Doug and Dawn Reimer are the owners of Mirabel Vineyards. You will find the vineyard on a rolling hillside in southeast Kelowna. For years they sold their fruit to Okanagan wineries like Meyer Family Estate and Foxtrot. The first Mirabel Pinot Noir was released in 2015 and the tasting room was opened last summer.
The Mirabel Estate Vineyard
Mirabel, “of wondrous beauty”, perfectly represents the Reimer family’s stunning South East Kelowna hilltop estate and vineyard overlooking the beautiful Okanagan Valley. The family has a commitment to quality and produces elegant, sustainably-grown Pinot Noir, Rosé and Chardonnay.
The Reimer Family Vineyard was planted in 2006 on a steep hill with both southwesterly and northwesterly aspects. Grapes were planted at an elevation of 930 feet, up to 1220 at the top. Careful soil analysis revealed a complex mixture of calcium carbonate, alluvial sediments, and a silt loam that sits overtop a gravel loam. Six acres were planted with three Dijon clones: 115, 667 and 777. The clones are blended for optimum colour, flavour, acidity, tannin and length in the estate-grown Pinot Noir.
The grapes are cropped at 2.5 tons per acre and harvested by hand. 1.5 acres of Chardonnay were planted in 2018.
The Wines
Mirabel Pinot Noir 2016
Alcohol 13.5%| pH 3.86 |TA 5.9 | RS 1.1
Rich magenta in colour, lively and vivid aromatics. The wine opens with a symphony of raspberry, floral aromas of rose petals and violets and damp earth. Flavours of both red and black fruit and a depth of earthiness and spice. The wine has a full mouthfeel with juicy acidity and smooth tannins on the finish that adds weight and complexity. 94 Points
Paired perfectly with creamy chicken and mushrooms and mashed garlic potatoes.
Mirabel Chardonnay 2018 (Sold Out)
13.1 % Alcohol. The wine has undergone partial malolactic fermentation and almost a year of ageing on its lees.
The light straw-coloured wine has vibrant aromas of vanilla, caramel, baking spices and tropical fruit with buttery notes. The palate contains ripe apple, pear, Meyer lemon zest, layers of citrus and butterscotch and a mineral backbone. A lean and well-balanced chardonnay. 93 Points
Pairs well with asparagus soup, smoked turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce and baked potatoes.
2020 British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards Silver Medal winner. The 2018 Chardonnay was named one of the top ten chardonnays in Canada by Wine Align.
To purchase these outstanding wines please visit the Mirabel Vineyards website.
Note: Winery and Vineyard information provided by the Mirabel Vineyards website.