Orofino Wines

VINEYARD

This is the 5th vintage we have made of this style of Syrah from Murray and Maggie Fonteyne’s picturesque 6 acre vineyard located just a 5 minute drive south of our winery. The 12 year old vines are planted on a dramatic cut bank above the Similkameen River in one of the prettiest and hottest areas in Canada. The 2.2 acres of Syrah thrive in the harsh rocky soil.

Soils: Stemwinder Soil Classification-angular granite mixed with sandy loam

Clones:  Syrah 239 and 99

WINEMAKING

The grapes were hand harvested and then gently destemmed and lightly crushed into 1 ton open top fermenters where it was left to ferment with indigenous yeast The ferments were hand punched 3 times per day until completion of fermentation. The wine was then pressed straight into 3 1000l concrete tanks that were constructed by a local concrete company using local concrete only.These are the first locally made concrete wine tanks in the province. Local sustainable, and interesting.   The wine was then aged 8 months before racking and bottling (unfiltered) in June of 2019. No fining was used.

TASTING NOTES

Our inspiration came from visits to progressive wineries in California and a trip to Beaujolais and the Rhone Valley. Our soils produce good minerality in our wines and the concrete used helps to amplify that and to express the grapes and the vineyard where they are grown. Rich black fruit, wild game and wet stones are all part of this wine. It is backed by supple, ripe tannins.

Date Picked: October 19, 2018

Brix 22.5

TA 6.6 g/l

Ph 3.43

Alcohol 13.5%

250 cases produced