Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe Bartier Merlot comes off the home Cerqueira Vineyard along the Black Sage Terrace in Oliver, and continues to impress in the bottle. The vineyard has a gentle west-facing slope, and soils are dense loam topsoil above gravel with limestone (calcium carbonate) covered granite, quartz, and basalt cobbles. The 2016 blend is 96/4/ merlot/cabernet franc fermented in tank where it was pumped over twice a day for four weeks. There is a freshness and nimbleness to the front end, unimpeded by its ageing in neutral French barrels for fourteen months. The nose is a mix of blue/red fruit with a savoury mineral undercurrent. The palate carries ripe blueberries through to a bright finish, with pleasing stony/silky, black cherry, salty fruit free of any obvious oak. There is a dusting of tannins to facilitate another five years of bottle aging, if you like your merlot mature. Perfect now with your favourite steak cuts. Super value. Real wine.Tasted: 20 August 2018Tasted by: Prices:
Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe Bartier Merlot comes off the home Cerqueira Vineyard along the Black Sage Terrace in Oliver. The vineyard has a gentle west-facing slope. The soils are dense loam topsoil above gravel with limestone (calcium carbonate) covered granite, quartz, and basalt cobbles throughout a deep profile. The mix in 2016 is 96/4/ merlot/cabernet franc fermented in tank where it was pumped over twice a day for four weeks. There is freshness and nimbleness to the front end, a result of its ageing in neutral French barrels for fourteen months. The nose is a mix of blue/red fruit with a savoury mineral undercurrent. The finish is bright with pleasing stony/silky, black cherry, salty fruit free of any obvious oak with just a brush of tannins to facilitate another five years of bottle aging, if you like your merlot mature. Perfect now with most any of your favourite steak cuts. Super value. Real wine.Tasted: 23 April 2018Tasted by: Prices: