Nota Bene 2021 is released

Photo: Black Hills winemaker Ross Wise

Ross Wise MW, the winemaker at Black Hills Estate Winery, provided an intriguing cellaring guide for the winery’s iconic Nota Bene with the release of the blend from the 2021 vintage. He makes recommendations for every vintage except the first, which was 1999, likely because there is none left in the Black Hills library. In my 2017 book, ICON, I wrote that the wine, which I had tasted on release and in 2013, 2015 and 2016, was fully mature.

Ross’s recommendations on how long older Nota Bene wines should be cellared suggests this Bordeaux blend has a longer life than I believed. The tasting notes I was relying on for the book reflected the general reluctance in the wine industry at the time to recommend aging Okanagan red wines more than 10 years. We have come to learn since that, with good storage conditions, well-made wines will last 20 to 25 years. “Nota Bene is an excellent candidate for cellaring,” Ross writes. “Bordeaux grape varieties provide complexity of fruit and a dense tannin structure that can withstand time. Our low vigour vineyards on the Black Sage Bench produce wines of concentration and intensity essential for long-lived wines.” He continues: “While each vintage has a differing cellaring potential, many retain freshness of fruit beyond 15 years. At a recent tasting our 2000 Nota Bene was a standout, showing that cellaring beyond 20 years is possible, and that it pays to be patient with Nota Bene.” He recommends that the 2000 vintage can be cellared another three years.

“Cellaring conditions are key,” Ross adds. “The ideal cellar will allow horizontal storage in a cool, dark area, away from nose and vibration and with a steady temperature of 12◦C.” The ideal cellar is rare. But from experience, I can attest that a cellar which is dark and does not have wide swings in temperature over the year is serviceable. It may lop a few years off a wine’s cellaring potential – but how many of us wait 25 years to drink a wine? While Nota Bene is best laid down for at least five years, it is a wine that is also drinkable shortly after release. Ross writes that the 2020 vintage can be enjoyed now but also can be cellared until 2045. It depends whether you prefer wines showing primary fruit flavours or wines showing secondary and tertiary development.

There likely were few vintages in the history of Nota Bene as challenging as 2021. The summer was marked by the heat dome, with record temperatures that concentrated the berry flavours but also diminished yields. The harvest began three weeks earlier than the 2020 harvest. Black Hills does not disclose the volume of Nota Bene but one can surmise it was less than usual. Collectors should not delay ordering their wine. Here is a note on the wine. The winery offered no cellaring recommendation but I think it has a potential to age 15 to 20 years.

Nota Bene 2021 ($70). The blend is 42% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The grapes were destemmed, fermented with wild yeast and aged 18 months in lightly toasted French oak barrels. The wine begins with aromas of cherry and spice. The somewhat grippy texture opens with breathing to reveal bright red fruit flavours mingled with cassis and licorice, refreshed with bright acidity. 93.