Nestled below the rocky cliffs of the historic Kettle Valley
Railway overlooking the sweeping majesty of Okanagan Lake … for
over ten years, Nichol Vineyard has been creating hand-crafted
specialty wines from estate-grown Okanagan grapes. All red wines are
barrel-aged.
New Releases
All prices are in Canadian
dollars and include taxes and bottle deposit.
| Brand Name |
Retail Price |
Gewurztraminer 2008 |
$17.00 |
The 2008 Gewurztraminer is a bright
pear in colour with aromas of pear, goose berry, lychee and
rose petal. Flavours follow along with those of mango and
spice. This is a crisp, full wine where green apple, mineral
and a hint of orange zest linger on the finish. Wonderful on
its own or paired with both seafood or spicy seasonal dishes.
Alcohol 12.7% |
| |
Pinot Gris 2008 |
SOLD OUT |
| |
Pinot Noir 2006 |
SOLD OUT |
| |
Cabernet Franc 2006 |
$26.90 |
The 2006 Cabernet Franc is dark
ruby in colour with earthy aromas of cherry, cranberry and
capsicum. Flavours follow along with those of cherry and casis.
This is a mouth filling wine with prominent tannins and good
acid. A hint of dark chocolate and cedar are present on the
finish. Time in the cellar will further soften the French and
American oak component.
Alcohol 12.7% |
| |
Syrah 2006 |
$29.90 |
The 2006 Syrah is an opaque, dark
Byng cherry in colour. Your nose is greeted by aromas of
cherry, plum and hints of roasted meat. Flavours follow along
with those of bright cherry and black pepper. This is a crisp,
mouth filling wine where ripe plum, bitter chocolate and a
hint of clove linger on the finish. As with the 2006 St.
Laurent, the finish is velvety soft.
Alcohol 13.0% |
| |
St. Laurent 2006 |
$31.90 |
The 2006 St. Laurent is virtually
opaque with a dark purple rim. Rich earthy aromas greet the
nose with berry fruit present. Flavours follow along with
those of plum and dark cherry. This is a mouth filling wine
where black cherry and bitter chocolate linger on the finish.
As with the 2006 Syrah, the finish is velvety soft.
Alcohol 12.5% |
| |
Capriccio 2006 |
SOLD OUT |
|
| |
All previous vintages are sold out.
Top
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The Venerable Barrel
The oak barrel continues to flourish in this age
of stainless steel because it is much more than a storage vessel: it
is a vehicle of expression. Each barrel has its own personality,
born of background and upbringing, making a unique imprint on its
wine.
The flavours which these barrels impart to the
wine are determined by the provenance of the oak (species and
geographic source), and the manner in which the wood is handled. Two
European oak species, quercus robur and quercus sessiflora,
and one North American, quercus alba are used to manufacture
oak barrels. The European oaks have a smaller yield per tree, are
less dense, more porous, and therefore more likely to leak than is
the American oak.
While American oak stave wood has traditionally
been sawn and kiln-dried, European oak has been hand-split, and
dried and weathered outside for up to 3 years, thus ensuring the
integrity of the finished barrel. These differences have made the
American oak barrels less expensive than the European ones, but also
more aggressive in flavour. However, in recent years, quality
conscious coopers of American oak barrels have adopted European
practices, in particular, air-drying, thus narrowing the gap in
price and refinement of flavours.
For all 3 species, the location of the forest is
of paramount importance. Oak trees, like wine grapes, react to the
heat, sunlight, and soil moisture provided by their growing
environment. Cooler, drier sites produce slower growth and tighter
wood grain which releases tannins and flavours more slowly than will
warmer, wetter sites. For example, in France, Limousin oak has more
aggressive tannins and flavours than Nevers oak. Allier and Vosges
oak are progressively more subtle than Nevers oak. Likewise,
American oak from Minnesota is more subtle than Kentucky oak.
These traits, born of provenance and wood
preparation, are primal and unintegrated. The final shaping of a
barrel's personality occurs when the finished staves are bent into
shape over an oak fire. The length of this toasting determines how
much the inherent flavours of the oak are transformed. The flavour
spectrum of oak encompasses vanilla, coconut, spices (allspice,
cloves, nutmeg), butterscotch, caramel, licorice, coffee, and
charred wood. American oak emphasizes the vanilla and coconut, while
European oak is more redolent of the spice cupboard. Toasting
progressively dampens the vanilla and coconut notes, shapes the spicy
flavours, introduces the butterscotch and caramel qualities, and
creates the licorice, coffee and wood char attributes. A cooper will
offer 4 toasting options: light, medium, medium plus, or heavy.
A winemaker's task is to oversee the marriage of
oak and fruit flavours. In the quest for balance and integration,
intensity of oak and fruit must be evenly matched. Achieving this
goal often means using a mix of new and used barrels, rather than
100% new oak. Paul Pontillier, winemaker at Chateau Margaux, has
nicely summed up this question of balance: "Oak must have the
same modesty as the oenologist".
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