Shiraz 2019,3326 (Black Sage Vineyard)

Drink now or cellar for up to 7 years. No need to decant before serving. Black Sage Vineyard occupies a stunning setting at the northern end of the Okanagan Valley on scrubby benchland that was thought to be only suitable for raising cattle until recently. In 1992 the owners of Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, Harry McWatters and Bob Wareham, purchased an unused vineyard here and experimented with planting French vine cuttings to produce the region’s first Bordeaux-style blends. Since then the winery has built an impressive reputation for its bold red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Franc. This luscious and juicy Shiraz is crafted from estate vineyards where the fruit is picked late in the autumn when it reaches full ripeness. Once in the winery the grapes are destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. The young wine is transferred to French and American oak barrels where it matures for 14-16 months prior to bottling. Bursting with dark plums, cassis, blackberry and winter spice, this powerful Shiraz has a generous full body, firm tannins and a very long finish with hints of woodsmoke and tobacco leaf. The intense flavour profile makes it a great partner for rich dishes like beef stews, steak and a herby rack of lamb. It can also be cellared for another 8 or so years where it will continue to evolve and develop into something even more beautiful.