2012 Fortissimo
WINEMAKER'S NOTES
Fortissimo is our way of paying respect to the pioneers of Tuscany who challenged the traditions of winemaking in the 50s and 60s to gain recognition for their wines. After three atypical vintages in a row, the 2012 growing season is a return to a more typical summer growing season in the South Okanagan Valley.
After an initial scare of unusually high record rainfall in late spring the remainder of the growing season was an absolute dream come true. Mid July till late fall gave us very hot days combined with typical cold desert nights. Growing degree days for the South Okanagan were above average and certainly much higher than 2010 and 2011. One of the hallmarks of this vintage was extremely uniformly ripe and pristine grapes with minimal need for sorting (quite the opposite of 2008, 2010 and 2013). The resulting wines are more fruit forward with round structure thanks to plenty of sunshine and heat units; the cool nights resulted in excellent, piercing aromatics and bright acidity in the wine.
The 2012 Fortissimo sees the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend ever! This was necessary as means to maintain a below 15% alc in the final wine as well as better balance of acid/tannins/fruit. Now in bottle for a month, 2012 Fortissimo is as outstanding and forward as we thought it would be; all the components are married seamlessly together. The large format puncheons and Hungarian/Slavonian oak are evident in the subtle way the oak presents itself. Overall the wine has fantastic layers of flavour and nuances. One built for current drinking as well as aging in the cellar with a 8-15 year life ahead.
PAIRINGS
Di Carne
Braised Veal Shank, Osso Bucco or Tuscan Roast Lamb with a Rosemary Crust.
Vegetariano / Vegano
Hearty Braised Vegetable Stew or Sweet potato & Mushroom Cannelloni.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Region: South Okanagan
Soil Type:Varied.
Age of Vines: various. most in mid-teens
Production: 833 cases of 750ml, 133 cases of 375ml, 96 magnums, 12 double magnums
Alcohol: 14.9%
Aging: 19 months. 35% in new oak, 50% of new oak is 500L puncheon. 39% in 3rd fill, rest is equally between 2nd and 4th fill Hungarian oak
ACCOLADES
92 POINTS
A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon with a splash of Sangiovese. Supple and vivid with nice blackberry fruit, and some spicy, minerally notes. Nice definition and wears its high alcohol (14.9%) well.
