2022 Malbec
In Stock
Silver Medal Winner, National Wine Awards of Canada 2024
This medium bodied red wine is a beautiful inky dark violet color and has bold spice overriding ripe fruit flavours and concentrated textures from mature tannins representative of the great growing season. This wine is presently showing flavours reminiscent of blackberry, cherry, raspberry, with hints of, cloves, cinnamon, tobacco, coffee, and nuances of smoky, toasted French oak. This 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 will age nicely 7-10 years.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2022
Varietal
Malbec
Appellation
Okanagan Valley
Vineyard Designation
River Rock Vineyard
Harvest Date
October 2022
Aging
7-10 years
Bottling Date
March 2024
Alcohol %
13.0
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
The 2022 season started with bud break on April 27th. The weather was cool in May and through June with flowering 2 weeks later than usual. August also had cooler than normal nights. Early September was wetter and cooler than normal but was followed by a return to seasonal norms up to the end of October. Vineyard soils are composed of sandy loam deposited during the last glaciation. The grapes for this wine were sourced from River Rock Vineyard, our estate vineyard, and from Red Brick Vineyard in Osoyoos. The vines were carefully managed with particular attention to water and canopy management allowing the fruit to fully ripen before harvest. The vines at River Rock grow on south facing slopes where soils are composed of rock, sand, and gravel laid down during the last glacial recession. The Malbec from Red Brick were grown on a mixture of sand silt and clay, typical of ancient lake bottom soils.
Winemaker Notes
All grapes were hand-picked, sorted and gently destemmed. Approximately 80% of the fruit was left whole berry, uncrushed. The grapes were cold soaked between 3-5 days and then fermented in both stainless steel tanks (2200 and 2850 litre) and small fermentation totes to maximize skin to juice contact. After fermentation was complete the wine was pressed and transferred to tanks to settle, then to barrels where malolactic fermentation was completed. Wine was aged in French oak barrels (33% new) for approximately 14 months. Following aging, final filtering, and bottling, resulted in the 2022 Malbec.
Product Reviews
Joan
(Sep 2, 2024 at 5:49 PM)
We have been purchasing River Stone wine for a number of years. What stands out for us is how consistent the wines are from year to year. We have never been disappointed and also regard their price point on the low side. Every year we taste wines from other highly rated wineries (have done this for years) and River Stone is just a little gem for quality and price. More people ought to try these wines.