Winemaker Amber Pratt (pictured) is clearly enjoying the craft of blending wines. The flagship wine for C.C. Jentsch, The Chase, is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Sometimes batches come along that are just too good on their own, so Amber sets it aside to bottle for the Small Lots series. Chardonnay and Viognier have been featured as Small Lots previously, but the only red to be featured has been Malbec.
With only two barrels made of the highly successful 2013 Malbec, Amber was able to save an extra barrel for the 2014 Small Lots Malbec release. Due for release in late spring, this will be the first of the Small Lots series to be available.
A special event during the Spring Wine Festival is being planned around the release of the Small Lots wines.
This year will see the release of two new Small Lots varieties and both will be made entirely from fruit on the new BC VQA Golden Mile Bench. Though they won’t be the first wine made with that designation (that honor will go the upcoming release of The Chase), they will be part of the first generation of wines from C.C. Jentsch to show what that region will taste like. A Small Lots Cabernet Sauvignon will be followed by a Small Lots Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Sauvignon, ever the favorite with wine lovers worldwide, will surely be a favorite in the wine shop. Of course Cabernet Franc, which is becoming the ‘it’ grape of a younger generation of wine lovers, will also be a hit.
~ Luke Whittall