NK’MIP | Qwam Qwmt | Cabernet Sauvignon | 2018
cabernet sauvignon

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Today we are going to review a very intriguing and in a way even unique wine blend from Canada – Qwam Qwmt Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 by Nk’Mip {Inkameep Cellars}. Cabernet Sauvignon is grown all over the world in a wide range of climates and regions and it can produce wines that are very high in tannins and acidity, that can mature and develop for many years in the bottle. Cabernet Sauvignon is also a late ripening grape variety, which means that it is best suited for warm climates, where it is capable to produce wines that can reach into realms of perfection, where they are rarely followed. The Nk’Mip Cellars (pronounced as “inkameep“, which translates as ‘bottomland‘) was designed by Robert MacKenzie, a Penticton-based architect with a passion for celebrating the Okanagan heritage, is the first winery in North America to be owned and run by an Okanagan indigenous community. It is located at the southern end of the Osoyoos Indian Reserve, often referred to as the northern extremity of the Sonoran Desert, with very dry and bright summer days that help to craft richly-flavoured red wines. This particular wine is part of the reserve, Qwam Qwmt range of wines (pronounced as ‘kw-em kw-empt‘, which translates as “achieving excellence”), that are crafted in small quantities from 40 years old vines. The grapes for this powerful, single-varietal cabernet sauvignon wine are sourced from one single block, located right below the winery in Osoyoos, in the south of Okanagan Valley of British Columbia (Canada). After a period of extended maceration and fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine has been aged for 18 months in french oak barrels in order to gain more complexity. That said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: deep ruby color
clarity: hazy indigo shades

//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & expressive
fruit profile: black fruits | dried fruits
__black fruits: black plum | black cherry | blackcurrant | blackberry | aronia berry
__dried fruits: dried black plum | dried black cherry | dried aronia berry
fruit character: overripe & dried

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earth | other
__spice: peppercorn | cloves | nutmeg | anise | tonka seeds
__oak: tobacco | roasted oakwood | cherry tree wood
__earth: pencil lead | soil dust | charcoal | quartz
__other: subtle hints of mint
primary layer: fruit

//Palate
sweetness: bone dry
acidity: high
alcohol: high
tannin: high
__grip: ripe
balance: good
__dominant: none
body: round | full body

//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: ripe & overripe
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: medium
aftertaste: seedy

//Scoring
NK’MIP | Qwam Qwmt | Cabernet Sauvignon | 2018
variety: cabernet sauvignon
country: Canada | British Columbia
region: Okanagan Valley
rating: 94.1

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | drink now or age for 3-4 years
verdict: great | a must try wine

//Prediction
predicted RP rating: 90+

//RP Rating
actual RP rating: N/A
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This is definitely a great wine of Canada and, with a total of 94.1 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is an outstanding cabernet sauvignon wine and definitely one of the best we’ve tasted so far: round, crisp and nuanced, with an expressive nose and a plump palate. The wine is still in its development phase but very close to its prime form, therefore we would recommend to either drink it today or give it for 3 to 4 more years, as the potential is clearly there, but make sure you don’t overdo it, as it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late. On the nose the wine displays overripe and dried black fruit notes in the foreground, supported by a nuanced, oaky and spicy background and a very subtle, earthy layer in between the two. On the palate the wine delivers bright acidity, seedy but ripe tannins and a touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel, which leads to a pleasantly seedy aftertaste. All in all this is a rich and extracted cabernet sauvignon wine, with an amazing structure and a very harmonious body, where nothing is showing off – a wine that is mixing power with finesse. We believe this gorgeous wine will pair lovely with delicate but spicy meats, rich in natural umami flavour, like for example a black angus filet mignon or a peppercorn filet mignon steak. Enjoy!

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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.