I think we are all grateful in BC for the rainy weather we had recently to combat the forest fires, as well as water our trees, gardens, and vineyards. The sunny weather is coming back, as summer is not yet over. I received two red wines from Osoyoos’ Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery to review for you. The two wines I have for you are Bordertown Merlot 2020 and Bordertown Cabernet Franc 2021.
The 2021 growing season is known for the major heat dome, which compressed the grape harvest in BC. 2020 was our COVID harvest. The season was overall cool, making a lighter than average crop size. How did the 2020 heat dome and the cooler 2021 cooler growing season affect the wines from these grape varieties? Let’s see.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery Merlot 2020 (BC $24)
Appearance: A deeper garnet colour. 95% opaque from rim to core.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity aromas of black fruit, ripe raspberries, tomato, toast, and char. No change to the aromas after decanting.
Palate: This wine is dry, light bodied with a smooth, soft, round mouthfeel. Black fruit, ripe raspberries, and plum along with light pepperiness and char. Medium tannins and acidity. The wine bumps up to medium body and has a thicker, heavier mouthfeel. Also, the wine has more pronounced fruit flavours. You can add black cherries to the list.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with light intensity black fruit flavours and pepperiness. A light mouthfeel on the finish. More juicy black fruit flavours plus black cherries after decanting. Plus a thicker mouthfeel to the finish.
Rating: 
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with decanting. Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery Merlot 2020 shows a deep garnet colour with aromas of black fruit, ripe raspberries, tomato, toast, and char. The palate is smooth and soft with black fruit, raspberries, plum, and light pepperiness, gaining weight and more pronounced fruit, including black cherries, after decanting. It finishes medium-plus in length with black fruit and pepper, becoming juicier and fuller with air.
Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2021 (BC $25)
Appearance: This wine has a deep garnet colour; about 80% opaque.
Nose: A medium-plus intensity nose with aromas of toast and char, along with dark fruits, tobacco, tomato and black pepper. Same aromas and intensity, with the addition of leather after decanting.
Palate: It is dry with medium-plus body and a smooth, round, almost mouth filling mouthfeel. Juicy black fruits, tobacco, peppery, and significant char on the palate. You can add some red fruit flavours and capsicum with air. Medium acidity and tannins. Deep flavours overall after decanting. You can add leather.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with a mix of red and black fruits, char and pepperiness. Medium-plus drying tannins and medium acidity on the finish. No change to the finish after decanting.
Rating: Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2021 has a deep garnet colour and aromas of dark fruits, toast, char, tobacco, and black pepper, with leather appearing after decanting. The palate is smooth and round with deep flavours of juicy black fruits, tobacco, char, and pepper, plus added red fruits and capsicum with air. It finishes medium-plus in length with red and black fruits, char, and pepper, supported by drying tannins and medium acidity.
I noted that char was evident on both these wines. I do not think forest fires in 2020 had anything to do with that flavour in the wines. I am guessing that maybe a larger proportion of new wine barrels were used that had medium-plus or heavy toast applied to them, which then transferred to the wines. I heard back from the winemaker. 10,000 L oak bats were purchased and used in 2020 so a good amount of toast and the 2021 was most likely put into those as well.
With the darker fruit flavours and char, I would recommend that these wines be enjoyed with food. I would recommend enjoying these wines with grilled burgers or other red meats, and Italian pasta dishes with a tomato-based meat sauce or meatballs.
Overall, the dark, ripe, black fruit flavours and fuller body of the 2020 Merlot shows the effect of the heat dome. The cooler growing season of 2021 does not appear to show a cooler, red fruit and cedar profile that I may expect from Cabernet Franc. So maybe in Osoyoos, the 2020 temperatures were more than enough to bring these aromas and flavours more into the riper category for Cabernet Franc. A cool season, does not necessarily mean a cool season for all regions in the Okanagan.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
Both wines are available for purchase through the Bordertown website:
- Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery Merlot 2020
- Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2021
The Bordertown Cabernet Franc 2021 is available at BC Liquor stores. Both wines are listed at Everything Wine and Save on Foods stores, but without vintage info. Some private liquor stores also carry these two wines, but you will need to check with each store.
