Small Lots One 2019, Sandhill Wines

Description from the Producer

VANESSA VINEYARD - 19 BARRELS
BLEND: Merlot (69%), Cabernet Sauvignon (17%), Cabernet Franc (14%)
FLAVOUR PROFILE
Bright garnet in colour with lovely bouquet of black cherry, blueberry, and black currant fruit, mingling with cocoa powder, spice, oak, smoke, and violet. This full-bodied wine has firm but not aggressive tannins, great structure, and ripe dark fruit flavours. Black cherry and black currant fruit accented by spice and oak unfold on the palate. Notes of blackberry, black currant, coffee bean, vanilla extract, and spice linger on the extra-dry finish.
While still young, enjoy with medium rare red meats including lamb and beef, or a cheese platter which includes three to five-year-old Canadian cheddar and other hard aged cheeses; after a few years in the cellar (2024 and beyond) enjoy with hearty winter stews, braised meats, roasted leg of lamb, or 70% dark chocolate. Decanting is recommended if drinking now through 2022.
Residual Sugar: 0.3 g/L
GROWING CONDITIONS
Overall, the valley experienced above average spring temperatures for an early burst of growth, while summer temperatures were more moderate, reducing fire hazards, and providing a long slow ripening period to allow for vibrant acidity, flavour concentration, even ripening, and firm tannins for ageability. Careful management of the crop along with perfect timing was required for the September and October harvest. The very good 2019 vintage will see lower alcohol levels and vibrant natural acidity for fresh and elegant wines in much of the northern and central valley; along with ripe flavours and good texture from the more southern vineyards.
WINEMAKING
Harvested from Vanessa Vineyard in the Similkameen Valley. Most of the vines were cropped to a single bunch per shoot to achieve good concentration of fruit and ripeness of tannins. Fermentation took place in small stainless-steel fermenters, with daily pumping over for good extraction on the skins. [65% of the blend was co-fermented Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot; the balance of the blend was a block of Merlot that was fermented separately] After 20 months in barrel selected barrels of Merlot was blended in with the co-fermented batch then returned to barrel for 2 additional months of integration before bottling. The wine underwent full malolactic fermentation and was aged in barrel for a total of 22 months [50% American oak and 50% French oak; of which 25% of the French oak was new; the remainder was 2nd and 3rd year].
WINEMAKERS NOTES“We call this wine Sandhill One because it was the first of our Bordeaux style blends made. This vintage has a higher proportion of Merlot as it was an excellent vintage for this variety, exhibiting dark fruit and rich silky tannins to round out the body and add length.” - Sandy Leier, Winemaker