Black Market Wine Co. Launches Secret Society Red

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The patio at Black Market Wine Co.

It was an overcast Fall day when we visited Rob and Michelle at Black Market Wine Co. to try their 2020 released wines and see the new Tasting Room and Patio.

Photo Credit – Black Market Wine Co.

It was so good to see that the tasting room was open and that wine enthusiasts were able to enjoy the Black Market wines and the beautiful view of Skaha Lake all summer. The patio is the ideal place to take your time and enjoy these wines.

Here are some of the fine wines we tasted.

Black Market Estate Pinot Blanc 2018

Barrel fermented and barrel aged Pinot Blanc with neutral oak.

With yields of less than two tons per acre, the grapes show an incredible depth of flavour and aroma. The 6-7-year-old vines are struggling as the vineyard is converted to organic. Hand-harvested early in the morning to preserve the acidity, the grapes were lightly pressed and then the juice was fermented in neutral barrels. After fermentation, the wine was aged a further 12 months in barrel, with batonnage (stirring of the lees) every two weeks to build body and texture.

This wine has aromas of baked apple, white peach, fresh-baked croissant, almond and lemon zest. Look for rich, complex palate notes of pear, ripe red apple, bright citrus and lightly toasted hazelnuts that are framed by a creamy texture and a long finish. Only about 50 cases produced. 92 Points

Black Market Unsanctioned Sauvignon Blanc 2019

Black Market Unsanctioned Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Photo Credit – Black Market Wine Co.

This is the first release of varietal Sauvignon Blanc from Black Market. The grapes for this vintage of Sauvignon Blanc are from a new Naramata grower. The SLOW Vineyard in Naramata, a sustainable west-facing vineyard with rich clay soils that produce beautiful aromatic wines. This was the last grape picked on October 22, 2019, after all of the reds! The wine is so expressive because of the long hang time.

The wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve the freshness and vibrancy of the wine. Only 90 cases produced.

The Unsanctioned wines are special high-quality wines normally sold only through the tasting room and the wine club that will be launched this fall.

Technical Data – 3.12 pH, 8.6 TA, 12.3 % Alcohol, 1.5 RS

Absolutely bursting in the glass with aromas of grapefruit, Meyer lemon, white peach, pineapple and hints of flint. On the palate, the vibrant Okanagan fruit notes shine through, with only a subtle hint of herbs. The wine has a light creamy texture with a long finish. 91 Points.

Black Market Omertà 2019 (SOLD OUT)

A crisp, dry Provençal-style rosé made from 100% Syrah. The delicate pale pink hue of this rosé perfectly disguises the vibrancy that lies within. Hand picked and hand sorted, the wine was gently whole-cluster pressed over a 4-hour period.  A 7-day period of Stabulation <1> followed, where the juice was left on the gross lees and stirred twice daily before the onset of fermentation. Only free-run juice made its way into this wine.

This fruit-forward bone dry wine that has amazing depth and complexity. The vibrant nose has aromas of wild strawberries, cherries and a hint of floral. On the palate, crisp acidity and bursting of the flavour of red berries, citrus and rhubarb. 91 Points.

The wine is sold out but the good news is Rob will be making a 2020 vintage Syrah rosé! He will also be making about 20 cases of natural Pet-Nat sparkling rosé called “Nothing to declare”.

Black Market Syrah 2018 ($35)

Black Market Wine Co. Syrah

This is the fifth Black Market vintage of Syrah and I have been fortunate to try them all.  The 2018 Syrah was co-fermented with 4% Viognier.  The grapes were sourced under a long term contract from a vineyard perched on a bench overlooking the lake in Osoyoos.

2018 was another cooler vintage. Due to the smoke in the valley and the resulting lack of intense sunlight, the sugar level in the grapes was lower than normal even though hang-time resulted in ripe tannins and perfect flavour, acid and pH levels.

After de-stemming and a light crushing, the grapes underwent a 2-day cold soak.  After a slow and warm fermentation, the wine underwent another 18 days of maceration to extract more phenolic compounds. The wine spent 20 months in 20% new French and American oak barrels. 13% Alcohol.  

The Syrah is medium-bodied with smooth tannins and a hint of acidity.  This is a very elegant Northern Rhône style wine. Aromas of violets, smoke and red cherry are followed on the palate by savoury notes of black cherry, bacon, vanilla and cinnamon. The wine lingers with white pepper on the long finish. Drinkable now but will definitely improve with age. 250 Cases produced doubling production over the 2017 vintage. 92 Points.

Black Market Secret Society Red 2018 ($28)

Black Market Secret Society Red 2018
Photo Credit – Black Market Wine Co.

“We were wanting to offer a wine that is a bit more approachable right out of the bottle. Many of our bigger, well-structured reds really reward the consumer with a bit of patience, as they tend to develop with some cellar ageing. Secret Society Red is a wine that is fresher in style, with nice soft tannins that is ready to drink today.”

Rob Hammersley

A blend of 5 varietals, but dominated by two that really excel in the Okanagan. Aged for 21 months in French oak, using a small proportion of new barrels to provide a supporting role of flavour and structure.

This wine should sell well as it “punches about its weight at <$30″.

The wine opens with seductive aromas of dark fruit and cedar. Flavours of black cherry, leather and pepper linger on the palate. Nicely balanced between the fruit, tannins, acidity and oak, this wine is enjoyable right out of the bottle and will cellar for up to 5 years. 91 points.

Black Market The Syndicate 2018 ($35)

Black Market The Syndicate 2018
Photo Credit – Black Market Wine Co.

The wine has a new label that fits this premium red. The design concept comes from an old church in Venice.

An elegant, well-balanced wine with aromas of chocolate, ripe plum, sweet spices and a touch of mint. The 2018 vintage has slightly more oak than the previous vintage. There are flavours of black currant, red cherry, dark chocolate, tobacco and earthy undertones. Subtle tannins with a hint of acidity, and a long finish. Smooth and rich in texture and approachable now, this wine will blossom with another 5 years in the bottle. 93 Points

To purchase these exceptional wines please visit the Black Market Wine Co. website.

2020 Harvest

“The lower elevations of our Conviction Vineyard are susceptible to winter damage, and we did experience some bud damage due to the February cold snap. While most of the vineyard is over 30 years old, I am endeavouring to improve the root structure on some of the younger vines to help them handle the winters better.

The estate winery yields are up slightly compared to the lower 2019 yields. Although the yields are generally down in the Okanagan, the quality of the grapes remains high.”

Rob Hammersley
Black Market Estate Merlot
Conviction Ridge Merlot

This is our fifth article on Black Market Wines. You can find the tasting notes for all the earlier releases here – 2019, 20182017 and 2016.

Reference

  1. Vineyard Magazine – Stabulation