Golden Mile Cellars

If there is a plus to perceived global warming, it’s the ability of a growing number of south Okanagan vineyards to mature Zinfandel, the late ripening signature red of California. The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard on Black Sage Road operated by grower Ron Fournier.

Michael Bartier, the winemaker at Golden Mile Cellars, grouses that “this may be the toughest wine this winemaker has ever worked on.” Why? Well, typical of Zin, the big clusters of bulbous grapes included a fair amount of botryis which, if not sorted out, will strip the colour. Bartier made sure the grapes were carefully sorted before he fermented them very hot and very fast with a Barolo yeast. After only a seven-day maceration, the wine went into new American oak and was aged only for seven months.

Bartier pulled off a very good Zin. Dark in colour, its starts with an earthy aroma and then reveals fruit. The flavours are incredibly layered: red currants, plums, blueberry jam, plum, chocolate, all held together with lively spice notes. The tannins are long and ripe. The finish shows notes of liquorice and vanilla. The wine benefits with decanting, evidenced by the increasing richness of the texture on retasting it on the second day. 88 points.

Reviewed January 31, 2007 by John Schreiner.