I’ve been waiting patiently for the delivery of my mixed case of Clos du Soleil wines via friends who made the trip to the Okanagan last week. One of the wines in this case is the Celestiale.

The dictionary definition of ‘Celestiale’ lists ‘heavenly’ as the closest translation of the Italian word. Not is this wine only ‘of the heavens,’ but the name mirrors the penchant this winery’s owners have for following the oft complicated, but highly rewarding biodynamic philosophy.

Only 250 cases of this wine were produced at a cost of $24.90/bottle. A blend of Merlot (44%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Cabernet Franc (10%), Petit Verdot (3%), and Malbec (3%), this Meritage or classic Bordeaux blend spent 18 months ageing in French oak barriques before bottling.

This wine is clear and bright, deep ruby moving to garnet with solid legs.

On the nose it’s clean with medium intense aromas of blueberries, tobacco, ripe August blackberry, spice and black pepper, a floral essence, vanilla pod and oak.

The palate is dry with medium alcohol and medium body, grainy, slightly grippy tannins streaked with green vine, medium acidity and medium plus intense flavour characteristics of mulberry, blueberry, tobacco, spice box, cedar frond, leather and blackberry vine. The finish is a strong medium plus.

WSET Very Good – It’s drinking well but can be saved for 5-7 years considering the fruit, tannin and acidity. It has a lovely, almost delicate complexity and the integration of alcohol with the flavour characteristics has been done with attention to detail. I will save my last two bottles and do comparison notes to see how it develops over time.

We paired this with barbecued mild Italian sausages, wild mushroom couscous and fresh tomatoes with basalmic and fresh cracked pepper.