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90POINTS
16½/20
CedarCreek Amphora Wine Project Desert Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThis wine was a complete experiment, both with unlined, neutral clay amphora (this one sourced from Chianti) and with natural winemaking, Darryl Brooker added destemmed cabernet sauvignon from Osoyoos' Desert Ridge vineyard to the amphora without any additions (such as sulphur), sealed the top and walked away, hesitantly, and stayed away for eight months. When they opened the top, they stomp pressed the grapes to obtain the wine, and this was the result - rested in stainless for eight short weeks, and bottled unfiltered and without any additives (such as sulphur). A true-to-form natural wine. Light blackberry, wild blueberry and dusky plum aromas open this very fresh, lifted and medium bodied red. Supple leather, wild blackberry, thorns and dough fill the juicy, textured palate. Very fine, grainy tannins deftly carry the fragrant, vibrant fruit to a lengthy finish, closing out with some heat (the only place where 14.8 percent alcohol was apparent). I was surprised by the softness and balance of the tannins; Daryl's summation is that the high oxygen transmission in the amphora helped to soften and polymerise them. An exceptional and exciting experiment with natural winemaking, and one that the CedarCreek team has continued in the 2014 vintage.Tasted: 13 July 2015Tasted by: Prices:| BC | $60.00 | 750ml | winery direct, VQA shops |
Grape: Cabernet SauvignonCSPC: 774034UPC: 778913800092
