Day 6 is exciting for us because we are showcasing one of our favourite wines: Syrah 2019.  For those of you who’ve followed us for a while, you’ll know that Syrah is a grape I’m incredibly passionate about. The past couple of vintages, specifically 2017 and 2018, were a bit milder than what would be considered “normal” for the south Okanagan, which allowed me to craft elegant wines that showcase how pretty a lighter style of Syrah can be…particularly when co-fermented with Viognier. Well, 2019 was a warmer vintage and the resulting wine is perhaps a bit more typical of what you would expect from Syrah. There is still an elegance to this wine, and even though the 2019 is co-ferment with 7% Viognier, it is definitely showing more power, body and concentration.

Enjoy and savour this bottle of Syrah…we aren’t sure what the future holds for this grape in our valley. The 2022 winter was especially hard on this varietal, with many vineyards throughout the valley succumbing to lethal cold temperatures.  Unfortunately we were not able to produce Syrah in 2023.

Winemaking Notes

In the classic Northern Rhone style, the wine is a co-fermenation of 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier. The grapes were harvested on October 22nd.  After de-stemming and a light crushing, the grapes underwent a 3-day cold soak.  After a slow and warm fermentation, the wine underwent another 14 days of maceration to extract more phenolic compounds. The wine spent 21 months in 33% new French and American oak barrels.

Tasting Notes
Full-bodied, muscular, concentrated and bold. Floral aromas of violets, with fruit notes of blueberry jam and red cherry, followed by hints of smokey bacon. On the palate, bright flavours of cassis, dark cherry and blueberry dominate the entry. The mid-palate brings freshness with a good dose of herbs, followed by vanilla, espresso and baking spices on the long finish. This is a wine that is approachable now, but with great cellaring potential.

Food Pairings
For cheeses, go with firm and aged to match the earthiness and sharpness of the wine. For meats, roasted game, smoked baby back ribs, or even a pumpkin-spiced lamb burger. If veggies are your thing, then you can’t go wrong with simple mushrooms on toast.

Wine Specs

Vintage 2019
Appellation Okanagan Valley VQA
Vineyards Osoyoos
Acid 6.7 g/L
pH 3.55
Residual Sugar 2.6 g/L
Alcohol % 13.5
Production: 160 cases