“In this series we bring you our #FavouriteThings Holiday Gift Suggestions which we personally recommend”
Can I tell you a secret? Promise not to tell?
Mayhem makes very good wines and they sell them at a value price! Just don’t spread it around. We want to be sure they don’t run out. Oops, too late many of their spring releases are sold out. My advice: don’t let these ones get away.
This list of five wines, including the yet to be released Magnum, make terrific gifts. In fact those in the know sign up for the “wine club that really isn’t a wine club”. That also makes the best gift for the wine lover on your list. More details below.
2022 Anarchy Merlot
THE VINTAGE
The 2022 vintage started off very slow with cool temperatures. Summer delivered our usual glorious Okanagan weather
without the extreme heat we had in the previous year. The latter half of the season presented great weather for slow and
gradual flavour and phenolic development in the fruit keeping sugar levels in control. The fall weather produced above average
temperatures right through to the end of October, which were ideal conditions for retaining natural acidity and slow gradual
accumulation of flavours to optimal ripeness. The overall 2022 growing season has provided us with outstanding fruit across
the board, and in the 2022 Anarchy Merlot this can be seen.
THE VINEYARD
As in previous vintages, the Merlot is harvested from a single vineyard on Anarchist Mountain located 1,700 feet above the
valley floor overlooking the town of Osoyoos. Home to Terry and Andrew for 12 years, this vineyard is nestled on the side of a
mountain and surrounded by sage brush and desert scrub. The Merlot was planted in 1994 by the Mauz family. Grown on silt
and sand deposits from the glacial movements of many years ago, this block is irrigated using natural spring water from a cave
in the side of the mountain. The Merlot is typically the last fruit picked for Mayhem; this fruit came in on October 21st
.
THE WINE
Every glass of wine tells a story. It starts with the land, down to the soil, the vines, the vintage, the farming, and most
importantly, the people. It carries a sense of character and personality from those who have helped farm the fruit, to those who
have helped craft the wines in the cellar. To allow the sense of place and true characters of the wine to shine, we like to take a
hands-off approach during winemaking. Gently destemmed into stainless steel tanks along with 4% Cabernet Franc, the wine
received a 5-day cold soak before being fermented for 31-days, with temperatures peaking at 34C. Only the best free run juice
was then transferred to barrel where the wine aged for 10-months before an additional 1% of Cabernet Franc was added. It
was then returned to barrel for a further 8-months of barrel aging. The final blend is 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc with a
total of 18-months aged in 38% new French oak. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered in the Spring of 2024.
TASTING NOTES
A complexity on the nose layered with spice notes such as anise and clove, accompanied by dark fruits like blackberry and
plum. The palate reveals a touch of espresso with blueberries and dark chocolate. It is dry with velvety tannins and a long
alluring finish. This is one to watch evolve over the years and has the longevity to age gracefully for 10+ years.
PAIRS WELL WITH
Braised lamb shanks with fresh rosemary and thyme or your choice of dark chocolate.
2021 Anarchy Merlot
THE VINTAGE
The 2021 vintage started off well; however, June presented extremely hot temperatures creating some challenges with many
temperature fluctuations. In the vineyards, tonnages were down by about 35% on average but we were able to stay on top of
our canopy management and irrigation scheduling which resulted in great quality, small berries with concentrated flavours.
These optimal fruit flavours can be seen in the 2021 Anarchy Merlot.
THE VINEYARD
The fruit was hand-picked on October 13th from Anarchist Mountain Vineyard in Osoyoos, BC which is located 1,700 feet
above the valley floor overlooking the town of Osoyoos. Home to Terry and Andrew for 12 years, this vineyard is nestled on the
side of a mountain and surrounded by sage brush and desert scrub. The merlot was planted in 1994 by the Mauz family.
Grown on silt and sand deposits from the glacial movements of many years ago, this block is irrigated using natural spring
water from a cave in the side of the mountain.
THE WINE
Every glass of wine tells a story. It starts with the land, down to the soil, the vines, the vintage, the farming, and most
importantly, the people. It carries a sense of character and personality from those who have helped farm the fruit, to those who
have helped craft the wines in the cellar. To allow the sense of place and true characters of the wine to shine, we like to take a
hands-off approach during winemaking. The fruit was destemmed into stainless steel, open top fermenters where it received a
5-day cold soak before a natural fermentation took place. The wine spent a total of 30-days on skins before only the free run
juice was taken and aged in 53% new French oak and 47% seasoned oak for 11 months. After it went through a natural
malolactic fermentation in the Spring, the merlot was blended with 2% cabernet franc and returned to barrel for a further 9
months of aging. It was bottled unfined, and unfiltered in late Spring of 2023, spending a total of 20 months in barrel.
TASTING NOTES
There is a complexity on the nose which displays aromas of dark plums, sour cherries, black tea, and cedar along with spices
reminiscent of Autumn, such as cloves, cinnamon, and star anise. The palate reveals ripe red cherries and bramble berries
enveloped by grippy, but powdery cocoa tannins counterbalanced by a gushing rush of acidity. Enjoy this wine now or over the
next 3-5 years.
PAIRS WELL WITH
Seared duck breast with Okanagan cherries and Port sauce.
2022 Cabernet Merlot
THE VINTAGE
The 2022 vintage started off very slow with cool temperatures. Summer delivered our usual glorious Okanagan weather without
the extreme heat we had in the previous year. The latter half of the season presented great weather for slow and gradual
flavour and phenolic development in the fruit keeping sugar levels in control. The fall weather produced above average
temperatures right through to the end of October, which were ideal conditions for retaining natural acidity and slow gradual
accumulation of flavours to optimal ripeness. The overall 2022 growing season has provided us with outstanding fruit for our
2022 Cabernet Merlot.
THE WINE
The fruit was hand-picked from two unique vineyard sites in the South Okanagan. Picked on October 21st from Anarchist
Mountain Vineyard in Osoyoos, originally planted in 1994, and on October 14th from Ryegrass Road Vineyard in Oliver, planted
in 2009. The fruit was whole berry destemmed into stainless steel fermenters and co-fermented. It remained on the skins for 14
days with a 5-day cold soak before being pressed off and put to barrel. Aged for 11 months in seasoned French oak barrels, a
natural malolactic fermentation occurred in the Spring. The wine was bottled at the end of August, unfined and coarsely filtered.
It is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Enjoy now or within the next 3 to 5 years.
TASTING NOTES
This elegant yet playful Cabernet Merlot is beautifully balanced with depth and flavours. It displays sour cherries, cranberries,
and raspberries on the nose with some herbaceous notes such as sage and thyme. The palate opens with complex flavours of
cherries, black berries, pomegranate, and dark chocolate with a touch of black olive. A medium body and silky, smooth tannins,
with a long alluring finish will have you coming back for more. Drink this wine now or allow it to age for up to 5 years.
PAIRS WELL WITH
Grilled pork loin with roasted rosemary potatoes and a seasonal salad.
2023 Anarchy Pinot Gris
THE VINTAGE
The 2023 vintage was defined by the extremes. An extremely cold winter led to bud damage and reduced yields, while the
summer was threatened by wildfires in the north and south. While temperatures exceeded 40°C on several occasions in the
South Okanagan, the summer felt cooler than previous years. Temperatures between 33°C and 38°C are optimal growing
conditions for our Bordeaux blends and aromatic whites. Due to fewer clusters and full canopies, this led to an earlier start for
harvest beginning on September 18th with our Rosé pick. Even though tonnages were lower than previous vintages, overall, the
fruit quality across the board was excellent. The flavour profile and the phenolic development shone through resulting in electric
flavourful fruit for the white varieties and concentrated, structured reds.
THE WINE
This is the first vintage of our Anarchy Pinot Gris which is fermented in a combination of ceramic balls (41%), neutral puncheon
(17%), and stainless steel (42%). A single vineyard wine off Belich Vineyard in Kaleden, BC. The Pinot Gris was cropped at 3
tonnes per acre and picked on a specific flavour profile on the 9th of October. The result shows off the vessels used and how
certain percentages of different vessels interact together with the wine to bring it to its full potential. Whole bunch pressed and
held on its lees for 7 months, the wine had a long, and very cool 9-week fermentation which occurred in a mixture of ceramic
balls, neutral oak, and stainless-steel vessels. Fermentation temperatures were kept cool to preserve the purity and delicate
nuances of the fresh fruit.
TASTING NOTES
The palate is textured with an array of lemon grass characteristics that lead to a tropical palate that’s rounded and full of fresh
flavours like guava, papaya, and passionfruit. A linear stream of crystalline acid and subtle exotic spice closes out the finish
with some grapefruit pith. It’s rich and vibrant with great complexity and sophistication.
PAIRS WELL WITH
Honeydew salad with prosciutto, olives and freshly picked mint.
2022 Merlot Magnum
Wine notes to come.
Available November 19, 2024
Club Mayhem members receive 6 bottles of wine twice per year plus discounts, exclusive offerings & lots of perks. Choose what you want or let our winemaker curate a selection for you!
There are no fees to become a member and you can pause or cancel anytime (but… why would you?)
More info here.
Mayhem Wines
Mayhem Wines is a collaboration between two established wine industry siblings – Terry
Meyer Stone of Anarchist Mountain Vineyards and her brother JAK Meyer of Meyer
Family Vineyards, along with their respective spouses Andrew Stone and Janice
Stevens.
Established in 2018, Mayhem Wines continues to evolve producing small batch, quality
wines that are expressive of each vintage. With a focus on aromatic whites and bold
reds, we aim to create wines with personality that captivate and drive memorable wine
experiences.
Wine notes, bottle shots and image courtesy of the winery. I will receive complimentary wine to facilitate this feature.
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