1751 Stamps Road
Duncan, BC
In 2008, Alderlea fermented the red it calls Fusion in a 2,000-litre oak fermenter specially built for this purpose. Roger Dosman believes this enabled him to enhance the quality of a variety that will define the future of Vancouver Island viticulture.
Fusion is made from Alderlea’s planting of an early-ripening cabernet sauvignon/maréchal foch cross developed by Swiss breeder Valentin Blattner. Dosman’s acclaimed 2005 Fusion was the first commercial release in British Columbia of a Blattner wine. He has increased his planting of Blattner crosses to a quarter of his vineyard, pulling out bacchus to make room.
The reason: bacchus is prone to mildew, while the disease-resistant Blattner vines require almost no spraying. Dosman says the wines have intriguing Old World flavours that will set Vancouver Island reds apart.