Synchromesh, 2016 Turtle Rock Farms Cabernet Franc, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Cab Franc du Jour #88
Synchromesh Wines is a family winery in the truest sense. Alan and Amy Dickinson purchased their first 5-acre vineyard in 2010 in Okanagan Falls, and since then Alan’s parents have joined the business. The estate now farms around 50 hectares, primarily in Okanagan Falls with some vineyards on the Naramata Bench in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. The primary focus is Riesling, but around 5 acres (about 2ha) of Cabernet Franc are planted, a variety Alan is genuinely passionate about. It was Olga Raffault’s Les Picasses, fittingly, that was among the first wines that connected us when we first started chatting.
British Columbia and the Okanagan Valley
This is the first British Columbia Cabernet Franc to be featured here, so it is worth taking a moment to set the scene. There are approximately 4,486 hectares of vines planted across nine official wine regions in southern British Columbia, compared to around 6,900 hectares in Ontario. To put both figures in perspective, the Loire Valley alone has around 41,800 hectares under vine, and Chile has just over 40,000 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon alone. Canada is a vast country, but suitable viticultural land is very limited, and wine production remains small in global terms.
Of BC’s nine regions, the Okanagan Valley is by far the largest and most important, with around 9,600 acres (3,900 hectares) representing approximately 86% of the province’s plantings. Cabernet Franc is a meaningful red variety across British Columbia, with about 720 acres (290 hectares) planted province-wide, making it the fourth most planted red grape overall.
The viticultural environment of the Okanagan Valley is extreme by definition. Vineyard areas are clustered around a series of glacial lakes winding through a stretch of roughly 250km from the town of Vernon in the north to Osoyoos in the south, just a few kilometres from the Washington State border. At around 49 to 50 degrees north latitude, these are among the highest-latitude vinifera plantings in the world.
The climate is cool continental, but with dramatic temperature extremes. Summer daytime temperatures can reach 40C, while altitude and mountain influence typically drop evenings to around 10 to 12C, producing a wide diurnal range that slows ripening and extends the growing season. Winter temperatures can fall to -20C. The region sits in the rain shadow of the coastal mountain range, giving it relatively low rainfall, ranging from higher amounts in the north to near-desert conditions in the south. High latitude combined with low rainfall results in abundant annual sunshine hours.
Soils vary considerably across the region but are broadly glacially derived, encompassing granitic soils, volcanic soils, sandy-loam alluvials, and calcareous formations. The diversity of mesoclimates and soils is striking: vineyards suited to sparkling wine production can sit just a few kilometres from sites producing full-bodied Bordeaux blends and Syrahs. Over 80 grape varieties are planted across the valley, and site selection is critical to success.
The Naramata Bench
The Turtle Rock Farms vineyard is in the Naramata Bench sub-region, one of four official sub-GIs within the Okanagan Valley, delineated on the basis of soil and microclimate characteristics. The Naramata Bench occupies the east side of Lake Okanagan, stretching roughly 15km north from the city of Penticton, and ranging from about 500m to 1,500m wide from the lakeshore depending on location.
Vineyards here typically carry west-facing exposures, benefiting from the stronger afternoon sunshine. Lake Okanagan plays a central role in the growing environment, delaying budbreak in spring, extending the growing season in fall, and reflecting sunlight from its surface into the vineyards during the day to support photosynthesis and ripening. Elevations across the bench range from around 380 to 490m above sea level, producing a diurnal range of as much as 30C between day and night temperatures during the growing season, which slows ripening and preserves natural acidity. Annual rainfall is low at around 360mm. Soils across the bench encompass around ten identified glacially derived groups, ranging from silty-loam glacial lake sediments on gentler lower slopes closer to the water to more gravelly profiles on steeper slopes at higher elevations.
The Vineyard
The Turtle Rock Farms Cabernet Franc block has shown considerable promise in a short time. The 1-acre block was planted in 2006 with Clone 214, the Loire clone, and sits almost exactly in the middle of the Naramata Bench on a relatively steep west-facing slope at around 460m above sea level, set back about 470m from the lake. The soils are a gravelly, relatively deep clay-loam over a granite bedrock. Alan notes that the particular dynamics of this block, especially the wide diurnal range driven by airflow exchanged between the lake and the surrounding foothills, allows for very long hang-time into fall with moderate sugar accumulation, supporting good tannin development and phenolic ripeness while preserving Cabernet Franc’s varietal character.
In the Cellar
There are a few distinctive elements to note about the winemaking here. The fruit is hand-harvested and fermented 100% whole cluster in small open-top fermenters with indigenous yeast at a relatively cool average fermentation temperature of around 20 to 25C. Total maceration runs between 25 and 35 days, with Alan tasting the fermenting must twice daily and making the decision to press based on when the tannins have softened to his satisfaction. The wine then aged for approximately 22 months in 225L French oak barrels with 80% new oak.
Wine Details
Producer: Synchromesh Wines
Region: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Sub-Region: Naramata Bench
Vineyards; Turtle Rock Farms
Soils: Glacially-derived, gravelly clay-loam, over granite
Alcohol: 13.0%