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91POINTS
16¾/20
Black Hills Nota Bene 2023
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe 2023 Nota Bene concludes a series of releases spanning 25 years. Vineyard damage prompted former general manager and chief winemaker Ross Wyse to remove the vines and begin anew, while current winemaker Ryan McKibbon, who joined before the '22 harvest, has been managing the cellars and will prepare for future releases. The '23 vintage is a blend of 37/35/28 cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet franc. Wyse refined Nota Bene by enhancing its characteristics while reducing some of the greenness, changing the oak regime, and tweaking the vineyard management. Today, the wine undergoes wild fermentation in French puncheons but is aged in a mix of smaller French oak barriques and puncheons for a year and a half. Only 41% of the wine is exposed to new oak. While the ’22 vintage sets a high standard, 2023 aims to meet expectations, presenting Black Sage Bench dry, savoury notes and a mid-palate with black and ripe red fruit and atouch of smoke in the finish. The tannin is dense and expected to integrate into the wine over time.Tasted: 21 April 2025Tasted by: Anthony GismondiPrices:| BC | $75.00 | 750ml | winery online/direct, select private retailers |
Blend: Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet FrancCSPC: 708073UPC: 058976502981
