Clos du Soleil Capella 2018

90POINTS

16^½/20

British Columbia, CanadaClos du Soleil's flagship white follows the Bordeaux route, blending sauvignon blanc and sémillon. The ratio is 85/15, sourced from fruit grown in Keremeos and Oliver. The lines are taut with fresh lemon-lime citrus on the nose and palate with grapefruit and green melon all over a stony mineral backdrop. Despite a dollop of wood, it remains precise and crisp with no shortage of structure in the back end. Excellent food wine, and we need them more than ever in BC to keep wine relevant. The fruit is all whole cluster pressed, partially fermented with native yeasts in barrels (65% French oak) and stainless steel (35%). Surprisingly it has gone through full malolactic fermentation before spending nine months in barrels, on lees and with frequent battonage.Tasted: 07 February 2020Tasted by: Prices:

$24.90

750ml

winery direct, private wine shops

Producer: Clos du Soleil WineryDistributors: Select Wines & Spirits
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc - SémillonCSPC: 891275UPC: 857088000473

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89POINTS

16^¼/20

Clos du Soleil Capella 2018

British Columbia, CanadaClos du Soleil's flagship white is a stately Bordeaux blend of 85% sauvignon blanc / 15% sémillon, sourced from Keremeos and Oliver. After whole cluster pressing, these were partially native fermented in barrels (65% French oak, 35% stainless) with full MLF. All the lots were aged for 9 months on lees with battonage. Lemon lime, sherbet, white grapefruit and ample broken stony spices texture the medium palate, potent and structural due to the oak, with crisp citrus, melon, and an earthiness that lingers on the finish. Not as seamless and cohesive as the previous vintage, at least at this point.Tasted: 11 January 2020Tasted by: Prices:

$24.90

750ml

winery direct, private wine shops

Producer: Clos du Soleil WineryDistributors: Select Wines & Spirits
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc - SémillonCSPC: 891275UPC: 857088000473

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90POINTS

16^½/20

Clos du Soleil Capella 2018

British Columbia, CanadaThis blend of 85 percent sauvignon blanc and 15 percent semillon was whole cluster pressed and then fermented in a 65/35 combination of French oak puncheons and stainless steel barrels. It’s all about restraint and the Similkameen’s salty minerality. The sauvignon blanc comes from Whispered Secret and Blind Creek Vineyards in the Similkameen, with the sémillon sourced from Dhaliwal Bros Vineyard in the South Okanagan. It’s on the leaner side of the spectrum for sauvignon blanc, which is not a surprise given the early September pick dates, with tart lemon and grapefruit alongside a subtle lees character from sur lie aging for nine months. However, the sémillon brings some richness to the palate, with pronounced dry extract evoking low yields in the vineyard. It’s a wine of finesse, which will undoubtedly appeal to fans of mineral-driven Old World wines. And, having tasted Capella back to 2006, I can assure you that the best is still to come, with bottle age an important part of what brings complexity to this wine.Tasted: 11 March 2020Tasted by: Prices:

$24.90

750ml

winery direct, private wine shops

Producer: Clos du Soleil WineryDistributors: Select Wines & Spirits
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc - SémillonCSPC: 891275UPC: 857088000473

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