2009 Nota Bene has been released Mon, 04 Apr 2011 Nota Bene Advance Release Details * Orders work on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please note that supplies of the 2009 Vintage are limited, so we do encourage you to order soon to avoid disappointment. * The price of Nota Bene remains unchanged from the last three years, and is sold at $53.00 per bottle. All orders must be in one case increments, and there are 12 bottles to a case. All wine shipments are made in special Wine Shipping boxes to ensure their safe arrival to your residence or place of business. * New this year- we are able to accommodate winery pick-ups for the wine you order. If you plan to be in the South Okanagan this summer and would like to pick your wine up directly from our winery, than just indicate on your order. Please note that our winery will be open for Wine pick-ups from May 1 to Oct. 9, from 10 am to 5 pm, seven days a week. About the 2009 Nota Bene! We are pleased to now release the 2009 Nota Bene and have it available for sale. This is our eleventh vintage of Nota Bene and we feel that it is absolutely outstanding. As you might recall, the summer of 2009 was one of the hottest on record in the South Okanagan. The long, warm, sunny days produced incredibly ripe Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. This in turn has given the wine a very luscious, fully developed, multi-layered flavour profile. Wow! The paradox of the 2009 vintage is that it is also one of the smallest ones we have had in recent years. This being due to the frost damage that occurred on most of the vineyards in our valley in 2008. As a result there is significantly less of our Nota Bene 2009 available than with previous vintages. So here we have this outstanding wine that we are about to release, but we have a lot less of it available for our customers. All that goes to say is that this is definitely the year you want to take advantage of our release. We highly doubt that there is going to be much of the 2009 vintage wine around after release day! Having tasted many 2009 barrel samples lately I am very excited about this vintage of Nota Bene. Production is down due to frost damage in 2008, but a hot summer and dry fall has produced big fruit flavours and ripe tannins (ripest in years). Liam Carrier, Icon Wines Nota Bene 2009 - a barrel sample of this youthful, tightly wound wine showed solid berry fruit, fine spice and chocolate. Delicious! Daenna Van Mulligan, the Wine Diva Some comments on the 2009 Nota Bene from our Winemaker and Winegrower Vineyard Notes "The 2009 growing season started off with a cool spring which resulted in a later than normal bud break. Excellent growing conditions enabled rapid vine growth and the vineyard caught up quickly. Steady warm and dry conditions graced the valley throughout the summer months and into the fall which made for an exceptional fruit set and early ripening of the grapes. The result was fruit of first-rate quality, some of the best we have ever seen." Steve Carberry, Winegrower/Vineyard Manager Winemakers Notes "2009 growing season gave us amazing ripe fruit with the great flavor and smooth developed tannins. The nose exhibits bright red fruit with plum and cassis. The rich palate displays complex black cherry, strawberry and dark cocoa. This wine has great balance, soft silky tannin and a smooth long finish. Can be decanted and enjoyed now and has great cellaring potential. 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc. 14.2% alcohol. Drink now through to 2015." Graham Pierce, Winemaker To order on-line, please click here or go to the Black Hills website at www.blackhillswinery.com To order by phone, please call (250) 498-0666 extension 1.