MAKING THE CASE
For BC’s Local Wines
By TOM FIRTH
As the value of supporting local businesses continues to be apparent, it’s a good month to focus on our “local” wine from British Columbia. From tip to tail, the Okanagan wine region encompasses a number of micro-climates and terroirs, meaning from the cooler north to the downright hotter south, great wines from a wide variety of grapes are made year after year with an eye to quality. It may not be a good year for interprovincial travel, but we can still travel via our taste buds, and hunger for when we can get out and about like we used to. Find these wines by searching the CSPC code at Liquorconnect.com; your local liquor store can also use this code to order it for you. Prices are approximate.
Culmina 2019 Chardonnay Okanagan Valley
An Okanagan chardonnay that is kicking a** and taking names. Tightly wound, clean fruit, well supported by excellent oak characters - but never overwhelming the fruit. Love-love-love how it feels on the palate with great tension between the acids and fruit that rolls into a fantastic finish. The sort of wine that puts schnitzel or lobster in mind. CSPC +842286 $48-55
CedarCreek 2019 Pinot Gris Okanagan Valley
CedarCreek have been making great wine since just about the very beginning of premium winemaking in the Okanagan. Just as important, they’ve also been providing great value at every tier they’ve made. The Estate Grown pinot gris is a juicy, fruity quaffer with plenty of fresh summer fruit, a little bit of silkiness on the palate and a bright, clean finish. Bring on summer! CSPC +561175 $20-22
CedarCreek 2018 Pinot Noir Okanagan Valley Pinot noir is a grape that CedarCreek has been hitting out of the park since their early days. Some of the best examples I’ve had from the Okanagan have had CedarCreek on the label. Fans of new world pinot will like this one with a fruit blend of raspberry and plum, leafy herbal characters, and a long, sleek finish with mid-weight tannins. Match with duck confit if you can, or top quality sausage on the grill. CSPC +567412 $27-30
Tom is a freelance wine writer, wine consultant, and wine judge. He is the Managing Editor for Culinaire Magazine, and the Competition Director for the Alberta Beverage Awards. Follow him on twitter @cowtownwine, email tom@culinairemagazine.ca
38 Culinaire | May 2021
Lunessence 2018 Crescendo Okanagan Valley
Another four-grape blend from Lunessence this time with merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, and petit verdot. Rather lightly coloured in the glass with fine balance between fruit and earthier characters. Full bodied without being a fruit bomb or a tannic monster, it’s really about that balance which it has in abundance. Delicious. Try with better cuts of meat on the grill or some good cheese. CSPC +839415 $24-27
