Nestled along the scenic slopes of the North Thompson River, Privato Vineyard and Winery offers visitors a unique wine experience. Handcrafted only in small quantities, Privato delivers the best of BC Wine in small lot Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Owners John and Debbie Woodward are very proud of their wines and with each vintage strive to achieve the highest quality possible. In 2010, they planted vines with over 90% being Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Their flagship Pinot Noir recently won a double gold medal at the All Canadian Wine Awards.
There are now four wineries in the Kamloops area – Privato, Harper’s Trail, Sagewood and Monte Creek Ranch which we blogged about earlier this year.
Winemakers
Privato’s second commercial vintage in 2011 comprised about 600 cases of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. John Woodward, who began his career in the forest industry after graduating from UBC with a degree in science, is the winemaker of record. He consults with Jacqueline Kemp (see the Moraine Vineyards post for details on Jacq’s background) as needed.
Wines
Privato 2012 Grande Réserve Pinot Noir
The 2012 harvest marked a very special vintage for Privato with exceptional fruit. The grapes for this wine were hand harvested on Oct 27, 2012. A luscious cold soak of six days on the skin was allowed prior to fermentation being initiated. After fermentation, the grapes were gently pressed and transferred to French oak barriques to age for 18 months. At the end of 18 months, there was no doubt that the grapes sourced from the Rise Vineyard in Vernon were exceptional and worthy of a Grand Reserve wine. Eight of the best barrique were earmarked and reserved for additional ageing. True to European standards a Reserve wine must age 3 full years. By the time the wine was released in May 2016, it will have aged in barrel and bottle for 42 months.
This wine opens with rich extracted aromas of black currents, warm cherries, violets and black plums. On the palate, dark cherry flavours mingle with a touch of mocha and sweet toasted oak. A well-structured wine with a perfect balance of acidity and sweet fruit will leave you longing for more. Drinking great now, but will cellar well for another 7 to 10 years.
For the complete selection of Privato wines, please go to the winery website.
Source: Background, photos and tasting notes from the winery website.