Mission Hill Terroir Collection No. 32 Vista’s Edge Cabernet Franc 2015, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

🍇 Cabernet Franc 100%

🧐 Alcohol 14.9%

🍁 My Score 92 Points

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A very seductive nose with aromas of cherries, blackberries, dark chocolate, cedar and light vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, flavourful with a velvet texture, silky tannins and balanced acidity. Very good length on the finish with flavours of ripe berry fruit, gentle wood spices and savoury notes lingering.

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Grown in most wine producing countries, Cabernet Franc is mainly use as a blending grape for Meritage style blends. Currently, many wineries are bottling 100% CF, as in Canada where it’s finding many new fans. Here in 🇨🇦  it’s also use to make delicious Icewine. Made in different styles from a lighter more herbal wine from it’s motherland of la Loire Valley, France to a fuller, richer style from California, USA. This CF is much closer to what you would find in California. A wine with great aromatics, beautifully balanced and it’s flavourful mouthfeel makes this Cab Franc nearly impossible to put down. Cheers my wine friend 🍷

Mission Hill Compendium 2009, VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

This wine is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. All fruit is from the warmer region of Oliver and Osoyoos in the Okanagan Valley, with maturation taking place in French oak for 14 months and alcohol comes in at 14%.

A very Bordeaux nose on this blend with aromas of blackberry/black cherry fruit, cedar, savoury herbs, tobacco, mocha and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied with a rich and concentrated textured, layered dark spicy fruit, balance acidity and firm grainy tannins. This finish is long, muscular with tannins gaining traction on the finish. This is a solid, beautifully made wine which should blossom in the cellar, give this another 2-3 years and you should be rewarded. Score 91 points.

Purchased January 10, 2013 at the Artisan Wine Shop in Victoria, BC at $50.00

Mission Hill Quatrain 2008, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Since its inaugural release with the 2005 vintage, Quatrain has become my favourite wine from Mission Hill, taking into consideration the quality and price. This is a blend of 34% Merlot, 29% Syrah, 22% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon with maturation taking place in French and American oak for 15 months with alcohol coming in at 14.0%.

This blend opened up with aromas of dark cherry and plum, blackcurrants, pepper, clove, vanilla, tobacco and light smoke. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, intensely flavourful, slightly chewy, balanced acidity and puckering tannins. Good length on the finish with loads of dark fruit, spices and persistent tannins lingering. I usually like Quatrain for its elegance, this 2008 vintage is a little more muscular. My favourite vintage still remains the 2006, where the Syrah was the dominant grape with 41% and where maturation took place in French oak only. Quatrain 2008 is still a nice bottle of wine but as it sheds some of its oak; it should gain more complexity and elegance. Score 90 points.

Purchased November 12, 2011 LCBO New Release (218636) at $41.95

Mission Hill Oculus 2006, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Oculus is Mission Hill Family Estate’s flagship wine, a Bordeaux inspired blend of 51% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. The grapes are from South Okanagan (Oliver and Osoyoos), hand harvested and hand sorted, fermentation & extended maceration in small French oak fermenters than each component is aged separately in 100% French oak barrels for 14.5 months with alcohol coming in at 14%.

This wine opens up with aromas of black cherry/blackberry fruit, black olive, bitter chocolate, clove, cedar, smoky and a strong nose of tobacco leaf/cigar box. On the mouthfeel, full bodied with layers of rich flavours, well structured, fresh acidity and fine chewy tannins. This blend's finish is very long with flavours of black fruit, tobacco, black pepper and smoky cedar wrap in fine tannins. I am delighted in knowing that I have one bottle remaining in my cellar; Oculus 2006 is enjoyable now but still needs to shed some of its oak and in the process acquiring some further elegance. My plan is for patience, until the winter of 2014, then open my remaining bottle. There is no doubt that a great amount of detail and attention went into crafting this wine, very enjoyable. My only negative, the heft and weight of the bottle, strong and masculine, but not very good for the environment, not to mention that it will only fit on the top or bottom row of my wine cellar. Score 93 points.

Purchased at the Artisan Wine Shop in Victoria, BC. September 25, 2009 at $60.00

Mission Hill Compendium 2006, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

This red blend is sometimes called the “super second” to Mission Hill's flagship premium Bordeaux blend, Oculus. Compendium is structured to be more approachable in its youth than Oculus. The last time I visited Compendium 2006 was about 2 years ago, and then, it was quit tannic. This wine is a blend of 52% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19 % Cabernet  Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, maturation took place in small French oak barrels for 13.5 months with alcohol coming in at 13.5%.

This wine opens up with aromas of blackberry, dark plum, ripe wild berries, savoury herbs and vanillin notes. On the monthfeel, full bodied, layered dark fruit and peppery, earthy and tobacco flavours, well integrated fine grained tannins and balanced acidity. Very good length on the finish with flavours of dark fruit, cassis, tobacco and sage notes lingering. Since I last tasted this wine, the time in the cellar has allowed this wine to acquire a softer texture, great finesse and a richer bouquet.  If you still hold a bottle of Compendium 2006 in the cellar, this wine is drinking well now or hold another 1-2 years. Very attractive and enjoyable wine, score 92 points.  

Purchased November 2009 at The Artisan Wine Shop in Victoria, BC at $40.00 

Mission Hill Quatrain 2006, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

A Quatrain is a poem or Stanza that is always composed of four lines. This wine is similarly composed of four grape varieties: Syrah 41%, Merlot 32%, Cabernet Franc 14% and Cabernet Sauvignon at 13%. Aged in French Oak barrels for 15 months with 45% new oak. Blackberries, black cherry, exotic spices, espresso and dried herbs on the nose. Medium to full body (alcohol at 13%), great structure, fresh acidity, dusty tannins with cherry and coffee mocha finish. A very aromatic and sophisticated wine here, I was a big fan of Mission Hill SLC Syrah 2006 and with 41% of that Syrah in this blend, no wonder Quatrain is that delicious. Score 92 points.

This wine was purchased March 19, 2011 LCBO New Release at $41.95.

Mission Hill Select Lot Collection Syrah 2007, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

I have fond memories of the Mission Hill SLC Syrah 2004 and 2006, which I believe has to be some of the best BC Syrah I have ever tasted. Now, how does the 2007 compare? On the nose, a very rich aromatic wine with black fruit, sage, coffee, smoky and meaty. Full bodied mouthfeel, with a well managed alcohol at 14%, with more dark fruit savoury spices, cedar, pepper, balance acidity and dusty tannins. The finish is long, rich and muscular. I did enjoy this Syrah, but it did not compare to the more elegance and finesse of the 2004 and 2006 vintage. I little too much oak for my palate but a very solid performer.  If a number had to be assigned (for easy comparison), I would rate this at a 89 out of 100.

This wine was purchase at the Artisan Wine Shop in Victoria BC on July 18, 2011 at $36.99

Mission Hill Oculus 2005, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Today, I thought I would open one of Canada's best Bordeaux inspired wine, in celebration of her 144th birthday today. Mission Hill Oculus 2005 is a blend of 42% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, the fruit is hand harvested from their Osoyoos & Oliver Vineyard in BC. Each grape is aged separately in 100% French oak barrels for 13 months. This blend is lovely to smell, with rich and complex aromas of blackberry, cherry, dark plum, green pepper. tobacco and cedar. The palate is rich and concentrated, with balanced acidity and still noticeable tannins at this point. The finish is long and powerful with grainy tannins. A very serious and delicious wine which still has a lot of life left, will wait to open my last remaining bottle in a year or two.

To all Canadians, wherever you are, Happy Canada Day, bonne fête du Canada mes amis.

This wine was purchased upon release in September of 2008 and sold in this country anywhere from $60 to $80, but has long been sold out.

Mission Hill Compendium 2007, Okanagan Valley,British Columbia, Canada

Compendium is Mission Hill second label to Oculus, and is made to be drank sooner and requiring less cellar time than Oculus. The 2007 Compendium is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, and aged in French oak.

The wine is muscular and concentrated; the nose is very aromatic and inviting; black cherries, blackberries, red currants, sage, black olive, smoke and cedar. Full body with good acidity and silky tannins, everything is well balance here. Long smoky, cedar and pepper finish. Nice wine now, but with 1-2 years in your cellar it will shed some of its oak making it much smoother and more elegant.