Project 'B' 2020 Sauvignon Blanc 750ml

Year two is every bit as good as last year for Project B. This is a humble sauvignon blanc that is whole cluster pressed and fermented in stainless with limited lees contact. There is three percent barrique sémillon added to the mix, all from the same premium, single vineyard in Oliver. The fruit is picked twice, ten days apart, to catch both the fresh version and the ripe version of this grape. It’s not exotic or showy, but as is the Boutinot wont, it is suitably restrained, emphasizing minerality that supports a quiet, delicate pear, guava, apricot, peach profile. At this time of the year, it is a perfect accompaniment to the subtle flavours of spot prawns. Winegrower Michael Bartier, co-owner of Bartier Bros., a south Okanagan boutique estate, was handpicked to make a BC wine for acclaimed English négociant and world winemaking force, Boutinot Wines. Project ‘B’ is Boutinot’s first reach into Canada. The Name ‘B’ surfaced as a constant in the partnership of Boutinot and Bartier. It was the first harvest from Plot B, and it is also a special nod to the Boutinot Rhone symbol of quality, the worker bee. Bartier works with Boutier chief winemaker Eric Monnin to make a wine that reflects the Boutinot style while honouring the terroir (land, viticulture, climate, and vineyard sites) of the Okanagan Valley.

Score: 90 pts -- Anthony Gismondi, Gismondi On Wine