Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, CanadaYou will love the light and juicy expression of this Island coastal pinot noir that comes with a pale red-orange colour and a complex mix of flavours. The entry is silky with alluring forest floor streaked with cherries and spice. The palate is a complex mix of dry black cherry and wild raspberry that barely make it out of the glass, with piercing acidity to keep it all taut, demonstrating Cowichan Valley pinot at its best. The majority of the pinot comes off the immaculate Saison Vineyard mixed with 15 percent Unsworth estate fruit and eight percent from nearby Zanatta Vineyard. The complexity comes from a mix of clones: 115, 667, 777, 828, and a clone whose origin is unknown, all grown over marine sediments. The winemaking is simple: the fruit is destemmed and whole berry fermented in stainless before spending one year in barriques, where only ten percent are new. The tannins are mellow. I've tasted this serval times this year, and there is no rush to drink it but a big rush to buy it before it is all gone. I can't wait for the 2020 release.Tasted: 01 June 2022Tasted by: Prices:
Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, CanadaI love the light and juicy expression of coastal pinot noir that comes with a light colour and a rich package of flavours and complexity. The entry is silky smooth with alluring forest floor aromas streaked with cherries and spice. The palate is a black cherry and wild raspberry affair with piercing acidity to keep it all taut — island pinot at its best. Many pinot noir off Saison Vineyard is spread around the island, but at Unsworth, they blend 76 percent Saison fruit with 15 percent Unsworth estate fruit and eight percent Zanatta Vineyard pinot. This Cowichan Valley pinot’s texture and freshness reflect its unique soils of BC marine silt and glacial, fluvial sandy loams. The complexity comes from a mix of clones: 115, 667, 777, 828, and a clone whose origin is unknown. The winemaking is simple: fruit is destemmed and whole berry fermented in stainless before spending one year in barriques, of which only ten percent are new.Tasted: 27 June 2021Tasted by: Prices:
Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, CanadaThe 2019 Pinot Noir comes off Saison Vineyard (76%), Unsworth Vineyard (15%), and Zanatta Vineyard (8%), all in the Cowichan Valley's marine silt and glacial fluvial sandy loams. This utilizes clones 115, 667, 777, 828, plus 8% of an unknown clone, all destemmed, whole berry fermented in stainless before heading to barriques (10% new) for one year. Silky smooth on the slender palate, this streams forest floor, salal berries, wild raspberry, cherry blossoms, and cinnamon spice, cut with a tart, sharp cranberry acidity. Tannins are soft and fine, through the pencil shavings finish. This new classic Island pinot is drinking well now, with a chill.Tasted: 16 August 2021Tasted by: Prices: