Kettle Valley
Naramata Bench Malbec
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
To be honest, the Malbec seems to be the least consistent of Kettle Valley's expressions. I find the variation wild between vintages of this stuff. The 2011 eight years after vintage has some graphite going on with perhaps some under-ripeness of fruit making an appearance, but the brambly blackberry fruit quickly gives way to a wave of blueberry here that works ok with the heavy dose of wood. It's weird to say, but would you say this is missing a tar note?
To be honest, the Malbec seems to be the least consistent of Kettle Valley's expressions. I find the variation wild between vintages of this stuff. The 2011 eight years after vintage has some graphite going on with perhaps some under-ripeness of fruit making an appearance, but the brambly blackberry fruit quickly gives way to a wave of blueberry here that works ok with the heavy dose of wood. It's weird to say, but would you say this is missing a tar note?
Oct 16th, 2019Appearance: Clear, M+/ Deep plum core to a pink rim. Light legs
Nose: Clean, M, Blackberry, split cedar, liquorice, stewed plum
Palette: M, M/-, BlackBerry, blueberry, currant, cassis, under-ripened strawberry, rosemary
Time has mellowed our this deep, powerful Malbec. The malolactic fermentation compliments the French oak maturation to give it a pleasantly black fruit forward, juicy character. Not overwhelming and not dependent on food neither.
Appearance: Clear, M+/ Deep plum core to a pink rim. Light legs
Nose: Clean, M, Blackberry, split cedar, liquorice, stewed plum
Palette: M, M/-, BlackBerry, blueberry, currant, cassis, under-ripened strawberry, rosemary
Time has mellowed our this deep, powerful Malbec. The malolactic fermentation compliments the French oak maturation to give it a pleasantly black fruit forward, juicy character. Not overwhelming and not dependent on food neither.