Deep garnet colour with a rich bouquet of black currant accented by notes of oak, chocolate, spice and black pepper. A dry, medium to full-bodied wine with firm tannins, good structure and moderate acidity. Flavours of rich, almost sweet, black currants, and spice fill the mouth. A dry, lingering finish of currant, blackberry and spice. Best enjoyed now through 2014. If drinking through 2011, decant 1 hour before serving. Enjoy with rare to medium-rare grilled steaks and game meats; barbecued lamb chops; rich stews; 2 year old Canadian cheddar.
The 2009 growing season arrived late as the cold temperatures of a long winter seemed to drag on, much like 2008; the cold temperatures resulted in some reduced crops. However, unlike the 2008 vintage, the vines did catch up so that by early summer, vine development was at its normal stages. Summer was extremely hot and dry, which quickly advanced the ripeness of the slightly smaller than usual crop load, foretelling an early quick crush.
“Our Sandhill Cabernet Merlot is a rich, well-balanced wine, exhibiting loads of fruit intensity with good structure. The one-of-a-kind micro-climate of the Sandhill Estate Vineyard consistently produces classic Cabernet Merlot blends.”