Two Big Reds from BC’s Chaberton Estate Winery

Chaberton Estate Winery, one of our long-time established wineries, is located in the Fraser Valley. That does limit the grape varieties they can grow there, but they also have access to grapes in the Okanagan so that they can produce big red wines which we love. I have two wines, the Chaberton Estate Winery Merlot 2017 and their Chaberton Estate Winery Meritage 2017, a blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Cabernet Franc, and 30% Merlot. Both wines are vegan-friendly.  Let me tell you about them.

My Wine Tasting Notes

Chaberton Estate Winery Merlot 2017 (BC $25.95)

Appearance: A deep garnet colour, around 95% opaque. Sediment is visible on the inside of the bottle.
Nose: Medium-plus aromas with a mix of black fruit, sweet spices, cedar, chocolate, candied cherries and black pepper. Interesting aromas.  About the same aromas after decanting, but you can add a touch of cinnamon.
Palate: Dryish, smooth and round with a medium body. Sweet ripe black fruit flavours along with black plums, black pepper and touches of chocolate and floral. Soft velvety tannins. More bright fruit / juicy berry flavours to go along with the sweet ripe black fruit after decanting.  I also get sweet spices.
Finish: Medium-plus length with sweet black fruit, cedar and violets on the palate. Medium intensity drying tannins. Juicy berries and cinnamon plus pepperiness to add to the undecanted flavours on the finish.

The wine has tarter fruit flavours and pepperiness with decanting, but no need to decant.

Rating: – Almost opaque garnet.  Medium-plus aromas of black fruit, candied cherries, sweet spices and oak, black pepper and chocolate.  Dry, round and soft, with a lighter mouthfeel.  Velvety tannins.  Not mouth filling.  Black fruit, black plums, sweet spices and touches of floral, chocolate and black pepper. Medium-plus length.

Chaberton Estate Winery Meritage 2017 (BC $27.95)

Appearance: Deep garnet colour, about 95% opaque.
Nose: Light aromas mainly of black fruit, but also touches of candied cherries, sweet spices, and toast.
Palate: Slightly off-dry, medium-plus body, smooth and round with medium tannins that get grippy toward the finish. Sweet black fruit and candied cherries flavours to start then add plums on the mid-palate. A touch of capsicum shows up with some swirl time in the glass.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with grippy drying tannins, sweet black fruit and oak on the palate.

Rating: Deep garnet colour.  Light aromas of black fruit and lesser amounts of candied cherries and sweet spices. Add capsicum, coffee, and cinnamon with decanting. Slightly off-dry, smooth and round with medium tannins to start that are grippy on the finish.  Sweet black fruit and candied cherries then plums on the mid-palate.  Light body and more tart fruit flavours plus chocolate and capsicum with decanting.  Drying tannins on the finish, sweet black fruits, and pepperiness with decanting.

Both wines also come in at 14% alcohol but do not taste hot.

Where Can I Buy These Wines?

These two wines are available from the Chaberton Estate Winery website.