Burrowing Owl Syrah 2018
A deep, brooding Syrah with an intense nose of blackberry, black cherry and black plum fruit along with some pastry crust, vanilla and clove and complex notes of burlap, leather, espresso, violet, graphite, black sage and bacon. Dry, full-bodied and rich on the palate with intense black pepper, black fruit, ripe tannins, paprika, roasted red peppers, dark chocolate and grilled rosemary with a long finish and plenty of potential to age.
Rhys Pender, Master of Wine
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Province | British Columbia |
| Region | Okanagan Valley |
| Producer | Burrowing Owl Estate Winery |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Color | Red Wine |
| Varietal(s) | Syrah 97%, Viognier 3% |
A deep, brooding Syrah with an intense nose of blackberry, black cherry and black plum fruit along with some pastry crust, vanilla and clove and complex notes of burlap, leather, espresso, violet, graphite, black sage and bacon. Dry, full-bodied and rich on the palate with intense black pepper, black fruit, ripe tannins, paprika, roasted red peppers, dark chocolate and grilled rosemary with a long finish and plenty of potential to age.
Rhys Pender, Master of Wine
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Province | British Columbia |
| Region | Okanagan Valley |
| Producer | Burrowing Owl Estate Winery |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Color | Red Wine |
| Varietal(s) | Syrah 97%, Viognier 3% |
| Closure | Cork |
|---|---|
| Volume | 750ml |
| Alcohol | 14% |
| Product Code | B005R00418 |
| UPC | 688229006180 |
| Inventory | In Stock (28) |
Tasting notes
A deep, brooding Syrah with an intense nose of blackberry, black cherry and black plum fruit along with some pastry crust, vanilla and clove and complex notes of burlap, leather, espresso, violet, graphite, black sage and bacon. Dry, full-bodied and rich on the palate with intense black pepper, black fruit, ripe tannins, paprika, roasted red peppers, dark chocolate and grilled rosemary with a long finish and plenty of potential to age.
Pairing
Pair this with flat iron steak with peppercorn sauce or a wild mushroom and Puy lentil stew.
Cellaring
Enjoy through 2030
GOLD - San Fransisco International Wine Challenge
GOLD - 2021 National Wine Awards of Canada
Appellation
BC VQA Okanagan Valley
Vintage Notes
2018 was a moderate growing season that started with an earlier budbreak and a warmer than average May. The season cooled during the summer months and rebounded with favourable September and October temperatures. The cooperative weather allowed us to retain acidity and provide quality fruit with increased crop levels. While the sun and heat create intense fruit flavours, the cool evenings preserve the natural acidity in the grapes keeping the wine fresh and lively.
Viticulture
The Syrah grapes were harvested by hand on October 24th from our Eva vineyard in Osoyoos and from our Burrowing Owl Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench on October 25th and November 9th. The Viognier grapes were hand-picked from our Oliver vineyard on October 25th and co-fermented with a portion of the Syrah harvested on that same day.
Vinification
The grape clusters were hand sorted, destemmed and slightly crushed before being gravity-fed into tank for fermentation. After completion the wine was given time to settle on its skins for further extraction. Once done, the Syrah wine was then transferred into barrels to allow for malolactic fermentation to occur. The wine aged for 15 months in a combination of barrels selected for their ability to enrich the natural flavour profile of the wine with hints of woodsy, spicy and vanillin undertones. Racked off its lees several times during its ageing, the wine was bottle unfiltered.
Barrel ageing: 54% French, 30% American, 13% Hungarian and 3% Russian, with 27% new, 4% one-year, and 69% third fill and older oak
Producer Description
It's All About The Wines
The winery and vineyard lie within one of Canada's most unique ecosystems which includes the northernmost tip of the Sonora Desert. The location (on a southwest-tilting, sandy plateau) near the north end of Osoyoos Lake, is one of the most highly rated grape-growing locations in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys, and for that matter Canada. In 1993, when Jim Wyse began to replant the vineyards which had been carefully selected for their ability to produce world class, premium quality grapes, the winery was not part of his long term vision. Having recognized the potential of this location, Jim was gratified to see wines made with his grapes gaining immediate recognition. Finally, the decision to build Burrowing Owl Estate Winery was confirmed and a winery license was obtained in 1997. Construction began in early1998 and completed just in time for that year's harvest. The site has since been enhanced with a beautiful fine-dining Restaurant and luxurious Guest House.
One of Canada's most unique ecosystems
The varied and deceptively fragile desert ecosystems within the adjoining vineyards continually challenge the environmentally sensitive team at Burrowing Owl. Alternative pest control systems are the standard. More than 100 bluebird boxes and two bat nurseries invite insect-eating guests to stay awhile and dine in the vineyards. Ground nests of meadowlarks are protected by barriers in springtime to prevent farm machinery and vineyard workers from inadvertently destroying them. Snakes are safely relocated. Bears and big horned sheep are discouraged from sharing the harvest but never harmed.
Today, with its dramatic vantage point in the middle of the vineyard, Burrowing Owl Estate Winery is a winemaking facility that combines state-of-the-art technologies with proven, classic winemaking traditions. A gravity-flow system handles ripe grapes delicately, preserving their rich fruit character. Extensive underground cellaring capacity ensures that long term barrel aging is never limited by space.
Vineyards in Oliver, Osoyoos and Keremeos
The winery owns and manages all of the vineyard land growing grapes for the Burrowing Owl wines. The land base consists of 210 acres of producing vineyards distributed between three different locations: Black Sage (the original 145 acre site) which contains an equal amount of red and white grapes, Osoyoos (54 acres on the eastern slopes above Osoyoos Lake, home to Bordeaux varietals and Syrah reds) and Keremeos (11 acres of Sauvignon Blanc in the Similkameen Valley). In total 16 varietals are grown and tended by a qualified and dedicated vineyard team.
Still, it takes special skills to turn these assets into fine wines. Their vineyard managers contribute a wealth of knowledge and experience that is unsurpassed in the valley. Their dedicated team takes special pride in the success of these vineyards. And of course, they work closely with the winemaking team at Burrowing Owl to co-ordinate crop levels, ripeness targets, and the many other parameters necessary to produce only the finest quality wine.
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A deep, brooding Syrah with an intense nose of blackberry, black cherry and black plum fruit along with some pastry crust, vanilla and clove and complex notes of burlap, leather, espresso, violet, graphite, black sage and bacon. Dry, full-bodied and rich on the palate with intense black pepper, black fruit, ripe tannins, paprika, roasted red peppers, dark chocolate and grilled rosemary with a long finish and plenty of potential to age.
Rhys Pender, Master of Wine
A deep, brooding Syrah with an intense nose of blackberry, black cherry and black plum fruit along with some pastry crust, vanilla and clove and complex notes of burlap, leather, espresso, violet, graphite, black sage and bacon. Dry, full-bodied and rich on the palate with intense black pepper, black fruit, ripe tannins, paprika, roasted red peppers, dark chocolate and grilled rosemary with a long finish and plenty of potential to age.
Rhys Pender, Master of Wine
A deep, brooding Syrah with an intense nose of blackberry, black cherry and black plum fruit along with some pastry crust, vanilla and clove and complex notes of burlap, leather, espresso, violet, graphite, black sage and bacon. Dry, full-bodied and rich on the palate with intense black pepper, black fruit, ripe tannins, paprika, roasted red peppers, dark chocolate and grilled rosemary with a long finish and plenty of potential to age.
Rhys Pender, Master of Wine
A deep, brooding Syrah with an intense nose of blackberry, black cherry and black plum fruit along with some pastry crust, vanilla and clove and complex notes of burlap, leather, espresso, violet, graphite, black sage and bacon. Dry, full-bodied and rich on the palate with intense black pepper, black fruit, ripe tannins, paprika, roasted red peppers, dark chocolate and grilled rosemary with a long finish and plenty of potential to age.
Rhys Pender, Master of Wine