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Orofino Beleza 2021
Cawston, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, CanadaBeleza is the flagship red at Orofino, made with fruit from the Home Vineyard and the nearby Hendsbee Vineyard owned by Cheryl and Lee Hendsbee. The Similkameen style is part wild, part mineral, and part complexity; all rolled into one. The '21 Beleza is as rich and intense as it gets, with big black fruit aromas and flavours, some smoky oak and a raft of spice that runs deep through the wine. The tannins are equally fierce, although not overly dry, and are likely connected to a rare heat dome that persisted in the region for several weeks. The blend is 60% merlot, 20% cabernet sauvignon, 10% petit verdot and 10% cabernet franc. Technically, it is hand-harvested and lightly crushed into one-ton open-top fermenters, where the cap is hand-punched down twice a day until the end of fermentation. From there, it runs straight to new and older French barriques. Each varietal lot is kept separate and then aged carefully for 20 months before blending, racking, and bottling—only the finest barrels make the cut.Tasted: 07 November 2024Tasted by: Geoffrey Moss MWPrices:| BC | $38.95 | 750ml | winery direct/online, select private retailers |
Blend: Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc - Petit VerdotUPC: 626990125969
