BCWI ReleaseMember Release

History: In 1859, Oblate missionary Father Charles Pandosy planted the first vineyard at the Oblate Mission near present-day Kelowna.

Tannin: A compound in the skin and seeds of grapes that is essential in providing substance and backbone to red wines.*

Expansion: There are now over 175 grape wineries in BC and several licenses pending, up from just 13 in 1984.

Botrytis: A fungus that attacks grape skins. In favourable conditions, it dehydrates grapes, allowing the production of intense dessert wines.*

Quality: The VQA designation (Vintners Quality Alliance) requires a professional tasting panel to approve each wine.

*Schreiner, John - British Columbia Wine Country, Whitecap Books Ltd., 2003

 
 
  September 24, 2008

Tinhorn Creek: 5th Annual Oldfield’s Collection Merlot Release

Oliver, BC… As summer draws to a close, and autumn is ushered in, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards is preparing to release their ultimate cool weather red – the 2005 Oldfield’s Collection Merlot. To celebrate this year’s release, three exceptional dinners will take place. The first will be the Hard Hat Dinner, taking place on October 11th at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards in Oliver. Those lucky enough to get tickets before it sold out will enjoy an exclusive evening featuring the Oldfield’s Collection Wines (including the 2005 Merlot, 2005 Syrah and 2007 2Bench) alongside a multi-course dinner prepared by Manuel Ferreira of Vancouver’s Le Gavroche and Senova Restaurants as well as the new, yet-to-be-named restaurant at Tinhorn Creek.

For those of you unable to get your hands on tickets to the Hard Hat Dinner at the winery or just looking for something closer to Vancouver, two special dinners will take place in the Lower Mainland. On October 29th, Vancouver’s Le Gavroche Restaurant welcomes Tinhorn Creek Winemaker Sandra Oldfield for a multi-course dinner designed around the Oldfield’s Collection. Tickets for this dinner are $95 and can be reserved by calling Le Gavroche at 604-685-3924. The very next day, on October 30th, Sandra Oldfield will make her way to North Vancouver’s Moustache Café for another multi-course wine dinner highlighting the wines of the Oldfield’s Collection. Once again, tickets are $95 each and available by calling Moustache Café directly at 604-987-8461.



Tinhorn Creek Vineyards launched the first Oldfield’s Collection Merlot in 2001; the first wine to be finished with a Stelvin closure in Canada. This premium tier of wine now includes a Syrah (introduced last year), and the Oldfield’s Collection 2Bench, a blend of Semillon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Muscat.



The 2005 Oldfield’s Collection Merlot is full bodied and rich in color, offering up aromas of blackberries, chocolate, tobacco & leather. On the palette, concentrated berry and chocolate flavours are joined by pepper, cassis and subtle vanilla. After spending 16 months in 50% new French oak and 50% new American oak, the 2005 Oldfield’s Collection Merlot, like all red wines under the Oldfield’s Collection label, spent a year aging in the bottle, creating soft tannins that pave the way for a long smooth finish.



On the hillside overlooking vineyard, sagebrush, and the old gold mining creek that gave the winery its name, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards is located just south of Oliver BC, in the famed Golden Mile wine growing district. As the number one winery destination, evoking classic south Okanagan terroir, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards offers an unrivalled visitor experience and wines that rank among the best in the world.

For more information about Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, call 1.888.484.6467 or visit the website at www.tinhorn.com.



 
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