Two Big Bold Red Wines for Your Winter Chill from Chaberton Estate Winery

As UB40’s lyrics go,

“Red, red wine
Goes to my head…”

I opened two bottles of big bold red wines today from Chaberton Estate Winery.  A Syrah and a Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes in the Okanagan Valley.  They certainly made me happy.  These wines are vegan-friendly. They both come in at 14.7% alcohol, but don’t taste hot.  The alcohol is well-integrated with the fruit.  You can definitely see the tears on the sides of the glasses upon swirling. I can see these wines being opened and enjoyed over the winter with a pot roast or stew.  Please invite me over if you are doing this.

My Wine Tasting Notes

Chaberton Estate Winery Syrah 2018 (BC $29.95)

Appearance: A deeper mix of ruby and garnet colour.
Nose: Medium-intensity aromas of meat, smoky sausage, black fruit, black pepper, and hints of nutmeg, oak, and floral. Same wonderful aromas after decanting.
Palate: Dry, medium-plus body and flavour intensity, round with a thicker mouthfeel.  Medium-plus acidity. Tasty black fruit, black plums, plus smoky sausage, coffee, and a touch of floral.  Plush, finish-grained tannins. The wine feels a bit more off-dry with decanting.  I also can add black pepper and black cherry flavours to the list.
Finish: Medium-length finishing off-dry.  Smoky, black fruit, black plum, blackberries and black pepper, plus a touch of dark chocolate.  Medium tannins.  Basically the same finish after decanting, but you can add black cherries and a touch of pepperiness.

Very good quality with a nice finish.  Not too tannic.  Drink now.  No need to cellar this wine.

Rating: A deep ruby colour, almost opaque.  Medium-intensity aromas of meat, smoky sausage, black fruit, black pepper and touches of nutmeg, oak, and floral.  Dry, round with a thicker mouthfeel.  Plush, fine-grained tannins.  Black fruit, plums, blackberries, coffee, and a touch of floral on the palate. Medium length.

Chaberton Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (BC $25.95)

Appearance: Opaque garnet in colour.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity dusty nose with aromas of black fruit, dark chocolate, and touches of capsicum and leather. The aromas get a bit lighter in intensity after decanting.  Mainly dusty black fruit.  No capsicum, leather, or chocolate.
Palate: Dryish, medium-plus body and flavour intensity, round, soft and smooth.  The tannins kick in the mid-palate, medium-intensity and get stronger to the finish.  Black fruit with a touch of cedar and vanilla.  The tannins are lighter and softer with decanting.  To the black fruit flavour, you can add plum and a touch of capsicum.
Finish: Medium length finishing with firm, drying tannins.  Black fruit, capsicum, cedar, and a touch of sweet spices.  Off-dry finish. The same flavours on the finish with decanting, with lighter tannins.

I prefer the undecanted wine as the nose was quite closed after decanting.  If I decanted longer, the aromas may come back, but if you are having a get-together, I’d say to open the bottle when you are going to pour it.    This wine does have stronger tannins and think it can age 5-7 years.

Rating: Opaque garnet in the glass.  Medium-minus intensity dusty nose with black fruit, dark chocolate, and touches of capsicum and leather.  Medium-plush body, dryish, round, soft and smooth mouthfeel.  Tannins kick in on the mid-palate and give a firm drying finish.  Black fruit primarily with touches of cedar and vanilla. Medium length.

Where Can I Buy These Wines?

You can purchase these wines through the winery website:

• Chaberton Estate Winery Syrah 2018
• Chaberton Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2018