Vanessa, Cabernet Franc 2018

Crafted from only a 100% estate grown and hand-picked fruit our Cabernet Franc captures the elegant essence of the Similkameen. The grapes were destemmed and underwent a gentle crush before small-batch fermentation and hand punch down to maximize flavour and extraction. This cuvée is almost entirely composed of free run juice with only a small quantity of pressed juice added to balance the tannins. Fermented in small batches and aged for 20 months in French and American oak, this Cabernet Franc is a benchmark expression of the Similkameen terroir. Only 6 barrels produced.

In 2006 the land was purchased from Clarence Schneider, a second-generation Similkameen farmer. The 220-acre site was previously a grazing pasture, partially planted with alfalfa. Upon visiting the property for the first time, our owner Suki Sekhon, discovered the pasture was covered in beautiful butterflies. As a symbolic gesture to the enchanting flutter, it was decided to name the vineyard Vanessa, which is Greek for butterfly. The quantity of rocks on site initially made vineyard development exceedingly challenging. However, under the guidance of our renowned viticulturists, the late Robert Goltz and Richard Cleave, and with Howard Soon overseeing the planting, the vines were planted in rows of rocks, and became a key asset to our property’s unique terroir. The rocks absorb the days heat, imparting the warmth throughout the cooler nights, which enables the fruit to produce complex flavours and minerality that are truly distinctive.