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A vertical tasting is always an interesting basis on which to assess a winery.
Several pioneers of the Okanagan now have at least 10 vintages or more of history. Going forward we hope to update you at www.gismondionwine.com. With more landmark tastings from the Okanagan.
First up Tinhorn Creek Vineyards (www.tinhorn.com) has been family owned and operated by Kenn (the GM) & Sandra Oldfield (the winemaker trained in California) since its inception some 15 years ago. Check out their Crush Club membership benefits! The winery is located on the Golden Mile just south of Oliver. They produce 100 per cent estate wines from 150 acres with a third of the land facing east on the cooler, (more acidity) Golden Mile Bench including Fischer Vineyard and 2/3 at Diamondback Vineyard on the riper Black Sage Bench facing southwest on the east side of the valley.
The latter parcel is a particularly good area for cabernet franc planted in 4 plots: the most southerly in 1994; the adjoining 2 acres to the north in 1995; the star, the most northern plot planted 1995-96 on a sand and gravel ridge, is providing awesome fruit from 4 acres near the main merlot plantings; and the difficult most westerly one next to Mistral Vineyards planted in 1997 with frost risk, low tonnage (2 ½ -3 ton/acre) and the last to pick
The Oldfields are very personable but humble and deserve credit for many improvements we now see in the BC wine industry. Their 1998 merlot won "Red Wine of the Year" at the very first Wine Access Canadian Wine Awards (which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary August 16-19, 2010 in Penticton) where Anthony Gismondi and this scribe participated as judges. Sandra has always told me that she "enjoys the 1997 merlot and the 1998 cab franc more". Oldfield was also the first in Canada to use Stelvin closures with that memorable twin pack release of the 2001 reserve merlot one with a cork closure upside down and the other with a Stelvin standing up! The winery is a Conservation Partner in the Land Conservancy for their efforts in protecting the natural habitat, native plant restoration, beetle release project, and installation of a snake fence (Is that necessary? Are there snakes up there? I guess Diamondback says it all!).
Good policies to follow for their about to start new winery restaurant project scheduled to open in 2011 with operator Manuel Ferreira of Le Gavroche at 1616 Alberni in Vancouver for over 30 years. Self-guided winery tours, Canadian Concert Series, carbon neutrality, and a continuing charitable commitment including the many Boys and Girls Club programs in both BC & Alberta are also on the long list of their many contributions to BC's wine culture.
Tinhorn features two levels of wines the varietal series and the best lots chosen for the Oldfield Collection series. Watch for the October 2010 release of 350 cases of the new 2 Bench red 2007 at $35 bottled in August 2009 after 18 months in oak of 1/3 each of new, 1 year, and 2 year. This Meritage blend is composed of 50 cabernet sauvignon, 25 cabernet franc, and 25 merlot while they plan to reduce the cab sauvignon in 2008 adding malbec and petit verdot in 2 years.
On January 27, 2010 the BC Wine Appreciation Society (www.bcwas.com) organized an extensive vertical of their cab franc from 1996 to 2007 conducted by Sandra Oldfield and here are my impressions incorporating some of her comments:
Tinhorn Creek 1996 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Grapes received in pouring rain and a power outage; first cold soak in BC; heated tanks for 1-2 weeks (contrast cooling the tanks in California); pleasant little wine still with a lot of unique fruit showing mint, licorice, medicinal, rhubarb and the higher natural acidity of this varietal with a shorter finish; only 86% cab franc with 14% merlot; $16.95 on release. 12.6 alcohol, Harvest Oct 17 at 22 brix .83 Tons/acre 13 months American oak 573 cases
Tinhorn Creek 1997 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Young vines late picked on a sunny hot day from only 2 of their now existing 4 plots; no extremes and one of Sandy's favourite vintages to make; lightest colour but surprisingly elegant delicate fresh and delightful; some Loire herbal notes and would be better with food; 95% cab franc and 5% merlot (last time in the blend); $16.95. 12.6 alcohol, Harvest Nov 1-2 at 21.9 brix, 2.44 T/a 10 months American oak, 3143 cases
Tinhorn Creek 1998 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Very hot year with higher brix ripeness resulted in an earlier harvest; first 100% one shows softer with lower acidity; first bottle had TCA cork taint; second one clean big fruit with drier, rustic, caramel notes in a very earthy style; $16.95. 13.3 alcohol, Harvest Sept 29-Oct 2 at 24.5 brix, 2.89 T/a, 11 months American oak, 4152 cases.
Tinhorn Creek 1999 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Difficult latest picked biggest over crop from a cold less ripe year had Sandy joking that "you can skip 1999 if you want to " and confessing she was "ready to go back to California"; many grapes only 19 brix and had to be chaptalized up to 21; Sandra called it a "Jesus wine because it started out as bad green beans but with age has turned into an unusual orange peel chartreuse like wine - Jesus turning water into wine"; less berries and less spice but uniquely green with some interest; reduced price to $15.95 on release. 12 alcohol, Harvest Nov 8-12 at 20.3 brix, 5.73 T/a 9 months American oak (no new all used), 7036 cases.
Tinhorn Creek 2000 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Contrasting low crop using first mechanical harvesting in the rain; cold soak and long maceration on the skins after fermentation (stopped this after 2000/2001) gave first higher alcohol one; lots of acid and tannins but edgy drier with the fruit disappearing leaving mainly woody caramel; would show better with a meal; drink up; $15.95. 14.6 alcohol, Harvest Oct 11-18 at 24.4 brix, 2.2 T/a, 13 months American oak, 3920 cases.
Tinhorn Creek 2001 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Sandy says " her notes show it was too hot a year with grape quality lower resulting in dry awkward tannins"; bottle variation with best showing full round ripe berries of textbook cab franc varietal character; tannins would work better with food; $17.502001: 14 alcohol, Harvest Oct 16 at 24.5B 2.94 T/a 13 months Am oak (3 year old) 4849 cases.
Tinhorn Creek 2002 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Hot year fermented quickly; largest cab franc producer and 100% varietal not selling well; started another label cab/merlot blend (stopped in 2007); deep stylish complex nose; good lively sweet plums balanced with earthy spicy delicious flavours impress; humidity and mist from new barrel room may have helped with less evaporation in the barrels; no rush; $17.50. 14.1 alcohol, harvest Oct 16-25, 25.7 brix, 3.92 T/a, 11 months American/French oak 9 1st time) 6549 cases.
Tinhorn Creek 2003 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Fires with smoky conditions didn't affect Tinhorn; ripe high fruit softer year like 2005 shows pepper spice and cloves; approachable easy drinking "helped put cab franc on the map and good for Tinhorn"; enjoyable lower tannins with a bit of heat on the finish; $16.99. 14.5 alcohol, harvest Oct 4-22, 25.2 brix, 2.79 T/a, 11 months American/French oak (2-4 year) 3974 cases.
Tinhorn Creek 2004 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Yeast died off at 5 brix while Sandy on parental leave; stressful and finished stuck fermentation March-April 2005; first use of Stelvin for this wine; mid-pack rating as edgy and raw vegetal but clean and pure enough; show better with food; signed contract with Vincor to sell them 30% of their cab franc grapes for three years (2004-2006); $17.99. 14.6 alcohol, harvest Oct 4-13, 24.2 brix, 4.12 T/a, 13 months Am/French oak (2-4 year) 4322 cases
Tinhorn Creek 2005 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
"Conditions similar to 2003 with soft high fruit years"; prefer the open vibrant clean stylish statement here; like this very alive, fresh, fruit with balanced tannins showing a touch of class; Stelvin closure again helps it at this stage; $17.99. 14.4 alcohol, harvest Oct 13-27, 24.3 brix, 3.46 T/a, 12 months Am/French oak 2150 cases.
Tinhorn Creek 2006 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
Alcohol getting up there but still shows "classic earthy chalky character that should age well"; big powerful concentrated young very sweet plums, herbs, and rhubarb even if a bit hot; showing potential; $17.99. 14.9 alcohol, harvest Oct 11-21, 25 brix, 3.62 T/a, 12 months American/French oak, 2566 cases.
Tinhorn Creek 2007 Cabernet Franc, Okanagan Valley, Canada
A baby "not showing well now and a softer year like 2003 & 2005"; ripe year with a touch less tannins; 3 day cold soak but a stuck fermentation and reverse osmosis; big fruit despite higher yield with spice and herbs but this bottle has some noticeable band aid medicinal Brett notes; on their website Sandy says "the most delicious cabernet franc we have ever made"; $17.99. 14.3 alcohol, harvest Oct 15-19, 24.9brix, 5.16 T/a, 13 months American/French oak, 5989 cases.
The 2008 will be released this September while the 2009 remains in barrel but Sandy says both "are developing well". They are consciously bottling earlier now with Stelvin and trying to keep their wines much fresher. Sandy puts it "you should enjoy it in the first 3 or 4 years or in some cases the first 3 or 4 minutes and Stelvin is good for this." Also "they have more efficient yeasts now but this is not necessarily better" and "she likes the spicy character that the American oak provides for cabernet franc".
Excellent progress is being made at Tinhorn Creek by controlling all their fruit and not buying any grapes. The 2005 and 2002 were my favourites. As their vines age and their knowledge and know how continues to improve I am sure the best ones are still to come which is really good news. Congratulations on such outstanding value starting your price at $16.95 and twelve years later you are only a dollar more at $17.99. That is the textbook definition of consumer friendly.
