East Kelowna Slopes, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaTantalus first released this Reserve wine in 2016. It is based on 18 mid-slope rows of 667 clones in their home vineyard, and a small selection of stand-out Clones 37 and 777. Both the similarities to and the differences from the estate pinot noir are at play in the flavours here. The baseline fruit density, forest floor earthiness, and darker berries are all here, but the Reserve is like the perfected copy. It's more elaborate, more affluent, livelier, and structured. On the nose, Morello cherry, loganberry, mulberry, and wet undergrowth lead to authoritative silky cherry and berry. The fruit profiles differ, but it has the balanced, deeper intensity of some Oregon pinots. The finish trails on and on. It is still formative and should develop for at least 3-5 years. This was 50% whole bunch fermentation, with 15 months in 40% new French barriques, and foot trodden.Tasted: 14 November 2023Tasted by: Prices:
East Kelowna Slopes, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe now familiar golden mask created by Tahltan-Tlingit artist Dempsey Bob marks the fourth edition of the Tantalus Reserve Pinot Noir. The nose is reserved and focused on the drier, earthy, forest-floor tobacco notes until it hits your palate. An explosion of dark plummy, black cherry fruit fills your mouth with a light level of grippy tannins that should dissipate over the next three years; be patient. The heart of this wine is a small, mid-slope block of 18 rows that contain the Dijon clone 667 and, in 2019, a small selection of what winemaker David Patterson called a standout Clone 37 wine in barrel. It is all wild fermented, incorporating 50% whole bunches and gets a single, foot treading daily to ensure finesse. It is aged in French barriques for 15 months, 40 percent new. The best yet.Tasted: 12 July 2022Tasted by: Prices:
East Kelowna Slopes, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe Reserve Pinot Noir is fronted by a golden mask created by heralded Tahltan-Tlingit artist Dempsey Bob, signifying its importance in the portfolio and its rarity (only 100 cases). The Reserve is based off a small mid-slope block of estate 667, with a splash of 37 and 777 blended in. The whole were native fermented with 50% whole bunch, racked to barrique (40% new) for MLF. It remained there for 15 months prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered. Perfumed dark plum, black cherry, dusky wild blackberry, tobacco, and dark florals fill a structural palate, textured and framed with finely grippy tannins that stretch to the cedar spiced finish. Under a Diam10 closure, so the winery has clear intent on the ageability of this wine. I concur. Drinking well now (with grilled pork / mushrooms) but will reward with a couple of years in the cellar.Tasted: 28 July 2022Tasted by: Prices:
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