Burrowing Owl 2019 Cabernet Franc 750ml

Tasting Notes: A complex, medium bodied Cabernet Franc nicely combining red plum, red currant and cherry with fragrant violet and dried rose petal notes with added layers of vanilla and red and black licorice. The palate is intensely flavoured with ripe tannins, crisp acidity and complex notes of graphite, dried thyme, burlap, tobacco, baking spice, charred wood and a hint of leather to match the vibrant red fruit, all lingering through a long, savoury finish. Pair this with short ribs braised with star anise or a lentil and mushroom braise. – Rhys Pender, Master of Wine

Vintage & Winemaking Notes: Spring arrived early in 2019, allowing for early and even bud break, flowering and fruit set. This was followed by a warm, yet more moderate summer. The summer heat was enough to produce nicely concentrated levels of ripeness in the grapes and the cool autumn provided conditions for acidity to be retained in the fruit as well, providing the wine with a lively freshness to balance the ripe fruit notes.

The grapes were harvested by hand from our Burrowing Owl Vineyard in Oliver and our Eva’s Vineyard in Osoyoos at different times between October 11 and November 5. They were destemmed and gently crushed before being gravity fed into stainless tanks for skin maceration and alcoholic fermentation, with temperatures ranging from 12 to 30 °C. Both free run and pressed wine were then moved into separate barrels for malolactic fermentation followed by 15 months of ageing. The selection of barrels helped round out the tannins and contributed to complex savory and spice notes.

Cellaring: 5+ years

Ageing: 85% French, 13% Hungarian and 2% American with 28% new, 34% one- and two-year-old, and 38% neutral oak

Analysis: Alcohol:13.5.0% | PH: 3.74 | Titratable acidity: 5.66 g/L