The quality of Mayhem Wines continues to impress. The majority of the new white wines released are a terrific value at $15.65.
For background on the winery please see my earlier post – Mayhem Wines – Aromatic whites and Smooth reds. Here is a quick update on the 2019 growing season and harvest before we go to the tasting notes.
2019 Harvest
The season began well with a normal spring and bud break occurring at the beginning of May in most of the Mayhem vineyards. Flowering and bunch closure was good as well occurring without any hick-ups. Nice even clusters presented themselves across all the vineyard sites that we have. August was nice and hot and dry as usual keeping disease pressure low.
September, was wetter than usual slowing down ripening and bringing added disease pressure just before harvest. However, the back end of September was thankfully nice and sunny allowing the fruit to reach optimal ripeness by the end of the first week of October. Harvest of all the Mayhem whites was very compact with all blocks across the valley coming in within 7days of each other.
Mid October presented another challenge of an early frost. Causing the vines to shed their leaves earlier than expected… Thankfully our Merlot and Cab Franc fruit had reached ripeness and we were able to pick these two red varietals without any dramas.
Ajay Chavan, Winemaker
Mayhem Latest Releases
Mayhem Pinot Blanc 2018 ($15.65)
The Pinot Blanc arrived on the crush pad at 23 Brix after being handpicked at a vineyard on the Naramata Bench. The juicy fruit was whole-cluster-pressed, cold-settled, and racked into two separate tanks for fermentation. Each tank was inoculated with a different yeast. After fermentation was complete the wine in each tank spent time on its fine lees. One tank was left to settle for three weeks, while the other tank went through lees stirring once a week for those three weeks. Both tanks were then racked off that fine lees, married into one tank, settled and filtered before spring bottling.
Alcohol 13.5 % |pH 3.43|TA 7.0
This big fleshy Pinot Blanc offers ripe apricot, juicy peach, ripe nectarine, all manner of light floral blossoms, beeswax, honey, lime zest, Meyer lemon and a hint of marzipan on the finish. Off-dry, a richly textured mouthfeel and very well balanced. Easy to savour, easier still to gulp and a screaming buy at this price! 90 points
Mayhem Pinot Gris 2018 ($15.65)
The Pinot Gris is predominantly from an Okanagan Falls vineyard, with a small amount coming from Kaleden and Naramata, arriving on the crush pad at 22 Brix.
After cold settling, the Pinot Gris was racked off so that the clear juice could be inoculated and fermentation could begin. The long slow cool ferment lasted 2 weeks after which the wine was racked off its fermentation lees, settled and stainless steel aged until bottling in April.
Alcohol 13.0 % |pH 3.41|TA 6.9
A similar nose and palate of crisp green apple, pear, lemon zest, nectarine and honey. Finishes with bright acidity and creamy mouthfeel. 89 Points
Mayhem Pinot Blanc 2019
Another delightful Pinot Blanc. Lots of stone fruit and citrus. A fruit-forward wine with flavours white peach, ripe apricot, nectarine and grapefruit with a smooth mouthfeel and a hint of spice on the finish. 90 points
Mayhem Riesling 2019 ($18.26)
The Riesling was handpicked at the Campagnaro vineyard in Summerland. It landed on the crush pad at 23 Brix where is was loaded straight into the press for whole cluster pressing. After a period of cold settling, it was inoculated with a single yeast strain undergoing a long slow cool ferment. It was racked off its lees, left to settle, and filtered just before bottling.
Alcohol 13.0% |PH 3.04|TA 9.19|RS 9.68
This riesling has the acidity and residual sugar in perfect balance. The wine is light gold in colour. Aromas of apple, pear, tropical fruit and honey. On the palate, there is lively acidity with flavours of Granny Smith apples and white peach and a crisp finish. 91 Points
Mayhem Pinot Gris 2019
This is another terrific Pinot Gris. Opens with apple blossom aromas. Flavours of ripe peach and fresh and juicy orchard fruit. Finishes with bright acidity and creamy mouthfeel. 89 points
Mayhem Gewürztraminer 2019 ($15.65)
The grapes were picked October 10th from Cellarsbend Vineyard in Naramata. This was held overnight in a cool room before being pressed off, whole bunch, settled, racked and fermented. 21% was fermented in neutral oak with the balance fermented in stainless steel for a three week long fermentation. 79% of the stainless was then transferred to barrel. All portions rested on fermentation lees for eight months before filtering and bottling.
Alcohol 13.7 % |pH 3.14|TA 7.43|RS 1.43
This is a classic Gew with a nose of lychee, pineapple and pear. Typical full mouthfeel with the dry wine highlighting apricot and yellow peach flavours with a citrus finish. 90 Points
Mayhem Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($15.65)
The grapes were sourced from the Naramata Bench sub GI, harvested October 14th. 56% were crushed and destemmed, 44% whole bunch pressed and combined into a stainless tank, settled and then racked off. 12% went to neutral oak barrels, 6% into new French Bordeaux barrels. All barrel portions were wild fermented. The balance in the tank was inoculated. The wine spent 6 months in barrel fermenting on the lees., the stainless fermented on fine lees for 6 months. It was bottled April 30, 2019
Alcohol 12.8%| pH 3.22| TA 6.8| RS 0.23
This is a bone-dry New Zealand style “tropical” Sauvignon Blanc. On the nose, there is the scent of lemon blossom and tropical fruit. On the palate, pineapple, guava, passionfruit, Meyer lemon, a hint of green pepper and minerality. There is a little creaminess giving the mid-palate some weight. Finishes with herbal spice notes. 90 Points
The Sauvignon Blanc paired really well with pan-fried Sole and Julia Child’s recipe for baked eggplant, tomato and cheese.
Mayhem Fortified Gewürztraminer 2018 ($30.43)
Picked at 24 Brix on October 13, 2018, from Cellarsbend Vineyard in Naramata. The grapes were whole bunch pressed and fermented down to 19 Brix before being fortified with 93% alcohol. This was then put to the barrel and spent twenty months ageing in barrel, including one summer spent outside in the heat oxidizing and concentrating all complexities and flavours. It was removed from the barrel, sterile filtered and bottled in June 2020.
Alcohol 18.1 % |RS 172.5
Aromas of nutty caramel note with an underlying candied fruit. On the palate more candied fruit, ginger, cinnamon and orange zest. 89 Points
This super sweet port like wine pairs deliciously with Gone Crackers for an after dinner ginger fix!
Mayhem Merlot Cabernet Franc 2018 ($21.74)
75% Merlot / 25% Cabernet Franc. A portion of the Merlot was sourced from the home vineyards on Anarchist Mountain, Osoyoos BC, along with a grower vineyard in Oliver. The Cabernet Franc grapes were sourced from the Naramata Bench. Each variety was processed separately and aged in a combination of new and seasoned French oak for nine months before being married together in the final blend.
Alcohol 13.3%| pH 3.82| TA 6.15
The cranberry aromas of Cabernet Franc highlight the deep plum and blackberry scents of Merlot. Flavours of blackcurrant, black cherries and chocolate linger on the palate. Beautifully balanced, this wine has velvety smooth tannins and a seamless finish. Drink now! 91 Points
For the complete portfolio of Mayhem Wines please visit the winery website.