2021 Cabernet Franc
In Stock
Our 2021 Cabernet Franc has an elegant floral nose, a medium body, ripe varietal fruit, balanced acidity, soft, mature tannins creating a rich, long lasting mouthfeel. This wine is presently showing ripe varietal fruit character including violets, blueberries, currants, maraschino cherries, as well as a dusty, chalky, earthiness reminiscent of previous Cabernet Franc vintages, and a nice hint of French oak. This wine was matured 14 months in 100% French oak and will age well 7-10 years.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Cabernet Franc
Appellation
Okanagan Valley
Vineyard Designation
River Rock Vineyard
Harvest Date
October 2021
Aging
7-10 years
Bottling Date
March 2023
Alcohol %
13.7
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
The grapes for this single vineyard Cabernet Franc were grown on our River Rock Vineyard, our home vineyard which surrounds our 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, I 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 sustainably 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, flavor, 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
The Cabernet Franc was hand picked on October 19th, and destemmed. Approximately 80% of the fruit was left whole, uncrushed. The grapes were cold soaked between 3-5 days and then fermented in a 2850 litre stainless steel tank. The cap was plunged 2-3 time/day maximize skin to juice contact. Following fermentation the wine was pressed and transferred to another tank to settle then to barrels where malolactic fermentation was completed. Wine was aged in French oak barrels for approximately14 months (33% new). Following aging, final filtering, and bottling were completed.