Oh the (mock) horror of it all~! It's clearly stated in the province's Agricultural Food Choice and Quality Act, only bottled wine can be VQA. Never mind that Summerhill is using the exact same wine that goes into their bottles, or that there is a 76% reduction in the carbon footprinting vs bottles and corks for that same volume.

Stephen Cipes, owner

   Just never mind.

   ...

   Well actually I do mind. And so should you.

   When business-people make the time and take the effort to be environmentally responsible, without encouragement from the government, we the people should be cheering them on~! The government should make a point of recognizing forward-thinking rather then castigating it.

   But I imagine that Stephen Cipes and his family will continue to do what they do, and do it in their responsible and conscientious manner. They will continue to be the most-visited winery in Canada, and will continue to take their wines around the world garnering recognition from winemakers and sommeliers where-ever they go. They will continue to do business as they see fit, though without the support of the body that has the most reason to be supportive: when a single BC winery is this pro-active and produces this level of quality, it is the entire BC wine industry that gains standing in the global arena.

2007 Summerhill Pyramid winery small lot Cabernet Franc

Okanagan Valley DVA, British Columbia

$28.95 @ the winery

92+ points

93 points - Best of Class, Gold Medal - Los Angeles International Wine and Spirit Awards 2011

450 cases produced

• visual:   clear with trace sediment; medium+ to fully intense bruised plum core with slight cherry and slightly brick rim
• nose:   clean; medium+ to fully intense developing bouquet of red and black raspberries, red and black currants, old worn leather, slight savory herbs such as thyme, traces of drying summer flowers and pink peppercorn
• palate:   clean; medium+ (lively red currant) acids, medium+ (slightly chalky and well integrated) tannin, medium body, medium ABV, medium+ to fully intense and developing flavors mimicking the nose with emphasis on the red berry flavors opening the palate; dark berries are still developing; excellent balance and structure with long length
• conclusion: an excellent display of Okanagan terroir and the Cabernet-Franc varietal; drinking well now this wine will cellar for years and develop slightly in bottle over the next 24 months. Enjoy 2011-2016+
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   the acids on this are very, very well balanced and as such have no need of excess fats. Consider a butter glazed beef tenderloin with grilled leeks and sweet-pea risotto

   The plantings of Cabernet Franc come from Knollvine farms in the Okanagan Falls region. Summerhill was instrumental in many vineyards achieving their organic certification and after this beautiful showing, I look forward to sampling more of the honest work behind Canada's most-visited winery.

As always, I welcome your questions and comments.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Moon Curser, Border Vines "Bordeaux Blend", BC

Bordeaux blends; a wine by any other name would smell as sweet? Well call the wine a Bordeaux blend, a "Meritage", "Mirage", "Occulus" or "Border Vines"... we're all talking about the same thing (more or less).

   Bordeaux (France) is a winemaking region with a long history of craftsmanship going back to the 2nd century and the Romans. Today the region is perhaps best known for it's blended wines (which comprise more then 80% of all it's production). The red wines, which I'm focusing on today, are divided into two broad categories (which sommeliers will divide further): Right Bank and Left Bank.

   Right Bank blends are generally more supple, drink younger, and can be enjoyed on their own or with food. These blends are always driven by a large portion of Merlot which will be 70% of the blend or more, with a smattering of Cabernet Franc and perhaps a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

 

   Left Bank blends are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon driven blends, also with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, but also Petit Verdot and Malbec. These are the "Bordeaux Blends" that are most common in British Columbia, especially the Okanagan Valley DVA. An almost obscure varietal;  Carménère has been virtually fazed out of the vineyards of Bordeaux and has taken root (forgive the pun) in the Central Valley of Chile to great success.

   And then along comes a Moon Curser. A what? A winery from the Okanagan Valley (www.MoonCurser.com ) which started as Twisted Tree in 2005 and went through a true  renaissance in 2010; it was reborn. The winery's parents Beata and Chris Tolley, who emigrated to our fair valley from the other side of the Rocky Mountains in Calgary, hired Vancouver designer and brand-specialist extraordinaire Bernie Hadley-Beauregard who's pedigree is as impressive as his multi-syllable name (just joking - some of the finest BC wineries to open or re-open in recent years including Blasted Church Vineyards, Dirty Laundry Winery, 8th Generation Winery and more have hired his expertise).

   And what does Moon Curser have that warrants all this conversation?

the view from Moon Curser

   A true Bordeaux blend, the Border Vines:  Cabernet Sauvignon (29%), Carmenere (23%), Malbec (23%), Merlot (20%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Petit Verdot (1%). The wine is grown in five Osoyoos East Bench vineyards, all within tractor-driving distance from one another.

   We here in BC have many wineries producing Bordeaux blends, yet this is the only one including the rare Carménère . And why would this be? Carménère simply requires a longer summer season for ripening then most wineries have, with the exception of those at the southern end of the province at the northern tip of the Sonoran Desert: Moon Curser (with a few other notable exceptions).

2009 Border Vines bordeaux blend

$25 at the winery

$27 http://tagliquorstores.com/fox-reach/   **** EXCELLENT VALUE ****

• visual:   clear; fully intense royal purple or slightly inky core with slightest cherry rim
• nose:   clean; moderate+ to fully intense and developing aromas of red raspberry and currant, light cranberry notes, pink peppercorn spice, light star anise and black currants
• palate:   clean; dry, moderate+ (well integrated red currant) acids, moderate+ (soft and supple) tannins, moderate body, moderate ABV, moderate+ intense and developing flavors that mimick the nose with emphasis on the berry flavors throughout, soft finish of savory herbs with a slightly spicy finish. Excellent balance and structure, medium+ to long length on the palate
• conclusion:   this wine drinks very well now, and very well for the price~! Enjoy 2011-2014/15 but will not develop appreciably in bottle
• FOOD PAIRINGS:  great Bordeaux style wine calls for great beef (in my opinion). Serve this with a great grilled ribeye steak with kosher seasalt and extra-virgin olive oil, steamed swiss chard and new potatoes... not the most original food pairing ever, but sometimes we just need to get back to the classics

Moon Curser workers at night

   If you haven't tried these wines before (in either incarnation) you will quickly be listing this as one of your classics... a "go-to" wine that easily expresses BC quality and BC terroir. Well done Moon Curser, and my thanks to John Schreiner (www.johnschreiner.blogspot.com) for his inspired and ever-diligent research.

As always, I look forward to your questions and comments.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Rosemount Estate Balmoral Syrah

In the 1860's a young man from Germany came to the unknown; he came to Australia. Landing in the new seaport of Sydney (which had functioned as a port for the Aboriginal people for 30,000 years) Carl Brecht was determined to set his own future, and followed a little known road to the outer edges of the Hunter Valley. There, at the junction of the Wybong Creek and the Goulburn River he planted his vineyard and settled the savage land.

    Fast-forward 100 years and another entrepreneur comes along in the Australian world of wine. In 1968, a visionary by the name of Bob Oatley purchased the long-standing vineyard of Rosemount Estate (www.RosemountEstate.com.au). Rosemount had enjoyed a lengthy position as one of the fine wine producers of Australia, but Bob wanted to take it further: he wanted to be the best. A worthy dream, but necessitating a rather huge amount of work, n'est-pas? Bob was up to the task of fulfilling his vision.

   In 1975 Rosemount released their first wines; a 1974 Hunter Valley Semillion and Hermitage. They garnered a total 69 awards throughout Australia. Enough to qualify as being the best? In 1982 they took their 1980 Chardonnay and became the first Australians to ever with double-gold at the International Wine and Spirit Competition. Enough yet to feel like the best? In 1999, Rosemount became the first non-American winery to ever win winery of the year at the prestigious San Francisco International Wine Competition.

   One would think that perhaps Bob would rest on his laurels.

   One would be wrong.

   In 2004 the 2002 Diamond Merlot wins the Merlot Trophy at the International Wine and Spirit Competition; one of the most highly recognized trophies for a varietal.

   Bob Oatley has taken one property in 1966 and turned it into several properties ranging the width and breadth of the winemaking spectrum in both South Australia and New South Wales. One of the jewels in this crown would be the Balmoral Syrah produced in the McLaren Vale. Anyone who wants information on the discovery and formation of this part of South Australia, approximately 45 minutes drive north of Adelaide should read some of my earlier articles ( http://astudentofwine.blogspot.com/2011/02/penfolds-koonunga-hill-shiraz-cabernet.html ).

   The winery in the McLaren in situated on three distinct areas that yield fruit of sufficient quality - the sandy loam soils near Blewitt Springs; the darker soils in McLaren Flat itself; and the red soils with underlying limestone found in the Seaview area (my thanks to www.TheWineDoctor.com ). The vines are generally between 50 and 100 years old, although sources say that there are still some patches over 100. By comparison, most vines in British Columbia are between 10 and 20 years old... the older the vines - the less they produce, but, the more concentrated the flavors. Most wineries will tear out vines before they reach 100 years old as they simply don't produce enough juice to be fiscal responsible. Bravo to the Bob Oatleys and (chief winemaker) Matt Kochs of the world~!

2002 Rosemount Estate "Balmoral" Syrah

$75 CAD  ***** BUY THIS IF YOU CAN *****

http://tagliquorstores.com/fox-reach/

14.5% ABV

vineyard:    50 to 100 year old vines (small percentage over 100 years)

maturation:   24 months, American oak

• visual:   clear; fully intense violet-crimson core with slightest brick rim
• nose:   clean; moderate+ to fully intense and developed bouquet of drying red berries (red and black cherries, red and black raspberries, blackberries), rich white and slightly floral pink peppercorn, soft background of drying summer flowers, light savory herbaceousness, finish reminiscent of decadently rich dark cocoa
• palate:   clean; dry, moderate+ (lively and brilliantly integrated red raspberry) acids, moderate (velvet soft and slightly chalky) tannins, moderate body, moderate alcohol, moderate+ intense and developed flavors that mimick the nose perfectly; the red berries burst on the palate with dark cocoa and peppercorn dominating the mid-palate and a ridiculously long finish of the American oak light vanilla notes and soft florals. EXCELLENT balance, structure and long long long length
• conclusion:   if you have cellared this properly, it is still drinking stupendously and will continue to do so for several years; enjoy this special wine present to 2015/17
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   I may be a heathen for this, but the depth of this wine's expression of terroir and varietal made me think to South Australian cuisine and culture, and I came up with braised lamb shank on caramelized shallot yam pave with olive oil fried arugula... the reasons for this are long and varied, but based upon drawing similarities from the food to the wine and vice-versa

   As this was my first foray into Rosemount wines, I was duly impressed. I have nothing else to say other then that I can't wait  to try more from the whole winemaking team.

As always, I look forward to your questions and comments.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Tinhorn Creek Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley DVA, BC

So before I start to talk about Tinorn Creek winery again (www.Tinhorn.com), I think it's important to talk about Cabernet Franc; the much planted varietal that plays such a pivotal role in so many great red wine blends.

Cabernet Franc (courtesy Wikipedia)

   Cabernet Franc is very closely related to Cabernet Sauvignon: in fact, Cab Franc is one of the parents. So what does this mean for flavor, color, aromas? Well of course there are going to be similarities; both are red wine varietals, both are deep in color though Cab Franc will be lighter in pigment (a trick to use in a blind tasting), both have the obvious red berry flavors though Cab Sauv will tend towards blackberry and plum and Cab Franc will tend towards (depending on where it's grown) raspberry and red currant and then for the aromas there are distinctive differences. Cab Franc has a unique vegetal quality which is accentuated by over-cropping and/or underexposure and will be perceived quite often as bell peppers and/or a "stemminess".

   Now overcropping is something that any viticulturist can avoid if s/he wants to and is motivated towards. That being said, sometimes there are fiscal reasons for over-cropping and sometimes even viticulturists just don't care about quality - they care for quantity. Underexposure is a different matter altogether.

   A winemaker can be motivated to the creation of quality wine, and yet the weather can choose not to co-operate (much like this Summer of 2011 in British Columbia).... by mid-August many winemakers and their vineyard managers are talking about being weeks behind schedule due to excessive cloud cover and mild temperatures. What to do? Well unfortunately, all the skill in the world can't fix something that goes awry in the vineyard.

   Which brings us to one of the primary reasons why Cab Franc was planted and continues to be planted in the first place: it buds and ripens an easy week earlier then it's child Cab Sauv. One week may not seem like much difference, but in regions where late rains or hail are a reality, that week may make the difference between a successful harvest and a failure.

   And where do we find great plantings of Cab Franc? Almost anywhere winemakers plant Cab Sauv and worry about not reaching phenolic ripeness; the Libournais region of Bordeaux (my much loved AOCs of St Emilion and Pomerol) and the Loire Valley of France, the north-east corner of Italy, parts of California and along the northern border of the United States, British Columbia, the Niagara Peninsula and Prince Edward County regions of Canada and throughout the New World.

   So here in beautiful BC we are blessed with almost everything a winemaker could want, with the exception of a lengthy enough summer (in most places) for a winemaker to be able to "properly" cultivate Cab Sauv. What's a winemaker to do? Plant Cab Franc. This is done as insurance for the "Bordeaux-style" blendings for which we have garnered some recognition and, now, as a stand-alone single varietal- sometimes as a late-harvest wine and even as a rosé.

   Tinhorn Creek is rather renown in British Columbia (and in Canada) for the quality of it's Cab Franc. To be completely honest though, the acknowledgements come not only for the quality - but for the absolutely reasonable price that they sell it for. Almost anyone these days can make a decent wine, given the right growing conditions... but it is a dying breed the winemaker who consistently sells a good product for a reasonable price.

2009 Tinhorn Creek Cabernet Franc

$19.99 at the winery   *** Very Good Value ***

~~ For The Cellar ~~

14.8% ABV

viticulture:   100% from their Diamondback Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench

maturation:   12 months in American oak barrels

awards:        

2007 Cabernet Franc

SILVER Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, 2010
SILVER Taster’s Guild International Wine Judging, 2010
BRONZE Intervin International Wine Competition, 2009
BRONZE World Value Wine Competition, BTI, 2009

• visual:   clear; moderate bruised plum core with substantial cherry rim (slight amount of brick)
• nose:   clean; moderate+ intense youthful aromas of red currants, early raspberries, savory herbs, green bell pepper, sweet wood notes
•  palate:   clean; dry, moderate (well-integrated red currant) acids, moderate+ (slightly green and grippy) tannins, moderate- body, moderate+ intense youthful flavors mimicking the nose with pronounced savory vegetal notes, a long dry finish of red berries, dried mushrooms and sweet wood. Very good balance and structure, long length
• conclusion:   whilst this is already a good wine, it still needs some time to develop in bottle and become a great wine. Best (Fall) 2012-2016
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   I would work off the lighter body and almost delicate structure and use it much like a Burgundian Pinot Noir, pairing it with a traditional Bourguignon with wild BC mushrooms and local vension... I think the slightly vegetal quality will play well off of venison's gamey-ness, the wild mushrooms pull fungal qualities from the wine and the hint of cream and demi-glace balance the wine's moderate acids

Tinhorn's Diamondback vineyard

As always, I look forward to your questions and comments.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!