2021 Merlot Syrah
In Stock
This medium bodied red wine has a beautiful ruby red color, vibrant ripe dark berry fruit aromas and concentrated textures from mature tannins representative of the great growing season. This wine is presently showing flavours reminiscent of blackberry, blueberry, with hints of spice and tobacco, along with nuances of toasted French oak. The wine has a medium acidity that is balanced and mouthwatering creating freshness on the pallet. Tannins are moderate and velvety giving a long lasting finish that will further soften with time. This wine is ready for drinking now!
This wine will age nicely 7-10 years.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Merlot Syrah
Appellation
Okanagan Valley
Harvest Date
October 2021
Aging
7-10 years
Alcohol %
14.2
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
The Syrah grapes were grown in our Boulder City Vineyard located just a stones throw (.25km) from our home and winery. The Merlot grapes came from our River Rock Vineyard which surrounds our home and winery in Oliver BC. The 2021 vintage saw bud break on April 20th. We had a very dry spring with very little rain. May and June were hot with temperatures in the 30s. Late in June we had some extreme heat with temperatures in the mid to high 40’s. This extreme heat shut the plants down and effectively delayed ripening and, we believe, affected our grape set and ultimately harvest volumes which were lower than historical average yields. However, the quality at harvest was exceptional. The vines were farmed with particular care and attention to canopy and water management. Harvest decisions were based on winemaker’s personal preference with particular attention to grape maturity, tannin development, flavour, and sugar/acid balance. The grapes were harvested on October 19th. Our vineyard soils are composed of alluvial deposits of rock, sand, and gravel laid down during the last glacial recession.
Winemaker Notes
All grapes were hand picked, and destemmed. Approximately 80% of the fruit was left whole, uncrushed. The grapes were cold soaked between 3-5 days and then fermented together in 700 litre bins. Four different yeast cultures were used to add complexity to the final wine. A portion of the grapes were co-fermented while some Merlot and the Syrah were fermented alone. Following a two week temperature controlled fermentation the wine was pressed to tanks to settle then transferred to barrels where malolactic fermentation was completed. Wine was aged in French oak barrels (33% new) for approximately 18 months. Following aging, the barrels were blended back together before final filtering and bottling, resulting in the 2021 Merlot Syrah.