Community Tasting Note

• deBare Likes this wine: 95 points

  November 20, 2021 - I was nervous pulling out this 2007 vintage for my wife’s birthday. Cellaring a BC wine for 10+ years seemed risky at best. Honestly I had just forgotten about the bottle on a bottom shelf where I keep the good stuff.
  At the same time, having met winemaker Robert van Westen personally on a 2011 tour of his Naramata Bench winery, i was optimistic. He literally came out of his vineyards in his overalls to show us around and conduct a tasting. Robert was clearly passionate about his wines, even experimenting at the time with a small 45-bottle “Roman-style” red.
  My optimism was rewarded by an outstanding Merlot that had aged beautifully in the bottle.
  Van Westen’s notes: “Built for ageing with structured, ripe tannins and intensity and complexity. Aromas of cassis, damson plum, burlap, chocolate and orange lead to a full and rich palate of chocolate covered cherry, brown sugar, mineral, sage brush, coffee and cassis.”
  The winemaker said it better than I can. My only regret in hindsight was not buying more bottles of Vivre la Vie.
  Cheers 🍷
  db

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