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Question: What is the most surprising older cab sauv from the Okanagan that you have tasted this year?
Answer: That is a tough question because historically the cabernet sauvignon grape hasn’t ripened sufficiently in the Okanagan vineyards in British Columbia. Cabernet Franc has been a better choice. The growing season usually shuts down around the end of October each year and previously there just were not enough days with heat to avoid that green stemmy herbal unripeness in the cab sauv wine. This last decade has been much more encouraging with global climate change resulting in many notable successes. The best biggest surprise tasted this year by your scribe was the 2008 Wild Goose Cabernet Sauvignon from Kerry Hill Vineyard (home of winemaker Hagen Kruger) grown on glacial sand,clay & gravel on a south facing hill in Okanagan Falls. The hot Summer and appropriate crop thinning resulted in a phenolically ripe easy drinking 13.5 abv that showed the potential for this region and particularly even further south on Black Sage Bench. Stay tuned.
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