Cellar Pack

Background
Pronounced 'ts-vi-gelt', this crossing of Blaufränkisch x St.Laurent was pioneered by Dr. Zweigelt of Austria. We initially planted it in our vineyard in 1999 and we remain one of a handful BC wineries producing a varietal wine from it. Pronouncing the name can be a bit daunting but tasting the wine shouldn’t be. It’s a unique grape that offers vibrant cherry and spice aromas, a deep crimson color and firm structure that allows it age for many years. The wine is aged in Eastern European oak for 12 months, adding aromatic complexity and weight to the mid-palate.

Vineyards
Arrowleaf Estate in Lake Country
Ritchie Vineyard in Lake Country

Tasting Notes
On the bouquet it shows abundant cherry, raspberry, dark chocolate and black pepper aromas. On the palate is medium-bodied with rich fruit, spice and vanilla flavours lingering on the finish. Pair with tomato sauce based pastas, roast lamb or smoked sausage cassoulet.

Technical Details
Residual Sugar: 2.0 g/l
Acidity: 5.9 g/l
Alcohol: 13.2%
Cases Produced: 730

What it is
A barrel-aged blend of Merlot, Zweigelt and Pinot Noir grown in the cooler reaches of the Okanagan.

Where it was grown
Merlot from Arrowleaf Estate in Lake Country (84%)
Zweigelt from Ritchie Farm in Lake Country (8%)
Pinot Noir from Beaumont in West Kelowna (8%)

When it was grown
The 2018 vintage started off with a mild winter and plenty of snow. The spring was cool and bud break in the vineyard was later than average. The large snowpack left a lot of groundwater in the soil and the vines grew fast with little or no irrigation until summer. July was very hot and the heatwave would have continued in August but high atmospheric smoke from forest fires provided a cooling effect that slowed the ripening of the grapes. The cooler temperatures stuck around in September; further delaying ripening and allowing the grapes plenty of time to develop flavour. The skies cleared in October for an ideal grape harvest.

How it was made
The grapes were harvested in mid to late October and were fermented with a 10-14 day maceration time before being pressed, racked and moved to 225l oak barrels for 12 months. The barrel program consisted of 75% American oak and 25% Eastern European oak (10% new). After barrel aging, the wine was given a coarse filtration before bottling.

How it tastes
Aromas of blackberry, dark cherry and mint with notes of vanilla and toasted oak. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins, food-friendly acidity and a savoury finish.

Technical Details
Residual Sugar 1.5 g/l
Acidity 5.6 g/l
Alcohol 13.9%
Cases Made 1350

What it is
A premium Pinot Noir blended from the best grapes of the vintage and aged in the finest oak.

Where it was grown
Wendell Orchards, Lake Country, Okanagan ValleyRitchie Farm, Lake Country, Okanagan ValleyBeaumont, West Kelowna, Okanagan Valley

When it was grown
The 2018 vintage started off with a mild winter and plenty of snow. A cool spring led to a later than average bud break in the vineyard. The large snowpack left a lot of groundwater in the soil and the vines grew fast with little or no irrigation until summer. July was very hot and the heatwave that would have continued into August was interrupted by high atmospheric smoke from multiple forest fires that provided a cooling effect and slowed the ripening of the grapes. Cool temperatures stuck around in September further delaying ripening and allowing the grapes plenty of time to develop flavour. The skies cleared in October and the valley enjoyed beautiful weather that made for an ideal grape harvest.

How it was made
The grapes were harvested in mid-October with fermentation taking place in multiple batches; some were inoculated with yeast and others were left to go wild.

After primary fermentation, the wine was moved to French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. In the spring, each separate batch was assessed for quality, the best of which created the blend. The wine was then returned to the best French oak barrels (25% new) for a further six months of aging.

How it tastes
A rich example of Pinot Noir showing dark cherry, raspberry, hints of spice, rose petal and subtle, well-integrated oak components. It is silky on the palate but has the structure to age gracefully.

Technical Details
Residual Sugar 2.0 g/l
Acidity 5.8 g/l
Alcohol 13.5%
Cases Made 158

What it is
Riesling is one of the world’s noble white wine grapes, known for its precise aromatics, minerality and high acidity. When it’s grown in the extreme climate of the Okanagan Valley, the results are amplified.

Where it was grown
Ritchie Vineyard, Lake Country, Okanagan Valley

When it was grown
The 2019 vintage was a welcome return to cooler weather that was more in line with the long-term average. Clear skies alternated with some extended rainy periods that proved tricky during harvest but ultimately produced wines with finesse and great aromatics.

How it was made
The grapes were hand harvested on October 10 after a long, slow ripening period. Whole cluster pressing was used to maintain acidity, minimize bitterness and generally steer the wine towards a style that is taut and electric. It was fermented with a proven yeast strain known for clean fermentations and allowed to rest on its lees for 4 months prior to filtration and bottling.

How it tastes
Lemon rind, lime, floral and pine scents with a stony minerality. The balance of sugar and acidity is nearly dry, giving the fruit flavour a bit of a cushion before the acidity cuts back in to give the wine a lively finish.

Technical Details
Residual Sugar 15.8 g/l
Acidity 9.8 g/l
Alcohol 11.2%

What it is
A fruit-forward Pinot Noir grown in the Lake Country area of the Okanagan Valley.

Where it was grown
Wendell Orchards, Lake Country
Ritchie Farm, Lake Country

When it was grown
The 2019 vintage was a welcome return to cooler weather that was more in line with the long-term average. The forest fires that caused widespread smoke in the previous three vintages did not happen in 2019; instead we got clear skies for most of the summer and early fall. An extended rainy period proved tricky during harvest but the wines turned out to have good balance, finesse and aromatics.

How it was made
The grapes were harvested in mid-October and the fermentation took place in multiple batches, some were inoculated with yeast and others were left to go wild. The wine went into French oak barrels (10% new) for malo-lactic fermentation and aging. It was racked in late spring to remove most of the lees and returned to barrels until it was bottled in late summer.

How it tastes
Raspberry, cherry, cedar and rose petal aromas combine with subtle notes of leather and earth. It has a rich texture on the mid-palate and finishes with light tannins and a subtle complexity.

Technical Details
Residual Sugar 1.7 g/l
Acidity 5.0 g/l
Alcohol 13.0%
Cases Made 1865

Where it was grown
Wendell Vineyard, Lake Country, Okanagan Valley
This vineyard is located on the lower slopes of the Carr’s Landing area in Lake Country, which features sandy loam as well as some clay loam soils.

When it was grown
2020 was a year of ups and downs in the vineyard. An unusually warm stretch of winter weather started the year off in a pleasant way until an arctic cold front moved in and damaged a lot of the fruitful buds on the vines. This resulted in a 40% reduction in overall yield. The silver lining, of course, is that with reduced yield generally comes exceptional quality. It turned out that the vines needed a light load this vintage as the summer and fall were cooler than normal causing the fruit to ripen late. All in all, 2020 is a stellar but scarce vintage.

How it was made
We decided to harvest relatively early to maintain natural acidity and keep the alcohol level moderate. The grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed and the juice was transferred to French oak puncheons for fermentation and aging. The wine spent a total of 10 months in oak (20% new French), with roughly half of it undergoing malolactic fermentation.

Technical Details
Residual Sugar 2.2 g/l
Acidity 6.1 g/l
Alcohol 13.0%
Cases Made 416