No one who lived through it will forget it- the summer of 2003 in the Okanagan Valley. Temperatures soared to unprecedented levels and stayed there for weeks at a time. The entire valley was parched and tinder dry. August culminated in the infamous Okanagan Mountain Fire, which caused extensive damage to Kelowna and destroyed
the world-famous KVR trestle bridges at Myra Canyon.

It was so hot that the summer set a record for accumulated heat units, the farmer's way of gauging the growing season. And as if to drive the point home, a huge boulder that marked the entrance to Marichel Vineyard split in
two due to the heat. That’s why particularly hot vintages at Marichel are now called “Splitrock”.

Summers are normally quite warm in the Okanagan Valley, but the extreme heat required to merit the Splitrock designation only comes along once or twice per decade. In those vintages the grapes may ripen in exceptional ways. We exploit that good fortune in our premium Syrah and Viognier- exceptional wines from an exceptional vintage.

The 2009 vintage crossed the lofty threshold required to qualify as a Splitrock. (It did not, however, exceed the Infernal Summer of 2003.)  Marichel Vineyard will release a premium Splitrock Viognier in 2010. The Marichel Vineyard 2009 Splitrock Syrah will be released in 2011.

Below: Okanagan Mountain burning, August 2003