Tasting Note I encountered this surprising, energized yet sophisticated wine twice in June 2025 during the National Wine Awards that were held in Penticton, B.C. Once was during a judges’ tasting and dinner hosted by the Similkameen Independent Winegrowers, a free-for-all sampling, without notes being taken. It stopped me my tracks, and the mental note has stayed with me. I tasted it again in October 2025 and made a better note. From an excellent vintage, it pours deep purple-ruby. It is a very fine, dense yet poised blend of led by merlot. The nose shows ripe blackcurrant, plum, violet and chocolate and roasted herbs. Very satisfying and correct flavours. It is full bodied, dense yet yet acid poised with still youthfully gritty tannin. Big but not heavy, with this vibrancy and mineral driven tension that I find often in Similkameen reds. The length is excellent. Best 2028 to 2040, or longer. Last tasted October 2025.
Backgrounder Corcelettes was founded in 2011 by Charlie and Jesce Baessler, who have diligently created a magnificent vineyard on 150-acre of southwest facing benchlands locally known as the Talus Slopes, consisting of mixed earth and broken stone. This flagship wine is from selected small lot picks throughout October (late). It uses all five Bordeaux varieties, in this vintage 41% merlot, 35% cabernet sauvignon, 21% cabernet Franc, 2% malbec and 1% petit verdot. Saignée, or bleeding off, was done to amplify structure and concentration. The final blend was aged 18 months in French oak barrels, 26% new. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Accolades: Gold Medal National Wine Awards of Canada 2025.
