Meyer Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Old Block McLean Creek Vineyard 2022
Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThis opens with elevated notes of wild strawberry, fresh cherry, lilac, and baking spices, and follows through with a rolling wave of loganberry, cherry, and strawberry. Silky and seamless, the floral tinged fruit has an appealing, supple intensity that pulls you to it. The fruit echoes into a prolonged finish. This Old Block Pinot from Meyer is always special and distinct. The fruit comes from a one acre plot that was established before the previous property was purchased by the Meyers, so the clone is unknown. The fruit was gently destemmed via gravity into small open top fermenters and allowed to cold soak. After cold soaking, an indigenous fermentation began, with temperature peaking at 30 degrees Celsius. Gentle hand plunging of the must was done throughout. After a post maceration period the wine was transferred to French oak barrels (40% new)
where it remained for 11 months. A natural malolactic fermentation occurred in late spring. The wine is unfined and unfiltered.Tasted: 24 April 2024Tasted by: Prices:
Meyer Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Old Block McLean Creek Vineyard 2022
Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaFrom their home estate McLean Creek Road Vineyard, in Okanagan Falls, the Old Block was planted in 1994 on a steep south facing slope of gravels and sandy loams. This was destemmed and cold soaked before a native ferment in stainless prior to moving to French oak (40% new) for 11 months. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Silken smooth on the palate, with black raspberries, dark plum, and perfumed cherry dusted with pipe tobacco and seasoned with pink peppercorn. Acidity is crunchy bright, and tannins are long and downy through the lingering finish. Drinking now, this friendly pinot would well suit grilled salmon or pork, though the Diam10 closure suggests the winery wants you to lay it down for a while first.Tasted: 08 January 2024Tasted by: Prices:
Meyer Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Old Block McLean Creek Vineyard 2022
Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe Old Block is an original Meyer Vineyard plant that dates to 1994 and is part of the largest single block (1 acre) of pinot noir at McLean Creek Road in Okanagan Falls. The unknown clone is planted to a steep southerly aspect, capturing the full range of the sun, and while it more than often exhibits both power and length, it usually clocks in at a modest 13.5 percent alcohol. Winemaker Chris Carson practices sustainable /organic viticulture, but the vineyard is not certified. The winemaking regimen is kept simple: most of the work is done in the vineyard before a gentle destem of the berries and, via gravity, move them into small open-top fermenters. After a cold soak, the fermentation begins naturally, peaking at 30 C. The must is hand plunged throughout and during post-maceration. The 2022 is a welcomed return from the smoky 2021 offerings and may be one of the best years yet for pinot noir in British Columbia. Old Block always opens with a soft plush palate on the palate. The mix of cranberries and black cherries keeps it lively before streaks of baking spices weave through a fresh acidity in the finish. Long and impressive, this will have a large following of happy pinot drinkers. It's more hedonistic than complex but a delicious ready-to-drink style. Good value.Tasted: 24 November 2023Tasted by: Prices: