It’s one of the most sought-after B.C. wines and has been an iconic wine since its first release. Nota Bene means “Take Note” and wine aficionados have been taking note of its premium quality since its debut in 1999.
I recently talked with Black Hills President and CEO Glenn Fawcett about his flagship wine, Nota Bene and why this red attracts so much attention.
“The original winemaker, Senka Tennant had the really good fortune of picking a great vineyard site that could ripen Cabernet Sauvignon. Cab Sauv is a really tough grape to grow in Canada. It needs a long growing season and it needs a lot of warmth. Given our climate, there’s not a lot of sites that can do that,” Fawcett says.
“The original Black Hills vineyard was halfway between Oliver and Osoyoos on Black Sage Road with a nice steep slope. The result is a long frost-free growing season, lots of heat, lots of sunshine, so we can ripen the beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon.” Fawcett reveals.
Shortly after Nota Bene was released, the sumptuous Cabernet Sauvignon blend really got noticed in the marketplace. Wine writers, sommeliers, and restaurants recognized it and got excited that Cabernet Sauvignon can work in Canada.
“When we bought the winery in 2007, we realized that Nota Bene ain’t broke. It doesn’t need fixing. We weren’t going to change anything stylistically. So we focused on how we can make the existing style better; how can we get riper grapes, better wine-making equipment? We realize that our terroir and our growing will produce grapes of a certain quality. Let’s do the best with what we have,” Fawcett proclaimed.
The 2019 is a Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc blend. Fawcett calls it special because it is the first full vintage that their winemaker Ross Wise made from harvest through bottling. The New Zealander, who has a Master of Wine, has brought a lot of organic processes into this vintage.
Wise also uses concrete fermenters because he believes concrete creates softer tannins. And he’s doing open-top barrel ferments that give better flavour extraction. Overall you get a truer taste of the wine without the big heavy-duty oak barrels but using nice subtly used barrels.
Fawcett enthusiastically describes Nota Bene’s characteristics. “On the nose, you’ll really pick up that ripe black cherry, strawberry, and plum. I really pick up
red currant flavours, a little bit of cinnamon, some clove spice, and after you’ve swallowed it, a little bit of dried herbs, sage, and cigar box, that fine Cuban tobacco flavour.”
I loved the wine’s dark garnet colour, which was a portent of its rich aromas and flavours. The aroma is complex with black and red fruits, violets, and graphite.
On the palate, there’s cassis from the Cab Sauv, plums from the Merlot, and strawberry and raspberry from the Cab Franc along with black cherry and baking spices. Expect polished tannins, fresh acidity, and a very long finish. An elegant multi-layered wine that’s enjoyable now but will age and develop for the next five to eight years. Fawcett suggests it would be “fantastic with ribs, steak, and chateaubriand, that’s my favourite.” It’s definitely a celebratory wine for delicious meals and close friends!
Today the 2019 Black Hill Estates Nota Bene is still a cult wine and it’s sold out at the winery. Fortunately the 2019 Nota Bene ($69.99; “93 points”) is in stock at Everything Wine Vancouver. The 2020 vintage will be available at the winery next June. Order early!
Next week I review the 2018 Black Hills Syrah and the 2019 Chardonnay. In the meantime, visit Black Hill Estate's website for tour reservations and online orders.
