Ottawa, ON

October 2022

Matt’s review: Athene blends two of the most popular Okanagan reds (51% Syrah, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon) from Burrowing Owl’s estate vineyards on the Black Sage Bench in the heart of the Okanagan Valley. Although Merlot is the most planted red varietal in the Okanagan, Syrah may be the Okanagan’s most promising and impressive big red varietal and Athene showcases it beautifully. Deeply coloured, the nose and palate show layers of dark fruits, dark chocolate, sweet spices, black tea, graphite, and pepper all in a beautifully balanced and harmonious style that’s drinking wonderfully now and will evolve gracefully over the next decade. Athene’s Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon were hand picked in late October then co-fermented and aged for 18 months in a blend of two-thirds new European oak and the balance in a mix of one to three year neutral oak. Bottled unfiltered to preserve the great complexity in this wine, Athene is a well structured, elegant and softly textured wine that highlights the best of premium wines from the Black Sage Bench and is a testament to the great terroir and winemaking team at Burrowing Owl. Tasted October 2022. 93+ points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

Look for it at LCBO Vintages on November 18 2022 (~$52)

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