About the wine:
2022 was a bountiful year for us at Chain Reaction. We were able to make 212 cases of our estate Pinot which was a huge jump from our first 37 cases in 2021. Hand bottled and labeled. It is a blend of two clones - 115 and 943 that were harvested 3 weeks apart. Due to terroir and vineyard management, our estate Pinot Noir is bolder and richer than our Pendulum Pinot Noir.
This robust New-World style Pinot Noir has alluring aromas of dried black currant, cedar, dried cranberries, nutella, and a touch of forest floor on the nose. The palate is complex and mirrors the nose with notes of dried cranberry, black berry, bright red cherry, salted caramel chocolates, well-integrated oak with smooth, silky tannins. Aged 10 months in large format French oak puncheons, this is one that will age very gracefully in the cellar and is just at the beginning of its journey.
As it is a bolder style, this Pinot could be paired with some stronger flavours such as lamb, wild game, venison, duck, and most definitely a mushroom Pizza. Also a lovely pairing with charcuterie; try including some smoked meats, goudas, goat cheese, milder blue cheeses, and cold grilled vegetables. For a simple appetizer try it with dates stuffed with a creamy blue cheese and walnuts, warmed slightly in an oven just to soften the cheese.
Awards:
Silver – 2024 Wine Align National Wine Awards of Canada
Winemaking:
- The grapes were harvested by hand before being gently destemmed and left as whole berries.
- The entire production received an extended cold soak in small 1 T fermentations vessels before being slowly warmed to optimal temperatures for a natural indigenous yeast population to begin fermentation.
- Hand punch downs were implemented to keep the grape fermentation cap healthy and also offered careful tannin management of the wine.
- All of the fermentations were steady, never exceeding 25 C. Several days after reaching sugar dryness, the free run wine was drained and the grape skins were gently pressed.
- The wine was then transferred to a combination of 500L French oak puncheons, and French oak barrels where it slumbered through the winter before malolactic conversion completed naturally in the early months of 2023.
- In early summer of 2023, the wine was blended from barrels, lightly cold stabilized and then racked again before being bottled with light filtration.
Technical stats:
Acid: 5.6 g/L
pH: 3.8
Residual Sugar: 0.3 g/L
Alcohol: 13.9%
Production: 212 cases
Grape variety: Pinot Noir
Vineyard Location: Naramata Bench (Chain Reaction Estate vineyard)
Harvested: Oct 13, 2022
Bottled: Oct 11, 2023
