Clos du Soleil shows off wine verticals

Photo: Clos du Soleil winemaker Michael Clark

How long should you cellar a British Columbia wine? This has been a hard question to answer, given that this is a young industry working with relatively young vines and, at times, with winemakers just gaining experience. Wines made during the past 20 vintages, if you can find some of the older bottles, often are proving to be age-worthy, even if producers seldom recommend cellaring wines more than 10 years.

Michael Clark, the general manager and winemaker at Clos du Soleil, endeavoured to provide an answer by hosting vertical tastings recently of the winery’s flagship white and red wines.

The whites started Capella, the winery’s answer to a white Bordeaux. The 2006 Capella is a 100% Sauvignon Blanc made in Clos du Soleil’s debut vintage. While just 80 cases were produced, enough remained in the winery’s library to show a few bottles in this tasting.

The flagship red is a Bordeaux blend called Signature. Michael no longer has enough of the 2006 to bring it to the vertical. However, he has since found a collector who has an entire case of 2006 Signature. “Name your price,” Michael told him – perhaps not the best way to open negotiations, Michael admits.

Now producing 6,500 cases a year, Clos du Soleil was launched in 2006 in the Similkameen Valley by four business couples who loved wine. Michael joined the partnership in 2012, taking over as winemaker. While he was born in Ontario, he previously was an investment banker in Europe until he changed careers after studying winemaking in Switzerland. Subsequently, he also has studied at the University of California. Today, Clos du Soleil farms four vineyards totalling 40 acres, all in the Similkameen Valley and all fully organic. “The quality of our wines is a direct consequence of our organic practices,” Michael believes.

Initially when Clos du Soleil was getting vineyards established, the winery sourced grapes in the Okanagan Valley. Capella 2006 was made with Okanagan fruit. This wine, which was made by Clos du Soleil’s original consultant, Ann Sperling, was something of a surprise at the tasting. Despite its age, the wine still is fresh, with citrus flavours recalling marmalade. In contrast, Capella 2009 showed somewhat more age. The reason: 2009 was a warmer vintage and the wine lacked the acidity that kept the 2006 fresh. Obviously, there is a direct connection between the conditions of the vintage and the longevity of the wine. Over the years, Clos du Soleil, following the practice of Bordeaux, has added Sémillon to the blend as the winery’s Sémillon vines came into production. The current release, Capella 2021, is 27% Sémillon and 73% Sauvignon Blanc.

Signature 2007 is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, mostly from Okanagan vineyards. This has matured into a delicious wine with a few more years of life. Signature 2009 is ready now, with its lower acidity reflecting warmer growing conditions than 2007. Signature 2010 is from one of the coolest growing years in this century. The wine likely was not too attractive when it was young, with a lean texture and bright acidity. But it has matured very nicely. The flavours are bright and fresh and the texture has filled out.

Since at least 2009, Clos du Soleil has had access to the five main reds that go into Bordeaux blends; and now grows the varietals. Signature 2019, which was released earlier this year, is a blend of five. “The variety is of secondary importance,” Michael says. “I taste the barrels blind and put together blends that represent the Similkameen Valley. I am very attached to the Similkameen Valley. Only recently has it been recognized for the quality that can be produced there.” He says that the Similkameen red wines may show slightly less intense and ripe fruit that those of the South Okanagan. On the other hand, the tannins are slightly lower and the wines have a stony minerality on the backbone.

The Clos du Soleil Signature wines are elegant and sophisticated. The vertical tasting included the 2016 Signature and the 2017 Signature, both solid wines built around Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. They are drinking well now but clearly will age for more than a decade. Here are notes on some recent vintages included in the vertical.

Clos du Soleil Capella 2021 ($30.90 for 537 cases). This is a blend of 73% Sauvignon Blanc, 29% Sémillon. The grapes were from two Similkameen vineyards and one in the Okanagan. Each block was harvested separately by hand. Fermentation with indigenous yeast was done in French oak puncheons, with 10% of the barrels allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation. All lots were barrel-aged for nine months on the lees. The final wine was blended from the best barrels. The wine begins with aromas of grapefruit mingled with grass. On the palate, there are flavours of lemon, lime and stone fruit. 90.

Clos du Soleil Signature 2016 ($39.90 for 450 cases; large formats available). This wine is a blend of 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot and 6% Malbec. The grapes were fermented on concrete tanks entirely with native yeasts. The wine was then aged in French oak barrels for 15 months. The final blend was made with the best barrels. The wine begins with aromas of blackberry and blueberry, leading to flavours of cherry, cassis and blackberry. The flavours show a youthful brightness now; but this is a wine that will benefit from cellaring. 92.

Clos du Soleil Signature 2018 ($47.90 for 473 cases). This is 42% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. The wine was fermented on concrete tanks with indigenous yeast. It was then aged 16 months French oak barrels, with the best barrels selected for what is the winery’s flagship red. It spent another year in bottle before release. The wine begins with appealing aromas of cassis, blackberry and blueberry. There is rich and complex fruit expression the palate, with flavours echoing the aroma and mingled with black cherry and mint. Long, ripe tannins give the wine a polished elegance. 94.

Clos du Soleil Signature 2019 ($54.90 for 453 cases). This is 42% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. The wine is a selection of the best barrels after 16 months aging in French oak. This is an age-worthy wine but, for immediate consumption, decanting is recommended. The wine begins with aromas of blackberry, black currant, dark cherry and chocolate. On the palate, there are flavours of black cherry, cassis, chocolate, tobacco and vanilla. 94.