2018 Old Vines Riesling Brut

Our Old Vines Riesling Brut was crafted from a handful of rows in a single block of our 1978 heritage plantings.

Returning to the portfolio this season, this traditional method sparkling wine is as distinct as our site and with only 50 cases made from 2018, it’s poised for special celebrations and those seeking something very unique from BC.

Pale straw in colour and with a delicate bead and mousse, this wonderfully effervescent wine bursts with aromas of lemon, charred pineapple, spring honey and mineral salt. The palate is lean and focused but held together beautifully by a great texture - a result of two years spent on secondary fermentation lees.

Notes of grapefruit, lime oil and tart, early-season apricots are all bolstered by a crisp freshness and acidity and keep you wanting more. The wine possesses a very long lifted finish and carries the signature tension and energy found in our low-yielding, “Block 5” plantings. We see this sparkling ageing beautifully over the next 5 to 7 years.

TECHNICAL INFO

Varietal: 100% Riesling
Alcohol: 13.3%
Residual Sweetness: 5.87 g/L
pH: 2.83
Total Acidity: 9.9 g/L

VINTAGE NOTES

A mild but long winter with lots of late-season snowfall delayed bud break by a few days compared to our long-term average, and resulted in a slow start to the growing season. Once spring arrived however, the vines switched gears and caught back up to a more normal pace by June. Flowering took place under ideal conditions (dry and warm) and resulted in the potential for high yields, especially in our Chardonnay blocks.

July brought us beautiful Okanagan summer conditions. A couple weeks of haze from wildfire smoke slowed the vines down in August and delayed veraison and subsequent ripening slightly. Fortunately, our grapes and wines were not impacted by the smoke. Harvest began in early September and, thanks to cool, dry weather which allowed our grapes to ripen gently, lasted until the end of October.