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17/20
Lock and Worth Merlot 2017
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThat's right, a 2017 BC merlot, tasted in March 2018. It's amusing to me that this tiny independent winery, so very much apart from BC's wine politics (no VQA here) and trends, and marketing, consistantly sums up what I love about the potential of Okanagan wine: purity. Merlot is the most planted red grape in BC, but it's not even close to being the best red grape for this province. That said, there are none like this one: lighter bodied, cloudy, textural and singular. From low interventionist producer Lock & Worth, this unfined and unfiltered merlot was planted in 1995 on a sandy 2 acre site on the Naramata Bench. Destemmed and with five days on the skins, this was basket pressed, fermented and aged in neutral French oak for seven months. This vintage shows a sun-warmed dark plum core, wrapped with a dusky web of smoked stone, pipe tobacco, thorny wild blackberry and subtle violet perfume. Tannins are slight, bittersweet cocoa dusted, and supple, and acidity keeps pace to the fruit, holding to the prickly cracked peppercorn finish. This vintage is plumper than last year's greyhound sleek model, and may gain wider appeal because of it. I prefer this with a slight chill.Tasted: 23 April 2018Tasted by: Treve RingPrices:| BC | $22.00 | 750ml | private wine shops |
Grape: Merlot
