K Little Vintners™ is a wine brand under Bottega Wine Studio™, a boutique winery in Cawston, BC, in the Similkameen Valley. The brand pays homage to Kristine Little, the wife of winemaker Daniel Bontorin, reflecting the couple’s transparent, honest, and easy-going nature through its red and white blends. These wines are crafted to be approachable for novice and seasoned wine drinkers, with a fun, modern label design that conveys a fresh and funky vibe while staying true to the winery’s sustainable, low-intervention winemaking philosophy.
Here are the notes for two of the current releases.
K Little Vintners™ Cabernet Franc 2022 ($34)
“The Cabernet Franc comes from three vineyards in the South Okanagan: Fruitvale Ridge Vineyard, Bordertown, and Franks Place. The latter two bring depth of darkness to the palate, while Fruitvale retains freshness and slightly grippy tannins. Each vineyard was fermented separately with cultured yeasts, hand punchdowns, and cooler ferments that were let to reach 32 °c to bring out all the colour available in the skins.” Daniel Bontorin, Winemaker.
95% Cabernet Franc / 5% Merlot
Alcohol 13.5% / pH 3.71 / TA 6.3 / RS 2.3
The Cabernet Franc glows a deep ruby-red, exuding aromas of dark berries, leather, and a hint of spice. This medium-bodied wine offers vibrant red plum, cassis, and blueberry flavours, framed by silky, fine-grained tannins that lend structure and a lingering, elegant finish. 90 points.
Here is the link to my favourite marinated burgers to pair with the Cab Franc.
K Little Vintners™ My White 2021($24)
“The Gewürztraminer 80% came from the rocky Volcanic soils on the Summerland slopes, and the Pinot Gris 20% from a gravel bed in Osoyoos. Both varieties were spur pruned and cropped to 4.5 tons/acre. The Gewürztraminer was hand harvested on September 11th at 23.36 brix, crushed and left on the skins overnight before pressing to extract maximum flavour from the skins. The Pinot Gris was harvested on September 20th at 23.94 brix and whole cluster pressed. Inoculated separately with cultured yeast and cool fermented in stainless steel tanks.”
Alcohol 13.3% / pH 3.41 / TA 6.3 / RS 3.6
A vibrant, straw-hued white wine with crystalline clarity. This fruit-forward gem captivates with delicate floral and citrus blossom aromas, accented by a whisper of lychee. On the palate, it unfolds crisp green apple, juicy mango, ripe Anjou pear, zesty Meyer lemon, and tangy key lime, all woven into a luxuriously textured mouthfeel. It finishes with a refreshing, lingering elegance. An irresistible summer patio sipper. 89 Points
Here is the Botegga Wine Studio link to purchase the K Little Wines.