“In this series we bring you our #FavouriteThings Holiday Gift Suggestions which we personally recommend”
For this Holiday opportunity, we would like to propose four wines from Uppercase, an artisanal winery from rugged South Okanagan with a loyal following, well-loved by epicures and wine aficionados alike. Uppercase is an artisanal winery from the rugged South Okanagan, celebrating their local terroir’s ability to produce exceptional, world-class wines. Their top-tier wines are named after typographic terms.
2021 Rosé
This layered, nuanced, and elegant rosé is a true expression of the rugged South Okanagan, with pink grapefruit, orange blossom, juicy watermelon, and evocative desert shrubs.
Viticulture
A block of Merlot at our Border Vineyard, 300 metres from the US border on the Osoyoos West Bench, was purposefully farmed for this rosé. Picked early to retain freshness, the fruit was only gently pressed at harvest, with no skin contact or saignée.
2020 Merlot
From sun-soaked vineyards in the Similkameen and Osoyoos, this structured, gravelly Merlot shows a continuum of dark fruits. Starting with blackberry compote and spiced cherries, it offers layers of complexity with herbs and sweet cinnamon.
Viticulture
This Merlot shows the abundant minerality of the Similkameen, combined with the opulent ripeness of Osoyoos:
Mariposa Vineyard – Similkameen Valley
Suhki Vineyard – Osoyoos
Winemaking
Fermentation
Wood and stainless steel tanks
Maturation
16 months in French oak barriques (30% new)
Cases Produced
375
2020 Axis
AXIS is our ultra-premium, small lot Chardonnay, barrel fermented and aged 7 months in select French Oak.
Wine Profile
Winemaker Notes
Grapes were harvested Oct. 16 and whole cluster pressed to stainless steel. Settled juice was racked to barrel for fermentation with select yeast strains, where the wine fermented and aged for 7 months in French Oak Barrels, with 20% new oak. Full malolactic conversion and stirring of the lees lends a creamy texture and soft mouthfeel to this wine. 243 cases produced.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas abound of dark honey, caramel, piecrust and vanilla bean. Complemented by flavors of baking spices, peaches and honey. An excellent balance of luxurious mouth-feel and food pairing acidity.
2020 Foundry
FOUNDRY is our Grand Reserve, an ultra-premium red blend of Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wine Profile
Winemaker Notes
Fruit was sourced from vineyards in both the South Okanagan and the Similkameen Valley. Fermentation occured in 30hL French Oak Tanks, lending beautiful structure and tannin to the wine following an extended Maceration. Following pressing and settling, the wine aged in French Oak Barriques for 8 months before racking and bottling. Five barrels were selected for our first bottling of FOUNDRY, 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Malbec to produce 120 cases.
Tasting Notes
This is a full bodied wine, layered with velvet tannin and a long finish. It has complex aromas of layered wood, espresso, black forest cake and dried plums.
Food Pairing
Enjoy with duck breast, rib eye steak, comte cheese or chocolate cake.
Uppercase Winery
Uppercase Winery was established to realize our passion for the South Okanagan’s terroir and its ability to produce exceptional, world-class wines. We achieve our goals through meticulous vineyard management using precision viticulture, combined with a traditional approach to our winemaking.
Wine notes courtesy of the winery. Images: MyVanCity. I received complimentary wine to facilitate this feature.
