2023 Sparkling White Merlot

The grapes for our Sparkling White Merlot were grown on our estate vineyard, River Rock Vineyard, which surrounds our winery in Oliver BC. The vines were in their 20th leaf when the fruit was harvested. The winter of 2022-23 saw several cold weather events where temperatures dipped below critical bud health values. There were many predictions of possible primary and secondary bud death. Bud break started on April 28th but was uneven and many primary buds, as predicted, were dead. Spring was cool but by late April the weather was warming up. May was nice and warm as was the remainder of the summer. The volume of fruit was down significantly in our vineyards which resulted in a slightly early harvest date.  Harvest decisions were based on winemaker’s personal preference with particular attention to sugar/acid balance and flavour. The grapes were harvested September 13th and 14th. The vineyards are all farmed sustainably with exceptional care and attention to canopy and water management ensuring the best possible quality of fruit. The vineyards are all on south facing slopes where soils are composed of rock, sand, and gravel laid down during the last glacial recession.