2019 Retouche

WINEMAKER'S NOTES

A mere 245 cases of Retouche were made in 2019. Retouche pays homage to the historical practice of “Hermitaging” wines in Bordeaux during the 1800s. Winemakers in Bordeaux added Syrah (often from the famous vineyards in Hermitage) to their wines to add warmth, roundness, and comfort-characters sometimes missing from the structured, powerful Bordeaux Blends in general. It would be incorrect to simply call Retouche a Cab/Merlot/Syrah (CMS as they call it in parts of the New World). Not any Syrah would do. It had to be the right parcel added to our Bordeaux blend so it would sit invisibly behind the Cabernet/Merlot by filling in the gaps. Think of Syrah acting as invisible marionette strings to bring Cabernet to life. After all, it wasn’t until the late 1900s that the world learned about this fraudulent practice in Bordeaux. 

Technical Information

CÉPAGE: 55% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 20% Syrah

REGION: 52% Osoyoos lake district, 48% Golden Mile Bench

VINEYARD: Various

SOIL TYPE: Varied

VINE AGE: 11 to 34. Mostly in their late teens and early 20s

YIELD: Average of 2.3 tons/acre

PRODUCTION: 245 cases

CLARIFICATION: Unfined, very lightly coarse filtered

ALCOHOL: 13.5%

AGING: 19 months in French oak barrels, 10 % new

FOOD PAIRINGS

The complexity & balance of this wine can be complemented with the South-Western French style of cooking with a hint of spicy flavours of the Pyrenees.

Meat-Based

Braised Rabbit & Prune, Chicken Ballotine and flavours of Perigord Black Truffles are all lovely matches.

Plant-Based

Mushroom & Spinach Quiche or Stuffed peppers with mildly spiced lentils and potatoes are delicious too.

ACCOLADES AND REVIEWS

Coming Soon