Sometimes, the Universe leads you to meet interesting people along your journey. And I have met a lot of people in the wine business, having traveled to wine regions in Canada, the United States, Italy, and France. Recently, I had the chance to interview Michal Mosny, winemaker of Winemaker’s CUT wines, and talk about this personal label of his. One of the most interesting things about Mosny is how humble he is. Not once while I was interviewing him, did I ever get the impression that this was just work for him. He deeply loves making wine, and this was one of the reasons why I was so curious about his creations.
ABOUT THE WINEMAKER
Mosny was born in Slovakia, and worked for some large-sized wineries before moving to Canada. Mosny and his wife, Martina, decided to take a leap across the pond, and start winemaking in the Okanagan Valley.
And as we began talking, it became more and more evident to me that Mosny, who sees himself as a creator and not a scientist, loves the concept of terroir. Mosny is highly invested in the philosophy that good wine comes from good land. I dug deeper, pun intended, to investigate. What I learned is that Mosny appreciates using what the land provides him in order to make the wine that goes into his bottles. In his words, all winemakers “need to know the soil” from which their grapes came.
Photo from http://www.winemakerscut.ca
THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND WINEMAKER’S CUT
Mosny believes the focus of his Winemaker’s CUT portfolio is to “capture a moment in time, cut from vineyard vine”. Using a blend of oaks (French, American, & Slovakian), wild or specially selected bio yeasts, and soils which have not been given artificial fertilizers, the Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc are indeed terroir-driven. Mosny also has a sustainable farming and zero pesticides policy.
“Every year we are learning,” Mosny said, “and we harvest and ferment different rows based on how they are performing.” Additionally, Mosny stated that the soil at Deadman’s Lake Vineyard, which is situated between the towns of Osoyoos and Oliver in British Columbia, is “super rich in minerals”. The impression that I received is that Mosny is listening to the land, and is using it to inform his winemaking practices. To him, this process isn’t just about making wine for the sake of making wine; he is invested in the truth of the grapes he works with.
Photo from http://www.winemakerscut.ca
The wines in focus: one Sauvignon Blanc and one Syrah. That’s it. No more, no less. And with the tasting of both of these, I was curious about future vintages because Mosny’s focus is to avoid picking the grapes at too high brix. Let’s take a closer look at the wines themselves.
THE WINES
~2017 Winemaker’s Cut Sauvignon Blanc VQA—$25.00/btl—180 cases
Delightfully youthful Sauvignon Blanc with pineapple core, dusty mineral, lemon, orange blossom, and dry grass notes. The finish is bursting with notes of grapefruit pith and kiwi skin.
My three words to describe this wine: Refreshing. Approachable. Clean.
Mosny’s three words to describe this wine: Tropical. Mineral. Fish.*
(*Fish because Mosny loves this particular wine with most fish dishes!)
~2016 Winemaker’s Cut Syrah VQA—$32.00/btl—260 cases
Will develop nicely with some time. Notes of bacon fat, stewed fruit, course black pepper, mace, and Madagascar cherry mingle well with the toasty character from the oaking program. Lighter than some BC Syrah’s, though quite approachable. I would guess this as Syrah in a blind tasting; it has a nice balance of fruit and spice.
My three words to describe this wine: Complex. Accessible. Engaging.
Mosny’s three words to describe this wine: Elegant. Restrained. Flavourful.
Perfect pairing for the Syrah: BBQ steak, grilled potatoes, and salad
There is a tangible focus in these wines. I tasted them over the course of a few days, and they held up well in the bottle. Again, I’m very intrigued to see how future vintages “roll out”.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information on the Winemaker’s CUT Collection, please visit their website at www.winemakerscut.ca or you can write to Michal & Martina at cut@winemakerscut.ca.
Thanks to Michal Mosny for the samples; I had a lot of fun exploring them!
Cheers,
TDV
