VITIS – Spring/Summer 2021 by Vitis – B.C. Wine Culture

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B . C .

W I N E

C U L T U R E

SPRING/SUMMER 2021

Issue 07 S C OT T S M I T H TA L KS D I R T T H E G L AC I E R S ’ PAT H M A P P I N G B.C.’ S S O I L S B E N E AT H T H E VO LCA N O W I N E C LU B S R E VA M P E D D I N I N G G LO B A L LY PIONEER JOHN SCHREINER S AV Y Y A B O U T S A I G N É E KEEPING IT SOCIAL WINE NEWS B.C. W I N E RY L I S T I N G S

Contents

06 – SIPS & NIBBLES News and trends from the world of wine

The intoxicating view from West Kelowna. Photo courtesy of Quails’ Gate Winery

10 – PIONEERS Wine writer John Schreiner: four decades and 20 books that cover B.C.’s wine industry by Daenna Van Mulligen 14 – WINE LIFE When the party goes silent, wine culture goes online by Christine Campbell 16 – OENOPHILE New-generation wine clubs bring the tasting experience home to you by Charlene Rooke 22 – B.C. WINE COUNTRY Castles, bell towers, beaches, volcanoes—there’s a whole lot happening in West Kelowna these days by Tim Pawsey

26 – THE REAL DIRT In this package of stories on B.C. terroir, we explore how our wine is being defined and refined by the soil under our feet—and meet some of the experts working to map every inch of it by Rhys Pender MW and Joanne Sasvari 36 – FOOD FOR THOUGHT Taste the world through three delicious new wine-focused restaurants in Vancouver by Joanne Sasvari 40 – LISTINGS Your guide to B.C.’s wineries

At Tableau Bar Bistro, updated French fare and fine wines. Leila Kwok photo

50 – WINE GEEK Saignée. It is rosé season after all by Christine Campbell

PUBLISHER: Gail Nugent • gnugent@glaciermedia.ca

COVER IMAGE: Courtesy of Wines of British Columbia

EDITOR: Joanne Sasvari • jsasvari@glaciermedia.ca

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR: Valeria Remizova

DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER: Tara Rafiq • trafiq@glaciermedia.ca

Vitis.ca @VitisMag • @VitisMag

PUBLISHED BY: Glacier Media Group 303 W. 5th Ave., Vancouver, BC V5Y 1J6 778-240-4010 © Vitis 2021 This issue is complimentary.

Contributors JOANNE SASVARI is editor of Vitis and The Alchemist magazines. She is a WSETcertified writer who covers food and drink for publications including Food & Wine, Vancouver Sun and Destination BC’s Hello BC. She is also the author of the forthcoming Island Eats cookbook. CHRISTINE CAMPBELL is a Vancouver-based freelance wine and travel writer who is a cheerleader for British Columbia wines. Champagne and Chardonnay are her ongoing obsessions. Follow her on Twitter @ girlsgogrape and Instagram @girlsgogrape72. TIM PAWSEY writes and shoots at hiredbelly. com as well as for publications including Quench, TASTE and Montecristo. He’s a frequent wine judge and is a founding member of the B.C. Hospitality Foundation. RHYS PENDER is a Master of Wine who combines his time writing, judging, teaching, consulting and dirtying his boots at his four-acre vineyard and winery, Little Farm Winery, in the Similkameen Valley. CHARLENE ROOKE is a Vancouver-based writer (for The Globe and Mail, enRoute, The Alchemist and more) whose family has Okanagan roots as former Kelowna apple growers. She is WSET Certified in Wine and a WSET Spirits Educator who will always quaff a glass or few of Nova 7. DAENNA VAN MULLIGEN is a sommelier, educator, keynote speaker and radio host who launched WineDiva.ca 15 years ago, and WineScores.ca soon after. She is also a regular contributor to TASTE, Vines and Montecristo magazines.

B.C.’s varied soils include Kamloops’ limestone, which adds minerality to the wines of Privato Vineyard & Winery. Photo courtesy of Wines of British Columbia

WINE, FROM GRAVEL TO GLASS

elcome to the Spring/Summer 2021 issue of Vitis, the magazine of British Columbia’s wine culture. After a long and unhappy winter, spring has at last sprung and I don’t think we’ve ever been more delighted to see the first green shoots of bud break. The challenges we’ve faced during the pandemic have made us appreciate the true essence of things, and that’s just what we’re doing in this issue. In other words, we’re getting down in the dirt, digging into the unique soils from which British Columbia’s exciting wines spring. Starting on page 26, Rhys Pender MW maps the province’s soil types and chats with wine country’s top soil scientist, Scott Smith, who is defining its Geographical Indications. We also visit Blue Mountain Vineyards to taste how terroir affects the flavours of wine planted only rows apart. And we follow Anthony von Mandl on the trail of the glaciers that carved out the Okanagan Valley. Also in this issue: Charlene Rooke advises on the new generation of wine clubs, which bring the world right to your door. Daenna van Mulligen checks in with the respected and prolific wine writer John Schreiner as he embarks on a vintage memoir. Christine Campbell reminisces about the virtual wine groups that made the last few months bearable. And Tim Pawsey checks out what’s going on in West Kelowna these days, from beachside wineries to bell towers to, well, you’ll just have to read his piece to find out. Plus we have winery listings, wine news, restaurants and so much more. We’re thrilled you’re joining us on the wine country adventures in these pages. And we can’t wait till we can raise a glass with you, in person, together. Joanne Sasvari, editor

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OUR ROOTS RUN DEEP.

Wines of distinction that are an intensely flavoured expression of our historic vineyard. Available at fine wine shops. W W W. H E S T E R C R E E K . C O M

Sips & Nibbles Vitis Staff

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BEYOND JUDGMENT: FAREWELL TO TWO WINE LEGENDS

B.C.’s wine community is mourning two great losses: Steven Spurrier, left, and Chris Jentsch.

August 25, 2015, was a momentous day for British Columbia wine. That was the day the legendary Steven Spurrier came to the Okanagan Valley to lead a tasting known as the Judgment of B.C. It pitted local Chardonnays and Syrahs against some of the world’s best. And by the time the Judgment came down, the 2013 C.C. Jentsch Syrah had defeated powerhouse wines from Barossa, California and the Rhône Valley. It wasn’t as propulsive a moment as the 1976 Judgment of Paris that hurtled California wines onto the world stage. But it helped establish B.C. as a wine producer to watch. Now two of the forces behind that important event are gone, and the loss is immeasurable. On March 9, the wine world lost one of its most dynamic, charming and influential leaders, the British wine merchant, educator and writer Steven Spurrier. He was 79. Spurrier will forever be remembered for the famous wine tasting known as The Judgment of Paris. On May 24, 1976, he set up a blind tasting of French and California wines, 10 Chardonnay and 10 Cabernet Sauvignon, for a panel of illustrious French judges. To almost everyone’s shock, the California wines won in both categories, forever changing the world’s perception of New World wines. The event was immortalized in the 2008 film Bottle Shock as well as a documentary produced by the team behind the Somm series, to be released this summer. Then on April 2, B.C.’s wine community lost one of its most positive, optimistic, generous and enthusiastic leaders. Christopher Carl Jentsch, co-owner with his beloved wife Betty of C.C. Jentsch Cellars in Oliver, passed away suddenly at the age of 58. He was a longtime viticulturalist who only recently turned his hand to making wine. Almost immediately, he saw the kind of success most winemakers only dream of when the second vintage he’d ever produced won the Judgment of BC. Throughout a storied career, Spurrier’s motto was “Drink for mood and not for food.” Though our mood is sombre right now, we’ll raise a glass to that.

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If all goes according to plan, the South Okanagan’s new District Wine Village will be at once a hub for tourism, an incubator for small wineries and quite possibly the most ambitious project in any wine region in Canada. Set to open in June, and located at the Osoyoos Indian Band’s Senkulmen Enterprise Park north of Oliver, it comprises 16 small, uniquely designed buildings, 13 of which will be leased to regional wineries. The others will house a distillery, brewery and restaurant; plus, the facility will have an amphitheatre, vineyard and education centre. The wineries include exciting labels like Winemaker’s Cut, Vintners Cove, Eau Vivre and Gneiss Wines, which will each have a production facility, barrel room, outdoor patio and retail shop, as well as access to a crush pad facility and a three-to-five-year lease. This is an ideal opportunity for a small-production winery that wants to grow its business without the risk of building its own structure. The whole project—the first of its kind in Canada—is the inspiration of Penticton’s Kenyon family, owners of Greyback Construction, which has helped build more than 40 Okanagan wineries over the past 20 years. The buildings surround a central hub that is licensed to serve 600 guests and will feature art shows, concerts, a Wednesday market and, in the winter months, an outdoor skating oval. And this is just the beginning. The Kenyon family plans to add more, larger buildings to the 11-acre site in its second phase. “We feel this will become a destination unto its own and people will enjoy other wineries in the area,” said Matt Kenyon, president of Greyback Construction, during the kickoff press conference in March. “We hope this village will be their first stop or end stop at the end of the day.”

Photo courtesy of Birch Block Vineyard

Photo courtesy of District Wine Village

I T TA K E S A V I L L AG E . . .

PICNICS WITH PIQUETTE “Piquette for the people,” is how Sarah Bancroft describes the fizzy wine beverage she and her husband Murray, co-owners of Birch Block Vineyard, are making this summer. “It’s an egalitarian, fun, accessible wine beverage. It’s inexpensive, low alcohol, totally natural, and re-uses grape skins that would otherwise go to waste, which makes it very sustainable, too.” Inspired by a beverage traditionally served to vineyard workers in France, the Birch Block Pop-Up Piquette is made from fermented Mourvèdre and Grenache grape skins and local honey, with a flavour similar to a fresh, fruity kombucha and an ABV of only eight per cent. Each 473 mL can retails for $10 at select private retailers or through birchblockvineyard.com. The Pop-Up Piquette is one of several B.C. wines being sold in cans this season, even though the B.C. Wine Authority still won’t allow the Vintners Quality Alliance label on canned wine. Among them: • Castoro de Oro • JoieFarm Winery • Corcelettes Estate Winery Santé • 50th Parallel Estate Winery Glamour Farming • The View Bling • Mayhem • Recline Ridge Wine2Go

TIDBITS DRINK B.C. ALL MONTH LONG

WINE’S FINAL FRONTIER

April is #BCWineMonth and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate the arrival of spring. For the fourth year in a row, Wine Growers British Columbia (formerly the BC Wine Institute) is encouraging us all to raise a glass of local wine to the province’s passionate, hardworking winemakers, grape growers, retailers and tourism operators. And frankly, we don’t need to be asked twice. WGBC has also launched a multi-pronged marketing campaign titled “A Year in the Life,” aimed at celebrating B.C.’s winemakers and farmers and their deep sense of respect for the land. Learn more at WineBC.com, and don’t forget to download the Wines of BC Explorer app to help make your purchasing decisions.

Personally, we can thing of better things to do with a €5,000 bottle of Château Pétrus 2000 than hurling it into space, but chacun à son goût, we suppose. In 2019, a research and manufacturing company called Space Cargo Unlimited sent 12 bottles of the famed Bordeaux wine up to International Space Station. After 438 days and 19 hours, and a round trip of 300,000 kilometres, the wines came back home. Expert tasters say the wines were softer, less tannic and better developed than those that had stayed on Earth. The idea, says Space Cargo Unlimited CEO Nicolas Gaume, is that exposing wine to the stresses of zero gravity will make it more resilient to stresses here on earth.

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MAKE IT MALBEC

S I P S

On April 17 we’re taking a break from B.C. wines to celebrate World Malbec Day. That was the date back in 1853 when Argentina President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento officially made it his mission to transform the wine industry of the South American nation. He had a French soil expert, Michel Aimé Pouget, bring French vines to Argentina and, as it turned out, the Malbec grape performed better there than it did in its native Bordeaux. Nearly 170 years later, we’re still enjoying the ripe, deep, summer-BBQ-friendly flavours of Argentinian Malbec. winesofargentina.org

Jon Adrian photo

T H R E E T O T RY

FIZZY FARE AT FITZ We’re always excited to see a new winery restaurant open in the Okanagan, but we’re especially excited when bubbles are involved. So you can imagine our delight to hear that on May 1, West Kelowna’s 19 Okanagan Grill + Bar is opening a second location called 19 Bistro @ Fitz at the Fitzpatrick Family Vineyard at historic Greata Ranch in Peachland. It has a terrific patio with sweeping lake views, where guests can enjoy pizzas and other locally sourced bistro fare, as well as wine from across the Okanagan and, of course, the winery’s own signature sparklers. “I am very excited to join the effervescent team at Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards,” says the bistro’s owner and GM, Neil Martens, who promises “an approachable, yet sophisticated wine country experience for all of our guests.” 19bistro.com

Decero Malbec, Remolinos Vineyard, 2017 (Argentina, $30) Violets, raspberries, red cherries, intense, fresh. Clos de los Siete, 2017 (Argentina, $27) Blackberry, chocolate, hazelnut, refined tannins. Bottega Catena Zapata High Mountain Vines 2018 (Argentina, $25) Blackberry, mocha, cinnamon, leather, floral.

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LAKE SPIRIT CAPTURED I N S O N G A N D F I L M AT Q UA I L S ’ GAT E W I N E RY Joanne Sasvari The vines were a bit of a problem. They couldn’t, after all, simply move 124 anachronistic acres of grapes. But that’s just one of the challenges you have to deal with when a story takes nearly 150 years to get from the moment it happened to the moment it’s captured in film. That film is The Lake / n’-ha-a-itk, a groundbreaking operatic documentary that Heather Pawsey, the soprano and moving force behind the project, calls “a powerful, powerful piece of art.” It was filmed at Quails’ Gate Winery, which in 1873 was the Sunnyside Ranch owned by John and Susan Allison, the first European settlers on this side of Okanagan Lake. “The opera is about the day Susan thought she saw the spirit of the lake,” says Pawsey, who is also the founding artistic director and general manager of Astrolabe Musik Theatre. “She believes she saw what we call Ogopogo, a name that I will never use again because it is very disrespectful.” In the syilx language, its proper name, n’-ha-a-itk, means “sacred being of the water.” In the 1950s, the avant-garde Canadian composer Barbara Pentland wrote an opera about Susan’s sighting, with the poet Dorothy Livesay writing the libretto. “It was never, ever produced,” says Pawsey. She came across the score in 1996 when she was searching for a piece of music to perform for the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition, which she later won. “I found it, and I knew I had to produce it. It just became a mission.” But the score was incomplete, and it was only later she discovered the original libretto, stuffed in a drawer at Quails’ Gate. The opera features only four characters and was semi-staged for the first time at Vancouver’s Chan Centre in 2012. One day, Pawsey found a syilx Elder, artist and storyteller named Delphine Derickson waiting for her backstage “That was the start of a life-changing experience for me,” Pawsey says. “She is an absolute living cultural treasure. We decided we really wanted to work together, and we co-created an opera.”

Soprano Heather Pawsey, left, and syilx artist and Elder Delphine Derickson collaborated on the ground-breaking opera documentary The Lake / n’-ha-a-itk. Darren Hull photo

They transformed the original opera with syilx language, culture and dance to contextualize what happened when the settlers moved to this land. “And then I realized what needed to happen was we needed to create a film that documented everything.” That film, a co-production of Astrolabe Musik Theatre and Turning Point Ensemble in collaboration with Westbank First Nation, and filmed at Quails’ Gate, is finally nearing completion. Pawsey hopes to see it shown at film festivals and broadcast on television; only recently was it shown for the first time to members of the Westbank First Nation. “It was very emotional and it went so much better than I ever expected it to,” Pawsey says. “It’s been a very long journey. Fundraising for The Lake / n’-ha-a-itk is still underway; donate at canadahelps.org/en/ charities/astrolabe-musik-theatre-society or astrolabemusiktheatre.com/support.

“It was very emotional and

it went so much better than I ever expected it to. It’s been a very long journey.

The chronicler of the grape AS H E WO R KS O N H I S M E M O I R S, J O H N S C H R E I N E R LO O KS BAC K O N M O R E T H A N F O U R D E C A D E S O F C OV E R I N G B. C.’ S W I N E I N D U S T RY

P I O N E E R S

Daenna Van Mulligen

t’s unlikely anyone knows more about the history of B.C. wine than John Schreiner. He’s penned the most recognizable books on the wines and regions of our province, including: The Wineries of British Columbia (1994); The British Columbia Wine Companion (1996); British Columbia Wine Country (2003); and most notably, John Schreiner’s Okanagan Wine Tour Guide (2006). Born in Indian Head, Saskatchewan, in 1936, Schreiner graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a major in English in 1958. While studying, he was the recipient of a summer internship at the Regina LeaderPost; he relished the job, which solidified his decision to become a newspaper journalist. Despite youth and inexperience, Schreiner was keen and was quickly handed the legislative beat, becoming the senior political reporter. In 1961, he began a 40-year career covering business for the Financial Post, working first in the Toronto and Montreal bureaus until an opening came up in Vancouver in the early 1970s. “I never regretted the move,” he says.

“I became interested in wine early

on. I don’t know how or why, but when we moved to Toronto there was a wine store down the block. I’d go in, chat with the staff and read the labels. 10

After 40-plus years of writing about wine, B.C.’s most prolific chronicler John Schreiner is working on a personal memoir. Photo courtesy of John Schreiner

“I felt at home here. The scale of the city, it was smaller and friendlier than Toronto. I would run into people in the street I knew—I didn’t feel anonymous.” In 1974, Schreiner began writing about wine as well as business. “I became interested in wine early on. I don’t know how or why, but when we moved to Toronto there was a wine store down the block. I’d go in, chat with the staff and read the labels. I did a lot of nattering with managers,” he says. Once in Vancouver, he joined every wine group he could find and began to make his own wine, first from concentrate and then successfully from grapes. Schreiner’s first wine book, The World of Canadian Wines, published in 1984, established his credibility in the wine industry—locally and internationally. “The more wineries that popped up, the more I had to write,” he says. He wrote The British Columbia Wine Companion

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“The more wineries that popped up, the more I had to write.

Schreiner has produced 20 wine books over his career, including the awardwinning Icon and ever-popular Okanagan Wine Tour Guide.

in 1996, followed by Chardonnay and Friends in 1998. “I did a book on 40 varietals and did profiles on them, but it came out just in time for the ABC [anything but Chardonnay] backlash, so it didn’t do well, despite there being 39 other varieties in the book,” he says with a laugh. Soon after, Schreiner wrote a book on icewine. “I tasted thousands of icewines and spent a ridiculous amount of money travelling in Germany, Austria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Eastern Canada,” he says. “But Icewine: The Complete Story (2001) is still the sole book on icewines.” As the B.C. wine industry entered the new millennium, it was expanding at breakneck speed. That was the impetus behind his most popular book, John Schreiner’s Okanagan Wine Tour Guide. The first edition was published in 2006; the most recent edition, titled simply Okanagan Wine Tour Guide and published in April 2020, is Schreiner’s sixth. The largest version yet, it profiles 240

wineries and is co-authored by Okanagan wine educator Luke Whittall. Schreiner has garnered awards from the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society and the Vancouver International Wine Festival and has been honored by national and local wine industry groups. His 2017 book on iconic B.C. wines, Icon, was named best Canadian wine book of the year by the World Gourmand Awards. While Schreiner continues to blog, he’s retired from book writing. “After 20 wine books, that’s enough. I don’t want to work that hard any more. It has become more labour than love,” he admits. But he still has one more book to come: A memoir of his life will be published in the coming year, dedicated to his three children. We owe John Schreiner a debt of gratitude. His tireless pursuit of the story, and the time and dedication he has given our wine industry have been integral to its growth and our understanding of it.

Casale del Giglio

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T H E S H I N I N G S TA R O F U N D I S C O V E R E D L A Z I O

In Lazio, Casale del Giglio is redefining what the region’s wines can be. . Photos courtesy of Casale del Giglio

n 1967, Berardino Santarelli, descendant of distinguished wine merchants, founded the family estate, Casale del Giglio in Agro Pontino, Lazio, some 50 kilometres south of Rome in the “knee” of Italy’s boot. Although Lazio was Italy’s seventh largest wine producer by volume, at the time few if any grapes were grown here. Essentially, this was reclaimed land on a former swamp. However, Berardino’s son Antonio had always been convinced that vines could do well in Agro Pontino. And in 1985 father and son introduced 60 vines as an experiment. The Santarellis believed the location—between the Mediterranean Sea and inland Apennine Mountains—offered numerous benefits. In addition to the mild climate, the geology (which includes volcanic soils), strong diurnals (thanks to marine influence) and adequate rainfall were also promising. Not to mention knowledge gained from a tradition of winemaking that dates back to the earliest Romans, Greeks and Phoenicians.

That early initiative laid the foundation for more comprehensive trials in Lazio, which resulted in 1990 European Community approval of “recommended varieties” Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon while others were authorized later. Antonio Santarelli also enlisted the help of Trenti-

Founder Antonio Santarelli (left) and oenologist Paolo Tiefenthaler have worked together to transform Casale del Giglio into a landmark winery.

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We certainly know the enormous value of our land.

late-ripening Casanese (Lazio Rosso) is grown more inland, on higher slopes in the foothills. Surprisingly, Lazio remains one of Italy’s most undervalued wine regions. Though Tiefenthaler likes to quibble with Oscar Wilde, who famously once said: “Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” “We, at Casale del Giglio,” says Tiefenthaler, “may not know the price of everything, but we certainly know the enormous value of our land.”

T RY T H E S E W I N E S : Although Casale del Giglio grows “modern” grapes as well, its indigenous Italian grapes are the winery’s pride.

no-trained oenologist Paolo Tiefenthaler, who now oversees 180 sustainably grown hectares. Santarelli and Tiefenthaler realized the importance of improving the image of the country’s traditional wine-producing zones and the need to produce quality wines at affordable prices, especially in relatively unproven areas such as theirs. Along the way they coined the term “Super Lazio” in a nod to their better-known neighbour, Tuscany. But it made the point that top-quality wines from specific sub-regions were very much part of the “new” and improved Lazio. With several thousand grape varieties grown throughout Italy, it can be challenging to keep track of even a dozen, let alone the hundreds used in winemaking. However, the country’s indigenous varietals are increasingly in the spotlight—and for good reason. “Autochthonous” varieties (loosely meaning “from its own land”) account for some 400 Italian indigenous grapes and include a quarter of the world’s known commercially grown varieties. Casale del Giglio never lost sight of their plan to focus on vines native to Lazio. Rediscovered and revitalized in neighbouring districts, they include Biancolella of Ponza, Bellone of Anzio and Cesanese, as well as Pecorino. Lazio Biancolella is grown only on the Island of Ponza, at the base of a sheer sea cliff below the famous Il Faro della Guardia lighthouse, built in 1886. Drought-resistant Bellone of Lazio—a favourite with the local seafood soup—is grown across the region from the Roman to Lepini Hills, and near the coastal town of Anzio. Low-yielding and

Casale del Giglio Biancolella Faro Della Guardia 2019 (Lazio, IGT, Spec, SKU 207558) Up-front floral and stone fruit before a vibrant peach and nectarine palate wrapped in bright acidity with flinty mineral undertones.

Casale del Giglio Bellone 2019 (Lazio, IGT, Spec, SKU 782920) Tropical and stone fruit aromas, well balanced fruit and acidity, generous mouthfeel with a lingering, mineral close.

Casale del Giglio Cesanese 2018 (Lazio, Rosso IGT, BCL “Listed” $24.99) Fruit driven but edgy, vibrant, forward red berries, intense juicy palate, mulberry, pepper spice and savoury plus well integrated tannins.

Casale del Giglio | Contact local import agency: World Wine Synergy, info@worldwinesynergy.com For more information, visit casaledelgiglio.it

CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REG. UE N. 1308/2013 CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REG N. 1308/2013

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Virtual chats, real connections

Even though the pandemic has cancelled in-person wine tastings, online group chats have filled the gap. Getty Images photo

HOW ZOOM HAPPY HOURS OFFERED ONE WRITER A S O C I A L L I F E L I N E T H R O U G H T H E PA N D E M I C Christine Campbell

othing makes an extrovert like me happier than sharing wine with friends on my backyard deck or gathered around a table at a busy Vancouver restaurant. But a year ago, COVID-19 hit the pause button on wine tastings, dinner parties and in-person friendships. Without warning, it was just me, scrolling wistfully through social media. My very full and gratifying social calendar went blank. Then, in early April 2020, the universe sent me a lifeline. Wine blogger Thea Dwelle invited me to join a “Wine Wednesday Happy Hour” Facebook group that met over Zoom chats. My fingers couldn’t move fast enough to hit the “Going” button. I scrambled to write the event in my empty calendar. Finally, I had something to look forward to. Time couldn't fly fast enough. After logging in, familiar faces filled up my screen, people I’d met at wine media conferences over the years:

wine and spirit writers, podcasters, journalists, bloggers and PR people, most of them in the United States. That first happy hour quickly turned into a weekly one. Make that two: Mondays to discuss cocktails and Wednesdays to discuss wine. Themes explored on cocktail nights range from “All Eyes on Ryes” to maple syrup cocktails (as one of the few Canadians in the group, I love their fondness for Canadian themes) to pisco. I had no idea what pisco was and now can expertly craft a few killer cocktails out of this excellent Peruvian/Chilean brandy. Wednesdays are my happy place. We feature wines from around the world, explore regions, and share stories about our wine-related travels. Valiant attempts are made to synchronize with international wine marketing days. Occasionally, the week's theme is chosen by someone celebrating a birthday who then has to suffer through

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This group provided a place to feel supported, loved and connected in a way that I would never believe possible in a virtual community.

Christine Campbell’s groups meet online—Mondays to discuss cocktails, Wednesdays for wine. Christine Campbell photos

GET CONNECTED

some of the worst renditions of “Happy Birthday” I have ever heard. Try staying on rhythm during a Zoom chat with 20-plus people! One week, an ardent Chardonnay non-believer fell in love with Chablis. Another week, a red wine lover proclaimed her adoration for Sangiovese. I have learned more about Italian wine over the past year than I ever did in my WSET classes. I have become known as the #chardcore queen and a champion of Champagne and B.C. wine to people across North America. I asked some members of the group how the weekly chats helped them through this crazy time. Mykha’el Wilson, a blogger from New York, told me: “This group provided a place to feel supported, loved and connected in a way that I would never believe possible in a virtual community. Our meetings have added closeness to existing friendships and created new ones. It also added a schedule and a sense of normalcy in a chaotic world.” We named ourselves the Properly Corrupted Wineaux and since last April, I have only missed one session of this fun-filled happy hour group. (Note that it’s a private Facebook group open by invitation only.) Feelings of isolation and dismay have been replaced with laughter, banter, education and friendship. I cherish my Monday and Wednesday evenings. They are sacred to me, and my family is utterly supportive. They know this group is a key to my current happiness. The Properly Corrupted Wineaux have re-ignited a spark that had been threatening to fade away.

You do not need an invitation to join public groups on Facebook. Go to your Facebook homepage and look for suggested groups under the “search” tab. When you find a group, it typically has an administrator who will grant you access and sometimes share housekeeping rules dealing with respectful language and proper ethics. Here are a few groups to check out. On Facebook: British Columbia Wines (2,300 members) Wine Study (14,000 members) Fine Wine Buzz (4,000 members) Friends Who Like Wine in the Glass (13,100 members) On Twitter: #bcwine chat, Wednesdays at 8 p.m. On Instagram: Another way to connect is through the B.C. Hospitality Foundation, which is holding its second annual Hospitality Hustle until May 31. Among the activities are weekly Instagram live chats on #winewednesday with a B.C. winemaker, viticulturalist or other wine star who will discuss two to three of their wines and their region. Stay tuned to the BCHF website (bchospitalityfoundation.com) and Instagram (#hospitalityhustle) for details.

O E N O P H I L E

The Apéro Chez Vous Wine Packs created by sommelier Maude Renaud-Brisson are delivered monthly and always feature at least one stellar selection from B.C. Photo courtesy of Apéro Chez Vous

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The Netflix of wine T H E B O O M I N C U R AT E D W I N E - C L U B B O X E S I S A N I D E A W E C A N H A P P I LY S U B S C R I B E T O Charlene Rooke

n the Before Times, you might recall rubbing elbows with wine insiders and sampling outrageously good bythe-glass pours at Apéro wine socials around Vancouver. Since then, founder Maude Renaud-Brisson (a former Nightingale and Chambar somm) has created a pandemic silver lining by turning her clubby gatherings into an intimate wine-subscription program. Her Apéro Chez Vous Wine Packs (aperomode.com/ apero-chez-vous) are delivered monthly for $149 for four pro-curated wines, including one from B.C. (Tantalus, Bella, Synchromesh, Nichol and Le Vieux Pin, as recent examples), and behind-the-scenes stories about producers. Wines are available through New District in Vancouver for repeat purchase. Renaud-Brisson is just one of the wine-preneurs bringing the restaurant and sommelier experience to your home through wine subscriptions. Different than winery- or membership-based clubs, these feature highly curated boxes of hard-to-find releases, along with everything from tasting notes to recipe pairings to videos to enhance your sipping experience.

Joseph Richards Group offers “cool new wine in a cool box” to try every month through its LIQR.ca e-commerce wine club. Photo courtesy of LIQR.ca

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I thought the opportunity was to make it like Dollar Shave Club or any monthly subscription service—why not do that with wine? Wine Vikings is the B.C. subscription for brave wine adventurers (winevikings.com). The idea for it had “literally been on the side of my desk for two years,” says Dax Droski of Parade Agency, the group behind the Deighton Cup, Punchbowl and other boozy events. “Last March we just shut down. I thought, I’m going to find a passion project and get it going.” What might have been a side project for a few pals is now a renegade quarterly wine box ($220 for six bottles, at least one from B.C.) of otherwise unavailable sips, curated by a rotating cast of Resident Vikings (translation: some of Vancouver’s top restaurant and wine pros). For instance, the summer box will be picked by Bar Corso’s Michelle Kanis. Wine tasting notes and write-ups, plus an exclusive video link to a guided tasting, round out the box. It’s as close to a restaurant somm experience as some of us have gotten in the past year. “I wanted to create a wine club I wanted to join, and make wine a little bit more approachable. And we wanted to be loud with our brand,” Droski says of his quirky had-one-too-many Viking mascot and packaging. “It’s for the next generation of wine drinkers.” Watch for a wineschool program (three-bottle packs of grape varietals from global regions, with video instruction), Best of B.C. annual boxes, a cellar club for deep wine dives and more. Droski partnered with the Joseph Richards Group on logistics for Wine Vikings for a good reason: JRG already had expertise through its LIQR.ca e-commerce platform

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We want to give people cool new wine, in a cool box, to try every month.

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Adventurous consumers enjoy the brave selections of Wine Vikings, a quarterly subscription service curated by celebrated local somms and created by Dax Droski of Parade Agency. Photo courtesy of Wine Vikings

and a wine club (liqr.ca/wineclub) of its own. That was enough to entice wine wunderkind Rob Carras to work there. “The experience with wine clubs I’d had in the past was that they were not what I thought they could be. I thought the opportunity was to make it like Dollar Shave Club or any monthly subscription service—why not do that with wine?” From his time working in wine retail, Carras knew we all fall into the trap of buying our same favourite bottles time after time. “We want to give people cool new wine, in a cool box, to try every month.” Currently, the LIQR.ca Wine Club delivers from West Vancouver to Chilliwack. (The group even hired some of its furloughed hospitality workers as drivers.) Since last August, delighted subscribers have been unboxing on social media and sipping along with tasting notes and even recipe and food pairings from JRG chefs. At just $50 for three bottles, the monthly Explorer box is an unbeatable deal—along with a B.C. wine, recent boxes have included quality Argentina, Chile and Spain bottlings, often tasting along a theme. Next-level The Collector subscriptions ($100 for three bottles) always include one wine rated at or above 92 points (“to build trust and credibility,” Carras says), plus international hidden gems and uber-cool B.C. bottlings like a recent Lightning Rock Chardonnay. Of the B.C. wine subscription boomlet, Carras says the time was right. “It’s just the way everything is going right now. Meal prep is delivered to your door. Amazon and groceries and whoever else are always delivering to your house. Why not wine?” We can’t name a single reason.

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M O R E O U T S I D E T H E B OX C H O I C E S PASTA WINE Tap Restaurant in South Surrvey has a club to satisfy thirsts and hungers. Top somm Alistair Veen curates the Lasagne Club, providing tasting notes that come with six bottles of wine (three red, three white) and a delicious pan of lasagne for $250 a month (or $275 for two pans of lasagne). lasagneclub.ca NATURALLY CRUSHABLE Okanagan-based natural-wine whiz Laura Milnes (silkandcoupe.com) created Crushable Club, monthly boxes of the “sexiest boutique wine from the hottest Canadian cellar wizards you should have known about two years ago.” Sign up and you’ll get monthly offers with no obligation to buy. crushable.club PROXY SUBSCRIPTION Cool Toronto company Acid League ships monthly boxes ($60 to $70) of three non-alcoholic “wine proxies,” complex blends of juices, teas, spices bitters and ferments that don’t imitate dealcoholized wine. Instead they strive to pair with food by providing some of the texture, acidity, tannins and spice of wine. acidleague.com

Join us for one of our tasting experiences.

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Cool climate wines, expertly crafted.

www.beaufortwines.ca i: @beaufortwines fb: @beaufortwinery tel: 250.338.1357 5854 Pickering Road, Courtenay VANCOUVER ISLAND

s Canadian Wine of the Year 2020

“

an outstanding red with great elegance and intensity” Beth Willard

OUTSTANDING

POINTS

4 0 0 S M Y T H E D R I V E , P E N T I C TO N B C 250 493 6809 PA I N T E D RO C K .C A

Terravista Vineyards

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A TA S T E O F S PA I N O N T H E N A R A M ATA B E N C H

Owners of Terravista Vineyards since 2019, Dallas and Eric Thor are guided by their love of the land and the Spanish varietals planted on it. Jon Adrian photo

hen Dallas and Eric Thor took over Terravista Vineyards in 2019, they vowed to embrace firmly the spirit of its founders. The Thors had come to know Bob and Senka Tennant and sought their mentorship—part of a plan over time to develop their own Naramata vineyard. They soon discovered their mentors were retiring for good. “We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to learn about and grow these unique varietals on the bench; what a pioneering idea to plant Albariño and Verdejo in our region,” says Eric Thor.

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What a pioneering idea to plant Albariño and Verdejo in our region. 20

Quality, co-operation and love of the land guide all decisions at Terravista’s family-run winery. Historically, much of the grape supply was purchased from outside growers. “Bearing in mind that ‘wine is grown in the vineyard,’” says Eric, “it all starts with winter pruning in February, so it seemed necessary for us to ensure our grapes are grown in line with our holistic and organic philosophies.” The last two years, the Thors have planted an additional 12 acres of their own vineyards on the Naramata Bench; they continue to work with a select few growers for varietals such as Roussanne and Viognier. As a boutique winery, Terravista is thinking big and taking care of people. A new, co-operative vineyard crew will be shared with like-minded neighbouring wineries, creating ongoing employment for locals and bolstering a skilled and passionate viticulture team. “We’re involved with a valley full of amazing people,” say the couple. Production will increase slightly. But the Thors are quick to emphasize that even though Terravista is growing, they don’t plan to get big. “The goal is to maintain

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the status quo—and growing our own fruit is very important,” says Dallas Thor, who adds the ongoing challenge is always: “How can we make our farm more of a system?” In the vineyard, the couple’s philosophy goes well beyond the goal of “growing grapes as sustainably as possible and making good wine.” Whether around issues of reducing pest pressures, increasing airflow between the vines, weed control or other areas, they insist the emphasis will be always on low intervention, driven by an expanding holistic mantra. For instance, this year will see the arrival of Baby Doll and Dorper sheep to manage weeds and restore soils, as well as experiments with fowl to integrate pest management. The Thors have also focused their attention on equipment, switching to electric wherever possible, including an electric-powered ATV, small vineyard tools and an electric tractor, expected later this year. Not only is the ATV carbon neutral, but its lesser weight travels the land more lightly and is easier to negotiate in areas such as the terraces on their recently established En Terre Vineyard. Planning from the ground up has resulted in benefits well beyond the vines. According to the season, a vineyard ground-looped geothermal heat pump now warms or cools facilities at their home block, while solar energy (from one of the Bench’s biggest installations) plays an increasingly important role—including charging EVs. Energy innovation and restorative agriculture are central to this story, but how about another new Spanish varietal as part of Terravista’s legacy? In their quest for a new red they’ve explored the suitability of “lively and dynamic” Spanish varietals, with

Albariño and Verdejo combine in the crisp, lively Fandango. Jon Adrian photo

plans to plant both Mencía and Garnacha. “We like the idea of Mencía’s herbal notes and potential vegetal qualities (which go well with food) plus higher acids that should come from Naramata’s signature diurnal shifts close to the lake,” says Dallas, who draws inspiration from producers such as Bierzo’s Raúl Pérez. Meanwhile the Thors are busy getting ready to welcome this year’s visitors, when their tasting room opens in late May, as well as at an August dinner catered by Joy Road. What’s on the menu? Why, paella, of course!

RECOMMENDED DRINKING Terravista Vineyards Fandango 2019 (Naramata Bench, $29) Blend of 61% Albariño and 39% Verdejo from granitic, glacial soils yields stone fruit and citrus aromas through vibrant acidity, crisp lime and apple. Terravista Vineyards Albariño 2019 (Okanagan Valley, $26) With some fruit (31%) from Oliver, forward orchard and citrus fruits before a juicy palate of lime, grapefruit, mineral and stony notes through a lingering close. Terravista Vineyards boasts one of the largest installations of solar panels on the Naramata Bench. Jon Adrian photo

Terravista Vineyards | 1853 Sutherland Road, Penticton | 778-476-6011 For more information, visit terravistavineyards.com

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In the shadow of the volcano

Mount Boucherie towers above West Kelowna, a landmark drawing wine lovers to one of B.C.’s most dynamic regions. Photo courtesy of Wines of British Columbia

W E S T K E LOW N A I S O N E O F B. C.’ S O L D E S T W I N E R E G I O N S — A N D I T S N E W E S T, T O O Tim Pawsey

ucked away beyond West Kelowna’s bustling shopping centres is a fascinating group of wineries large and small, from pioneering wine families and organic producers to newcomers with big dreams. However, that view from Highway 97 reveals little of the area’s agrarian character past or present. A century ago the only way for everything—from people and cars to horses, peaches and sheep—to reach the west side outpost from Kelowna was by ferry. The fleet of

vessels of varying seaworthiness included the phonetically named MV Pendozi, a tribute to the Oblate father of B.C. wine, Charles Pandosy. Then, in 1958, came the original floating bridge, opened by then-premier W.A.C. Bennett and Princess Margaret. The bridge helped lay the foundation for today’s wine industry. Three years later, in 1961, an orchardist of Irish stock named Richard (Dick) Stewart planted grapes on the volcanic and glacial deposits below Mount Boucherie.

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Crown & Thieves is the latest winery from Jason Parkes (founder of The Hatch), an eccentric, antique-filled “ruin” overlooking Okanagan Lake. Photo courtesy of Crown and Thieves Winery

There his son, Ben Stewart, and his wife, Ruth, would go on to establish Quails’ Gate Winery—among the first in the Okanagan to focus on Pinot Noir. Close by, vineyards planted in 1966 were the humble beginnings (purchased in 1981 by Anthony von Mandl) of what became landmark Mission Hill Family Estate. Others followed, including the Slamkas (Little Straw Vineyards) and, later, the Gidda family, whose extensive plantings in time led to the founding of Mt. Boucherie and Volcanic Hills wineries. Today West Kelowna is home to some 15 wineries, whose vibrant and diverse ethnic backgrounds mirror the valley at large, a snapshot of the new Okanagan. When the pandemic hit, Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery (under new ownership since 2016) was just reopening following a dramatic, extensive rebuild. The new 15,000-square-foot vista-kissed wine experience centre comprises tasting room, restaurant, private event spaces and rooftop patio, as well as luxuriously appointed adjacent guest houses.

Quails’ Gate Winery offers elegant Pinot Noirs and spectacular views from its Old Vines Restaurant. Photo courtesy of Quails’ Gate Winery

The switch to curbside service was seamless, recalls director of winemaking Jeff Hundtermark, who adds that the farm-to-table fare from The Modest Butcher Kitchen & Market has earned a loyal following. Mt. Boucherie’s four tiers now include a Reserve Series, Original Vines (showcasing the oldest home and estate-owned blocks) and the Modest Collection of “fun house-style wines that gives us an avenue to experiment with different grapes and different styles, such as an Okanagan ‘super Tuscan’ with Cab Franc, Merlot and Sangiovese from Black Sage,” says Hundtermark. Others have also taken COVID-19 in stride. Volcanic Hills president Bobby Gidda says having one of the valley’s largest tasting rooms means social distancing isn’t that big a challenge. The winery offers seven separate tasting stations, with dividers as well as plexiglass barriers to protect staff and customers. Blu Saffron Bistro continues to be a draw for locals and visitors alike. Popular too are “Sip & Dip” workshops, where guests learn how to make their own water-marbled silk scarf or art canvas, with complimentary wine tasting. In the bottle, this year sees the introduction of a Gidda Family Reserve Label, with a Pinot Gris-Gewürztraminer-rosé blend, as well as a Merlot and Pinot Noir. If anyone were to claim the title “Laird of Boucherie” it might well be winemaker-musician Jason Parkes, whose first brainchild, The Hatch, was an giddy, irreverent departure from the predictable tasting room norm. Always intended to be first of a series, it was followed by Black Swift Winery and, most recently, Crown & Thieves—quite possibly the most unusual tasting room ever. Housed in a deceptively derelict-looking ruin overlooking the lake, Crown & Thieves aims also to be “more fun, less snobby, but with serious wines,” says Parkes, who used his own antiques, including a 150-year-old confessional, to achieve an aesthetic “intended to recall a different time and age.”

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Frind Estate is B.C.’s only beachfront winery, an ideal place to stop for a snack and sip of winemaker Eric von Krosigk’s wines.. Photo by Jon Adrian for Frind Estate Winery

Downstairs is more 1920s “speakeasy,” while upstairs sports a tongue-in-cheek, distinctly Renaissance feel. Each is happily contrived and deliberately confusing to offer an escape from everyday life, suggests Parkes. A self-proclaimed “little brat,” he loves the increasingly eclectic mix of wineries on Boucherie Road, which he sees eventually growing to compare with the likes of Naramata. Next up? A brewery, and The Hatching Post, a dedicated sparkling wine room. And then, who knows? Parkes makes wine also for Indigenous World, the north valley’s sole First Nations’ winery. Just on the other side of Highway 97, its tasting room—adorned with Indigenous arts—enjoys views looking north up Okanagan Lake.

Making the biggest splash on West Kelowna’s shores, Frind Estate Winery is located on the lakeside spread of former B.C. Premier Bill Bennett (son of W.A.C.). In addition to creating a destination beachfront tasting room, café (with dome dining) and home vineyard, owner Markus Frind (of Plenty of Fish fame) and winemaker Eric von Krosigk have been busy developing significant plantings in the north valley and elsewhere. Just down the way from Frind, further south on Boucherie Road, you’ll find a reminder of those days not long gone by. High and dry in its final resting place at West Kelowna Yacht Club is the MV Pendozi.

A TA S T E O F W E S T K E LO W N A

Quails’ Gate Pinot Noir 2019 (Okanagan Valley VQA, $29.99) Forward cherry, cocoa and raspberry, savoury blackberry, leather wrapped in silky tannins.

Volcanic Hills Pinot Gris 2019 (Okanagan Valley VQA, $20.50) Light bodied, apple, pear and citrus, orchard fruits through a zesty end.

Mission Hill Reserve Riesling 2018 (Okanagan Valley VQA, $21.99) Vibrant acidity and freshness, crisp pear, green apple, lime and stony minerality.

Crown & Thieves The Dimber Damber 2017 (Okanagan Valley VQA, $69.68) Cab Franc, Merlot and Cab Sauv. Dark red berries, leather, anise and plum.

Mt. Boucherie Original Vines PTG (Okanagan Valley VQA, $29.99) Black, red fruits, spice, tobacco, earthy and mineral undertones.

Frind Estate Winery Sparkling Brut (Okanagan Valley VQA, $24.99) Riesling-Chardonnay blend, fine bubbles, bright citrus, stone fruit through a crisp, fresh palate.

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The real dirt W E D I G D E E P I N T O B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A’ S T E R R O I R TO DISCOVER HOW OUR UNIQUE SOILS AFFECT OUR WINE

The unique vineyard soils at wineries like Larch Hills in the Shuswap contribute to the distinctive flavours of B.C. wine. Photo courtesy of Wines of British Columbia

t’s fashionable these days for winemakers to tell you that their wine is made in the vineyard, not the cellar, and for winery owners to call themselves farmers, not just proprietors. Wine is, of course, more complicated than that. But the truth is that while you can use technical know-how to wrest drinkable wine from mediocre grapes, you can never make great wine from them. And you can’t have great grapes without great terroir. Terroir is that combination of climate, terrain and soil that makes a wine taste distinctly of its place. Riesling from the steep, cool slopes of the Mosel is as unique to that region as the Grenache from the hot, rocky southern Rhône is to, say, Gigondas or Châteauneuf. Great terroir, please note, is often not great farmland; often what wine loves best is terroir that makes it struggle. Here in B.C. we have some of the most varied terroir on the planet. In the Okanagan Valley alone we have cool lake country and hot desert, steep mountain slopes and flat valley floor. Most of all, we have a whole lot of really interesting dirt. Rocky dirt. Sandy dirt. Dirt that used to be sea beds and dirt that used to be volcanoes. All of that gneiss-granite-basalt-sand-clay-limestone-what-have-you affects how wine is grown and how it tastes. Over the next few pages, we’ll dig into the real dirt of B.C. wine.

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From farm to glass, Lightning Rock Winery crafts small batches of electric, living wine in Summerland, BC.

TASTING ROOM OPEN DAILY 11AM-4PM Reservations: 250-800-0175 / lightningrockwinery.com 6611 Giants Head Rd., Summerland

“We’re from this valley. We grew up here, we know it, we love it, we are a product of it and we feel responsible to it.” —Don and Michael Bartier

TASTING ROOM OPEN DAILY FROM 11AM-5PM

Reservations recommended • Seated tasting and tour options available 4821 Ryegrass Road, Oliver • 250-487-9667 • bartierbros.com

Glaciers! Volcanoes! Ocean beds! B . C . W I N E C O U N T R Y H A S S O M E O F T H E M O S T VA R I E D S O I L O N T H E P L A N E T. H E R E ’ S W H A T Y O U W I L L F I N D A N D W H E R E Rhys Pender MW

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t may seem strange to the casual observer how a fascination with wine very quickly turns into an enthrallment with dirt. Knowing heads nod slowly when they taste the tickle of electric acidity that has been thrust into the DNA of a steely Chablis or the dusty, fine-grained iron red tannins that coat the mouth from a Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasters thrive to make this link to the very dirt in which a vine grows, a link that somehow makes a wine complete by tracing it back to where it comes from. Scientists, however, are not so enthusiastic. Without an established proven link between the makeup of a soil and the flavours in the wine, they take on the mentality that if it can’t be proven, then it doesn’t exist. So, is our allure with the complexities of some mud and sand misplaced? Skilled blind tasters around the world who can correctly pinpoint a wine’s whereabouts from sensations

that seem to be driven by differences in soil aren’t giving up. They now have studies backing them up, too, showing that tasters can detect things like minerality in wine. Science just hasn’t figured out how it links with soil yet. Here in B.C., we are increasingly fascinated with exploring the link between our diverse soils and tastes in the wine. It is now more common to find a winemaker neck deep in a soil pit rather than playing around with shiny tools in their cellar. We are starting to think more about the dirt, what it gives to the wine and even developing sub-GIs (Geographical Indications) to capture unique bits of terroir. B.C. is also not some wasteland New World region of monotonous terrain, but enjoys an incredibly complex mixture of soils pushed by glaciers, raised from the ocean floor, deposited by meltwaters gushed from retreating

C O W I C H A N VA L L E Y Lake SUB-GI Cowichan

Cache Creek

Chase Kamloops

Duncan

THOMPSON VA L L E Y G I

C O W I C H A N VA L L E Y S U B - G I

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Retreating glaciers and the uplifting of the ocean floor of up to 100 metres above sea level left behind marine sediments, glaciofluvial sediments and glacial till.

Limestone-rich benches give steely minerality to the wines produced around Kamloops.

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glaciers, spewed from ancient volcanoes and dumped by water and gravity. There is a lot to explore and we are starting to identify some pockets with consistent personalities across the province. B.C.’s wine regions are gifted with some pretty diverse and interesting terrain, landforms and soils. Next time you are raising a glass of B.C. wine, look into where it came from and start thinking about the dirt.

O K A N AGA N VA L L E Y G I Kelowna West Kelowna

W E S T E R N O K A N AGA N VA L L E Y Glaciers eroded 50-milion-year-old volcanos along the west side of the Okanagan Valley, producing soils enriched in basalt rocks. N A R A M ATA B E N C H G I Silty soils that were former lake bottom and exposed gravel and bedrock at higher elevations. O K A N AGA N FA L L S G I Kettles formed when huge blocks of ice fell off a glacier and later melted, leaving kettle holes behind and a jumbled array of ridges and mounds.

Penticton

B L AC K S AG E G R AV E L B A R Calcium carbonate seams giving stony minerality. GOLDEN MILE BENCH GI Coarse textured sand and gravel fans all formed from Mount Kobau.

Oliver

Princeton

Keremeos

SIMILKAMEEN VA L L E Y G I

Cawston

Osoyoos

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Alluvial fans, high levels of calcium carbonate and a wisp of volcanic ash at depth contribute to wet stone mineral notes and crisp acidity.

Deep sandy soils deposited from the collapse of an ice dam about 10 million years ago.

Scott Smith A C O N V E R S AT I O N A B O U T S U B - G I S W I T H B. C.’ S TO P S O I L S C I E N T I S T

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Rhys Pender MW

me with a concept for a sub-GI,” says Smith. “I then take iming can be everything and it seems fortuitous that that concept and try to find natural landscape features Scott Smith retired from his role as a soil scientist with (escarpments, watersheds, geological changes, slope the Summerland Research and Development Centre angles) to place a boundary that fits that concept.” This in 2017, so he could then start mapping out the vinous all sounds pretty simple, but Smith has to work with few landscapes of the province. guidelines. “It’s based on science and the challenge of Following his work on the boundaries of the Goldplacing meaningful, defensible boundaries. It doesn’t en Mile Bench, B.C.’s first sub-GI (Geographical Indicaalways work out exactly as the proponent group had tion) within the Okanagan Valley, and with the recently planned, but close.” published report from the BC Wine ApBasing sub-GIs on science, versus mupellation Task Group championing the nicipal or district boundaries, is importdevelopment of sub-regions, it was perfect ant if these regions are to have any lontiming for Smith to get out from behind gevity and actually start to tell their story his desk and get his boots dirty again. “I’ve by making distinctive wines unique to the been mapping soils and ecosystems for place. over 40 years, so this kind of work is a good Take Summerland as an example. fit for me,” he says. “There are vineyards on the lakeshore at Smith has been a busy man since 340 metres elevation and others at 650 grinding out that first sub-GI. He has now metres and a multitude of different soil helped to define the four new wine retypes, slope aspects and local climates,” gions of Lillooet GI, Thompson Valley GI, Scott Smith. Supplied photo says Smith. In the end, more than one subShuswap GI and Kootenays GI as well as GI will need to be created and still some the Okanagan sub-GIs of Okanagan Falls wineries traditionally associated with the municipality GI, Naramata Bench GI and Skaha Bench GI and the Vanare going to be left out. couver Island sub-GI of Cowichan Valley. Many more subWhat is the point? The goal of sub-GIs is that over GIs are in the works, too, with Smith diligently drawing time certain grapes or styles will shine within the region. lines in the dirt to capture the unique characteristics of They will build an enviable reputation for distinctive sub-regions in Kelowna, Lake Country, Summerland and wines, vineyards will be replanted to these more sucthe south Okanagan. cessful varieties and the reputation for quality will soar. So how does a sub-GI get identified? “It’s industry “There is an argument for larger, inclusive regions, but driven. A group of wineries and vineyard owners come to

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There is an argument for larger, inclusive regions, but I think the smaller, more refined, landform-specific sub-GI units are more relevant to viticulture. 30

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It’s all about how the land surface and landscape position interact with the regional climate.

Getty Images photo

A D OZ E N WO R L D R E G I O N S, A D OZEN (OR MORE) SOIL TYPES Here are some of the distinctive soils of the world’s most famous wine regions. Bordeaux, France (Right Bank): Sedimentary, high-acid, rock-based clay. Bordeaux, France (Left Bank): Siliceous gravel soil that forces vines to dig deep for nutrients. Burgundy, France (especially Chablis): Kimmeridgian soil, a type of fossil-rich limestone, also found in the Loire Valley and Champagne. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France: Limestone, red-sandstone clay, sand and, most famously, the large, heat-seeking rolled pebbles known as galets roulés (see image above). Coonawarra, Australia: Terra rossa, aka “red earth,” a rich, red, loamy soil over limestone, considered to produce excellent Cabernet Sauvignon. Loire Valley, France: Silex, a flint-and-sandbased soil formed from clay, limestone and silica; the preponderance of flint is said to create a “gun-flint” aroma in the wines of Pouilly-Fumé. Mosel, Germany: Slate, a platelike, heat-retaining rock formed when shale, clay or siltstone undergoes deep pressure underground.

Soil scientist Scott Smith prepares a field monolith in a B.C. vineyard. This allows him to identify layers of soil in preparation for defining the region’s Geographical Indications. Supplied photo

I think the smaller, more refined, landform-specific subGI units are more relevant to viticulture,” says Smith. Discovering the elusive combination perfectly matching grape, place and style isn’t something that will happen overnight, but Smith is optimistic it is worth it. “It’s all about how the land surface and landscape position interact with the regional climate,” he says. “Hopefully, down the road we will see some units [sub-GIs] performing well for certain varieties, making distinctive wines. This will play out over the next 10 to15 years or longer and only time will tell.”

Napa Valley, California: At least 33 soils (with more than 100 variations) can be found in Napa, ranging from gravelly and loamy to thin and rocky. New Zealand: Greywacke, a sedimentary soil comprising quartz and feldspar, deposited by rivers, also found in Germany and South Africa. Piedmont, Italy: Marl, a type of calcareous claybased soil said to add acidity to wine. Priorat, Spain: Llicorella, a mix of slate and quartz that is porous, well-draining and ideal for growing Syrah, Garnacha and Carignan. Tuscany, Italy: Galestro, a type of mineral-rich schist-based soil.

Block by block I N C R E A S I N G L Y, W I N E G R O W E R S A R E D E F I N I N G THEIR UNIQUE TERROIR D OWN TO THE VERY ROW Joanne Sasvari

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Are there certain expressions of land or nuances of land that would be exciting to explore?

sk a scientist and they’ll most likely tell you there is no evidence that the type of soil a grape grows in can be tasted in the wine it makes. Ask a sommelier and they’ll talk about the notes of limestone and saline in wines grown on ancient sea beds, the minerality of those grown on volcanic soil or the muscular flavours of wines grown on clay. But whether you can taste granite in your glass or not, wine growers know that soil plays a huge role in the flavour of wine. That’s why there has been a growing movement to create not just single-vineyard wines, but wines made from single blocks within those vineyards. Here in B.C., there is the Lucy’s Block Rosé at Quails’ Gate as well as CedarCreek Estate Winery’s single block Platinum Riesling and Pinot Noir. But perhaps no wines demonstrate the way soil affects flavour as dramatically as the single-block wines from Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars. “The family has been farming the vineyards here for 50 years,” says Blue Mountain winemaker Matt Mavety. “That’s a lot of experience with the land. And the vines are getting to the age where it’s a lot more interesting to look at individual blocks.” Around 2014 he got to thinking: “Are there certain expressions of land or nuances of land that would be exciting to explore?” He eventually identified three blocks of Pinot Noir in particular, each only 75 to 150 metres from the other, with vines of similar age (22 to 30 years), but wildly different soil, topography and flavour profiles. Block 23 is a relatively flat area of sandy loam with a northern exposure combined with east-facing slopes that drench the vines, planted in 1994, with morning sun. It goes into the delicate and refined River Flow Pinot Noir.

Blue Mountain winemaker Matt Mavety is defining the vineyard’s terroir row by row, and discovering how it affects Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Chris Stenberg photo

Block 14 “has a bit more vigor than Block 23,” Mavety says. Its soil is rocky gravel and loamy sand, with a bit of clay. Its 30-year-old vines bask in the warmth of the westerly and southern exposure. It goes into the bold, firmly structured, even muscular Gravel Force. Block 9, on the other hand, is known as the “untamed sibling,” and has the most varied topography, ranging

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“

It’s a very pure expression. The more you pull your hand back, the more the special characteristics of the block come through.

Okanagan Falls, where Blue Mountain is located, was carved by glaciers, which have had an impact on the soil composition, too. Photo courtesy of Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars

from steep, wind-swept slopes to sunny flats of sandy loam, much of it with a southwestern exposure. That translates to the complex and savoury notes of the Wild Terrain Pinot Noir. “The topography of the land will create some of the expressions, but most of it comes from the soil,” Mavety says. Now he is excited to see what he can do with single blocks of 30-year-old Chardonnay vines, and plans to release the first two this summer. Block 32 is a gravelly alluvial fan that produces Chardonnay with citrus fruit notes and “a mineral drive through the wine.” Block 17, on the other hand, “is more delicate, more floral,” with notes of peaches and apricots. Neither the Pinot Noir nor the Chardonnay has gone through much manipulation, allowing the terroir to dominate the flavour. “It’s a very pure expression,” Mavety says. “The more you pull your hand back, the more the special characteristics of the block come through. It’s coming through a combination of the soil and topography of the land. It is fascinating to see the differences in the wines.”

T H R E E S I P S , B L O C K BY B LO C K

Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars Gravel Force – Block 14 Pinot Noir 2018 (Okanagan Falls, $54.90) Black cherry, earthy, bold, concentrated, muscular. Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars River Flow – Block 23 Pinot Noir 2018 (Okanagan Falls, $54.90) Sour cherry, hint of smoke, refined, elegant. Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars Wild Terrain – Block 9 Pinot Noir 2018 (Okanagan Falls, $54.90) Raspberry, sage, spice, savoury, dynamic, complex.

D I R T

Iconic Wineries of BC has hired soil science technician Stephanie Vickers to analyze what’s beneath all those vines. Photo courtesy of Iconic Wineries of BC

T H E

R E A L

Frozen in time

A N T H O N Y V O N M A N D L’ S A M B I T I O U S S O I L- M A P P I N G P L A N Joanne Sasvari

alk for more than a few minutes with Anthony von Mandl and you’re sure to hear the word “extraordinary” bandied about. And fair enough. The proprietor of Iconic Wineries of BC is doing some fairly extraordinary things these days. It’s not just that he’s almost done turning all his Okanagan vineyard land, all 1,000 or so acres of it, organic. Or that he managed to nab the first and second 100 point scores ever for a Canadian table wine (the CheckMate Little Pawn Chardonnay 2015 and 2016). Now he’s bent on mapping every millimetre of his vineyards, defining each micro-block so it can be farmed in the most precisely perfect way possible. To that end he’s hired Stephanie Vickers, the only soil science technician to be employed full-time by a winery in Canada. “What she’s doing is extraordinary,” von Mandl says. That’s not all. Curious to learn more about the soil of the Okanagan Valley, not long ago von Mandl and two geologists flew up to the Yukon to follow the trail of the glaciers that carved the valley out some 10,000 years ago. The valley, he points out, is unique among the world’s wine regions in that it was created by both volcanic ac-

tivity and two glacial periods. As the glaciers of the most recent ice age retreated, they created lakes, unearthed volcanic ash, scraped off mountainsides and left all sorts of sand, gravel and other debris in their wake. All of that is still captured in those glaciers up north, literally frozen in time. “We landed on glaciers which are identical to the last glacial age in the Okanagan, so we can see exactly how the soils are formed,” von Mandl says. “We’ve learned so much about what’s above the ground, I thought it was important that we also see what’s below the ground.” See? Extraordinary.

“

We landed on glaciers which are identical to the last glacial age in the Okanagan, so we can see exactly how the soils are formed.

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Opening June 2021

Westcoast Mediterranean inspired cuisine

in a unique lakeside setting.

Stay up to date at districtwinevillage.com @districtwinevillage #explorethevillage 100 Enterprise Way, Oliver, BC

Lunch // Dinner // Brunch // Happy Hour 6664 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby H A R T H O U S E R E S TA U R A N T. C O M

EXPLORE THE SIMILKAMEEN WINE REGION

GETTING HERE

97C 5

1 97

3A Vancouver

SIMILKAMEEN VALLEY

TASTE OUR TERROIR similkameenwine.com

Savour the world, stay at home T H R E E N E W ( I S H ) VA N C O U V E R R E S TA U R A N T S O F F E R A TA S T E O F G L O B A L F L AV O U R S

F O O D

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Joanne Sasvari

Fresh Ocean Wise seafood is one of the stars of the French-inspired fare at Tableau Bar Bistro. Leila Kwok photo

ren’t you hungry for travel? Just imagine sipping an aperitivo in a Mediterranean-sun-soaked piazza while scrolling through your photos. Or wandering through a market fragrant with satay skewers sizzling over charcoal fires. Or savouring a leisurely wine-soaked déjeuner after a morning of flâneuring through historic streets. Sadly, this summer we are likely to be staying close to home, thanks to the pandemic. But we can still explore the world through our local restaurants. Here are three newish Vancouver restaurants with exceptional wine programs, each designed to whisk you away, at least for a few hours.

TABLEAU BAR BISTRO tableaubarbistro.com The French bistro in the Loden Hotel isn’t new, exactly, but it is newly re-opened after a year behind closed doors. Its hiatus saw a subtle renovation to both the décor and the menu, and if you liked this cosy spot before, you’ll love its chic re-incarnation even better. The acclaimed Vancouver design firm Ste. Marie has spruced up the place with an updated colour palette and other improvements, including a botanical-themed reno to the Grand Salon as well as a patio expansion that will

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nearly double its outdoor seating capacity. Meanwhile, executive chef Bobby Milheron (formerly of much-missed West Restaurant) has updated the French-meets-WestCoast menu with clever additions like the steak frites list that sees several different cuts paired with fries—including a giant ribeye for two or a confit duck leg—as well as lashings of Ocean Wise seafood from the raw bar. Breakfast is now available, and there’s a late-night happy hour in addition to the afternoon one, so there are treats to be enjoyed any time of day. That includes the wine and cocktails, which are in the good hands of Wentworth Hospitality beverage director J-S Dupuis and bar manager Nich Box. The wine list hails from France and B.C., with a terrific value-driven Champagne selection at happy hour. (Wentworth Hospitality is also opening the modern café Maxine’s this spring.)

BAAN LAO Baanlao.ca

It’s all about Italian classics—pasta, pizza, mains and wine—at Tutto Restaurant & Bar. Photo courtesy of Tutto Restaurant & Bar

We rarely head to Thai restaurants for the wine. Then again, few Thai restaurants have hired the Best Sommelier of the Americas (2018) to create their wine list. Baan Lao, a new high-end Thai restaurant in Steveston, is that exception. Quebec-based Master Sommelier Pier-Alexis Soulière has pulled together a selection of wines heavy on B.C. and international labels, all designed to complement the complex sweet-sour-salty-spicy cuisine of chef Nutcha Phanthoupheng. This is elevated Thai as we have rarely, if ever, seen in Vancouver, served with elegant theatricality in a beautiful riverside setting. The evening opens with a Thai dancer and then waltzes through an opulent nine-course menu with optional wine or tea pairings. (There is an à la carte menu available at lunch, and a takeout menu in the works.) Dishes burst with bright, fresh flavours, many of them courtesy of the living wall of fresh herbs. Ingredients are organic and, whenever possible, local. Among

the most memorable dishes are the signature sockeye salmon, which comes topped with caviar and gold leaf, and the pad Thai, which is wrapped in a lacy egg cage that is almost too beautiful to eat. (But eat it anyway.) Thailand may be off the itinerary this summer, but Steveston is definitely, and deliciously, within reach.

At Baan Lao in Steveston, Thai cuisine is elevated to a whole new level with elegant service and innovative presentation like the egg-cage-wrapped pad Thai above. Joanne Sasvari photos

TUTTO RESTAURANT & BAR tuttorestaurant.ca Vancouver is in love with Italy right now, and who can blame us? We could all use a little dolce vita after the year we’ve had. Among the city’s cluster of new Italian, Italian-inspired and Italian-fusion restaurants, Tutto Restaurant & Bar stands out for its charming room and even more charming staff. Located in a 1910 heritage building on Homer Street, it has multiple modishly decorated semi-private zones that make the 6,000-square-foot feel at once intimate and elegant. Keeping things running smoothly are a pair of legendary front-of-house pros: operations director Patrick Corsi (of Quattro fame) and GM Andrea Vescovi (formerly of Ancora and Blue Water Cafe). Chef Adam Shaughnessy (ex-Umberto’s) cooks up modern takes on Italian favourites, many based on local ingredients. Among them: a 38-ounce aged tomahawk bistecca Fiorentina, a squid ink spaghetti with fresh seafood and the wild mushroom and truffle pizza. There’s also a great selection of small bites and happy hour choices as well as a deft little cocktail list that combines Italian classics with house-crafted signatures. And, not at all surprisingly, Vescovi has compiled a stellar international wine list to accompany all those tasty nibbles. As the saying goes, there really is “un po’di Tutto”—a little bit of everything—to savour here. It might (almost) make you happy to stay home this summer.

TA B L E AU B A R B I S T R O MUSHROOMS ON T OA S T One of the most popular dishes at Tableau is this rich appetizer by executive chef Bobby Milheron. Serve with a not-too-oaky Chardonnay or savoury Pinot Noir.

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Serves 4 Mushroom cream: 2 Tbsp butter 10 cremini mushrooms, sliced Salt and pepper to taste 2 shallots, sliced 2 garlic cloves, sliced 2 sprigs fresh thyme ½ cup sherry (Harvey’s Bristol Cream) 1 cup chicken stock 2 cups whipping cream In a heavy bottom pot over medium heat melt the butter and slowly roast the cremini mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper while they’re cooking. After several minutes, add the shallots, garlic and thyme. Continue cooking till very soft and lightly caramelized. Deglaze with the sherry and cook till nearly dry, then add the chicken stock and reduce till about ½ cup of liquid remains. Add the whipping cream and reduce by a third. At this point check the sauce for seasoning and add any additional salt or pepper needed. Using a blender or food processor, purée the sauce till smooth and velvety. Use immediately or chill and reserve. (Mushroom cream can be made up to four days in advance.)

Leila Kwok photos

Roasted mushrooms: 10 cremini mushrooms, quartered 1 lb oyster mushrooms, torn into strips ½ lb maitake, hedgehog or chanterelle mushrooms, quartered (can be substituted with cremini) 2 Tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 2 sprigs fresh thyme Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss all the mushrooms together in a bowl with the olive oil, thyme, salt, pepper and thyme. Place in a large baking pan and roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Assembly: 4 slices artisan sourdough bread 12 slices La Sauvagine cheese (can be substituted with gruyère or other easy-to-melt cheese) ¼ cup micro-planed or shaved Parmesan 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves Warm the roasted mushrooms in the mushroom cream and adjust seasoning. Toast or grill the sourdough bread and melt cheese on one side. Spoon the mushrooms and cream evenly over the four slices of bread. Top with shaved Parmesan and thyme.

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Pick up a copy of our sister publications at a distillery or brewery near you. FALL/WINTER 2020

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NARAMATA WINERIES VISIT OR ORDER ONLINE naramatabench.com

@naramatawines

Vancouver Island From the Saanich Peninsula to the Comox Valley, the Island has several pockets of microclimates that are ideal for growing grapes, especially cooler climate varieties such as Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The wineries are mostly smaller, family-owned properties located in seductively beautiful landscapes and surrounded by bountiful farms.

ALBERNI VALLEY Emerald Coast Vineyards Madeline Angevine, Reichensteiner, Gewürztraminer, Siegerrebe, Schönberger, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, white and red blends, rosé, fortified fruit wines emeraldcoastvineyards.ca

COURTENAY/ COMOX 40 Knots Estate Winery Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Siegerrebe, Auxerrois, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Merlot sparkling wine, white and red blends, Bordeaux blends, rosé, orange, 40knotswinery.com

Beaufort Vineyard & Estate Winery Ortega, Petit Milo, Siegerrebe, Schönberger, Marechal Foch, Leon Millot, white and red blends, rosé, vermouth beaufortwines.ca

Coastal Black Estate Winery Fruit wines, honey wines coastalblack.ca

COWICHAN VALLEY Alderlea Vineyards Bacchus, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé alderlea.com

Averill Creek Vineyard Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Merlot, white and red

blends, sparkling wine, rosé averillcreek.ca

Blue Grouse Estate Winery Siegerrebe, Pinot Gris, Ortega, Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Black Muscat, Gamay Noir, sparkling wine, white and red blends, rosé bluegrouse.ca

Cherry Point Estate Wines

Glenterra Vineyards Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, orange glenterravineyards.com

Rocky Creek Winery Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Cabernet Foch, sparkling wine, white and red blends, rosé, fruit wine rockycreekwinery.ca

Unsworth Vineyards

Ortega, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Siegerrebe, Agria, Zweigelt, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Libre, sparkling wine, red blends, rosé, dessert wine cherrypointestatewines.com

Damali Lavender & Winery Pinot Gris, white and red blends, fruit wines, damali.ca

Deol Estate Winery

Divino Estate Winery Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Muscat, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé divinowine.ca

Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Marechal Foch, Caberet Foch, rosé, sparkling wine emandarevineyard.com

Enrico Winery Ortega, Pinot Gris, Petit Milo, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Foch, Cabernet Libre, red blends, sparkling wine, rosé enricowinery.com

Ortega, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Marechal Foch, rosé, vermouth, spirits devinevineyards.ca

Ortega, Schönberger, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, rosé deepcovewinery.ca

Venturi-Schulze Vineyards

Invinity Sparkling Wine House

Madeleine Sylvaner, Ortega, Pinot Noir, white blends, sparkling wine, dessert wine venturischulze.com

Sparkling wine invinity.ca

Pinot Gris, Ortega, Pinot Noir, Moscato, sparkling wine, rosé, white blends zanatta.ca

NANAIMO Chateau Wolff Estates

Emandare Vineyard and Winery

De Vine Vineyards & Spirits

Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Marechal Foch, sparkling wine, white and red blends, rosé, dessert wine unsworthvineyards.com

Zanatta Winery

Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, rosé deolestatewinery.com

Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Syrah,Merlot, rosé, white and red blends, Bordeaux blends, sparkling wine churchandstatewines.com

Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, white blends, rosé, fortified wine chateauwolff.com

Millstone Estate Winery Ortega, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Syrah, Cabernet Franc millstonewinery.ca

SAANICH PENINSULA Church & State Wines (Saanich) Chardonnay, Marsanne, Rousanne, Sauvignon

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Deep Cove Winery

Rathjen Cellars Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, rosé, white and red blends, sparkling wine, fortified wine rathjencellars.com

Symphony Vineyard Ortega, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Léon Millot, Marechal Foch, Pinot Noir, rosé, white blends symphonyvineyard.com

The Roost Farm Centre & Highland House Farm Winery Siegerrebe, sparkling wine, red blends, rosé, fruit wines roostfarmcentre.com

Gulf Islands The Gulf Islands dot the Strait of Georgia that separates Vancouver Island from the Mainland. Salt Spring, Pender, Saturna, Quadra, Hornby, Denman and Thetis islands boast a laidback lifestyle and an oceanic climate ideal for the increasing number of wineries producing cool-climate wines.

DENMAN ISLAND Corlan Vineyard & Farm Ortega, Siegerrebe, Marechal Foch, fruit wines corlanvineyard.wordpress. com

HORNBY ISLAND Hornby Island Estate Winery Fruit wines hornbywine.com

Isla de Lerena Vineyard Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, Bordeaux blends, sparkling wine, fruit wine lerenavineyards.com

PENDER ISLAND Sea Star Estate Farm and Vineyards Ortega, Pinot Gris, Siegerrebe, Pinot Noir, Marechal Foch, white and red blends, dessert wine seastarvineyards.ca

QUADRA ISLAND SouthEnd Farm Winery Siegerrebe, Petit Milo, Cabernet Franc, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine southend.ca

SALT SPRING ISLAND Garry Oaks Estate Winery

Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, white and red blends, rosé garryoakswinery.com

Kutatás Wines Pinot Gris, Ortega, Pinot Noir, white blends, sparkling wine kutataswines.com

Salt Spring Vineyards & Winery Ortega, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, fruit wines saltspringvineyards.com

Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer,

Fraser Valley It comes as something of a surprise to many people to learn that there are more than two dozen wineries right on the doorstep of B.C.’s biggest city—including one right in Greater Vancouver itself. Wineries in Surrey, Richmond, New Westminster, Delta, Langley, Aldergrove and Abbotsford produce wine from everything from rice to berries to vitis vinifera. Most are small, family-owned properties and several offer additional attractions such as farm tours or bistros.

ABBOTSFORD Blackwood Lane Vineyards & Winery Riesling, Siegerrebe, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blends, red blends, rosé, fortified wine blackwoodlanewinery.com

Maan Farms Estate Winery Siegerrebe, rosé, white and red blends, fruit wines maanfarms.com

Mt. Lehman Winery Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, white blends, sparkling wine mtlehmanwinery.ca

Ripples Winery Pinot Gris, red blends, fruit wines, fortified wines, dessert wines, sparkling wines rippleswinery.com

Seaside Pearl Farmgate Winery Petite Milo, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Foch, Pinot Noir, red blends, rosé, sparkling wine seasidepearlwinery.ca

Singletree Winery (Abbotsford) Pinot Gris, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Siegerrebe, Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot,

Pinot Noir, red blends, sparkling wine, dessert wine singletreewinery.com

CHILLIWACK Whispering Horse Winery L’Acadie Blanc, Epicure, sparkling wine whisperinghorsewinery.com

DELTA Angel Estate Winery Fruit wines angelestatewinery.com

LANGLEY/ ALDERGROVE Backyard Vineyards

Viognier, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, rosé, white and red blends, sparkling wine, fortified wine backyardvineyards.ca

Caven Cellars Pinot Noir, rosé cavencellars.com

Chaberton Estate Winery Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc,Bacchus, Madeleine Sylvaner, Siegerrebe,Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Syrah, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, Bordeaux blends, white and red blends, rosé, dessert wine chabertonwinery.com

Moscato, Pinot Gris,

Glass House Estate Winery Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Bacchus, Madeleine Angevine, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Bordeaux blends, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine glasshouseestatewinery.com

Krause Berry Farms & Estate Winery Fruit wines, sparkling wine, dessert wines krauseberryfarms.com

The Fort Langley Wine Co. Fruit wines thefortwineco.com

Township 7 Vineyards & Winery (Langley) Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blends, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine township7.com

Vigneti Marchetto Pinot Noir, white and red blends vignetimarchetto.com

Vista D’oro Farms & Winery Siegerrebe, Schönburger, red blends, rosé, fortified wines, fortified walnut wine vistadoro.com

NEW WESTMINSTER Pacific Breeze Winery Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, white blends, rosé, dessert wine pacificbreezewinery.com

PITT MEADOWS

SURREY

Blue Heron Fruit Winery

1st R.O.W. Estate Winery

Fruit wines, dessert wines blueheronwinery.ca

Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, red blends, rosé, dessert wine 1row.ca

RICHMOND Isabella Winery Riesling, Merlot, red blends, rosé, fruit wines, dessert wines, icewine isabellawinery.com

Lulu Island Winery Viognier, Muscat, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux blends, white and red blends, fruit wines, dessert wines luluislandwinery.com

Richmond Country Vines

NORTH VANCOUVER Garden of Granite Winery Kerner, Viognier, Gamay, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine gardenofgranitewinery.com

Vinoscenti Vineyards Ehrenfelser. Kerner, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah vinoscentivineyards.ca

VANCOUVER Vancouver Urban Winery Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, rosé, white blends, sparkling wine vancouverurbanwinery.com

Pinot Gris, Schönburger, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, orange wine, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine countryfarms.ca/ country-vines-winery

Okanagan When most people think B.C. wine, they think of the Okanagan Valley, which produces 84 per cent of the province’s wine. This is one of the most varied wine regions in the world, stretching from cool-climate Lake Country in the north to the blistering-hot desert around Osoyoos in the south. Everything from ice wine to big, tannic, fruit-driven reds is produced at wineries that range from small family-run boutique vineyards to big global players, many of them featuring fine restaurants, guesthouses and cultural experiences.

GOLDEN MILE BENCH C.C. Jentsch Cellars Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Merlot, Bordeaux blends, white blends, rosé ccjentschcellars.com

CheckMate Artisanal Winery Chardonnay, Merlot checkmatewinery.com

Culmina Family Estate Winery

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery

Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Bordeaux blends, rosé culmina.ca

Auxerrois, Sauvignon Blanc, Ehrenfelser, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, dessert wine, icewine gehringerwines.ca

Fairview Cellars Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, white and red blends fairviewcellars.ca

Hester Creek Estate Winery Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Trebbiano, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Bordeaux blends, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling

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wine, dessert wine hestercreek.com

Road 13 Vineyards Rousanne, Chardonnay, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay Noir, Syrah, white and red blends, sparkling wine road13vineyards.com

Rust Wine Co. Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, red blends, rosé rustwine.com

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé tinhorn.com

KALEDEN Birch Block Vineyard Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, rosé birchblockvineyard.com

Black Market Wine Co.

Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Bordeaux blends, red blends, icewine cedarcreek.bc.ca

Pinot Noir, Merlot, rosé scorchedearthwinery.ca

Gamay Noir, rosé, white blends, sparkling winet frequencywinery.ca

SpearHead Winery

Arrowleaf Cellars

Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, rosé spearheadwinery.com

Vidal, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine arrowleafcellars.com

House of Rose Winery Marechal Foch, white and red blends, rosé, dessert wines, icewine houseofrose.ca

Farm Gate Winery

Martin's Lane Winery

Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé, fortified wine krazelegz.com

KELOWNA Ancient Hill Estate Winery Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Lemberger, Pinot Noir, Baco Noir, rosé ancienthillwinery.com

Burnt Timber Winery Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, red blends burnttimberwinery.com

Camelot Vineyards Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux blends, white blends, rosé camelotvineyards.ca

CedarCreek Estate Winery Ehrenfelser, Viognier, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer,

50th Parallel Estate

Frequency Wine & Sound

Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, white blends, rosé, sparkling wine kitschwines.ca

Skaha Vineyard at Kraze Legz Winery

LAKE COUNTRY Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, rosé, sparkling wine 50thparallel.com

Pinot Blanc, Sémillon, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé blackmarketwine.ca

Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Ehrenfelser, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zweigelt, red blends, rosé, fruit wines farmgatewinery.com

Franc, Sangiovese, Malbec, Barbera, red blends, rosé sandhillwines.ca

Kitsch Wines

Riesling, Pinot Noir martinslanewinery.com

Meadow Vista Honey Wines Fruit wines, honey wines meadowvista.ca

Mirabel Vineyards Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, rosé, sparkling wine mirabelvineyards.com

Nagging Doubt Winery Chardonnay, Siegerrebe, Pinot Noir, Merlot, white and red blends, naggingdoubt.com

Priest Creek Family Estate Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Merlot, red blends, sparkling wine priestcreekwinery.com

Ricco Bambino Urban Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Nebbiolo, Grenache, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, rosé, white blends, sparkling wine riccobambino.com

Sandhill Wines Sovereign Opal, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet

Scorched Earth Winery

Sperling Vineyards Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Marechal Foch, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, orange, sparkling wine sperlingvineyards.com

St. Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery Riesling, Chasselas, Gewürztraminer, Schönburger, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, Marechal Foch, white and red blends, rosé st-hubertus.bc.ca

Summerhill Pyramid Winery Ehrenfelser, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Grüner Veltliner, Viognier, Marechal Foch, Cabernet Franc, Baco Noir, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blends, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, icewine summerhill.bc.ca

Tantalus Vineyards Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, rosé, sparkling wine tantalus.ca

The Vibrant Vine Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Gamay Noir, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, icewine thevibrantvine.com

The View Winery Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Ehrenfelser, Pinotage, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine theviewwinery.com

Blind Tiger Vineyards Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé, icewine blindtigervineyards.ca

Ex Nihilo Vineyards Okanagan Valley Pinot Gris, Riesling, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, icewine exnihilovineyards.com

Gray Monk Estate Winery Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Ehrenfelser, Kerner, Pinot Auxerrois, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Siegerrebe, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Bordeaux blends, white and red blends, sparkling wine, fortified wine graymonk.com

Intrigue Wines Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine intriguewines.ca

O’Rourke Family Estates Chardonnay, Pinot Noir orourkespeakcellars.com

O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars Chardonnay, Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, white blends, rosé orourkespeakcellars.com

NARAMATA BENCH 1 Mill Road Vineyard Pinot Noir 1millroad.ca

Bella Wines Sparkling wine bellawines.ca

Bench 1775 Winery Pinot Gris, Viognier, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Zweigelt, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo, Teroldego, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, icewine bench1775.com

Black Widow Winery Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Schönburger, Merlot, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine blackwidowwinery.com

D’Angelo Estate Winery Viognier, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, red blends, rosé, fortified wine, dessert wine dangelowinery.com

Da Silva Vineyards & Winery Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Fumé Blanc, Muscat, Riesling, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot, white and red blends dasilvavineyards.com

Daydreamer Wines Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Syrah, red blends, rosé, sparkling wine daydreamerwines.ca

Deep Roots Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gamay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Malbec, white and red blends, fortified wine deeprootswinery.com

Elephant Island Winery

Lake Breeze Vineyards

Viognier, Chardonnay, Merlot, red blends, sparkling wine, fruit wines elephantislandwine.com

Four Shadows Vineyard & Winery Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Pinot Noir, rosé fourshadowsvineyard.com

Rousanne, Chardonnay, Ehrenfelser, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Noir, Pinotage, Syrah, Merlot, Bordeaux blends, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, fortified wine lakebreeze.ca

Lang Vineyards

Foxtrot Vineyards Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, rosé foxtrotwine.com

Hillside Winery & Bistro Pinot Gris, Muscat Ottonel, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay Noir, Syrah, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, red blends, rosé, fortified wine hillsidewinery.ca

Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Riesling, Ehrenfelser, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Viognier, Marechal Foch, Syrah, Piot Noir, Cabernet Franc, orange, white blends, rosé, sparkling wine, fortified wine, dessert wine langvineyards.ca

Laughing Stock Vineyards Pinot Gris, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, white and red blends laughingstock.ca

Lock & Worth Winery

Howling Bluff Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine howlingbluff.ca

JoieFarm Riesling, Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Gamay, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine joiefarm.com

Kettle Valley Winery Chardonnay, Viognier, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel, white and red blends kettlevalleywinery.com

La Frenz Winery Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Sémillon, Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, fortified wines lafrenzwinery.com

Semillon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, white blends, rosé lockandworth.com

Marichel Vineyard and Winery Viognier, Syrah, rosé marichel.ca

MOCOJO Wines Viognier, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Malbec, Merlot, rosé mocojowines.com

Monster Vineyards Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine monstervineyards.ca

Moraine Estate Winery Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Viognier, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé morainewinery.com

Nichol Vineyard Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, sparkling

ISSUE 07

wine nicholvineyard.com

Origin Wines Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux blends, rosé originwines.ca

Poplar Grove Winery Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine poplargrove.ca

Red Rooster Winery Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, red blends, Bordeaux blends, rosé, sparkling wine, icewine redroosterwinery.com

Roche Wines Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Schönberger, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux blends, red blends, rosé rterroir.ca

Ruby Blues Winery Riesling, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine rubyblueswinery.ca

Serendipity Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Merlot, red blends, rosé, sparkling wine serendipitywinery.com

Singletree Winery (Naramata) Pinot Gris, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Siegerrebe, Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, red blends, sparkling wine, dessert wine singletreewinery.com

Terravista Vineyards Albariño, Verdejo, Viognier, Syrah, white blends terravistavineyards.com

Therapy Vineyards & Guest House Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine therapyvineyards.com

Three Sisters Winery Riesling, Chardonnay, Tempranillo, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine 3sisterswinery.com

Tightrope Winery Pinot Gris, Viognier, Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé tightropewinery.ca

Township 7 Vineyards & Winery (Naramata) Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blends, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine township7.com

Upper Bench Estate Winery Viognier, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Zweigelt, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, white and red blends, rosé upperbench.ca

Van Westen Vineyards Pinot Gris, Viognier, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Bordeaux blends, white and red blendse vanwestenvineyards.com

Wesbert Winery Merlot, white and red blends, rosé wesbertwinery.com

OKANAGAN FALLS BC Wine Studio Grüner Veltliner, Viognier,

Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Malbec, Syrah, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine bcwinestudio.ca

Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, sparkling wine bluemountainwinery.com

Bonamici Cellars Pinot Gris, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé bonamicicellars.com

Echo Bay Vineyard Moscato Giallo, Cabernet Franc, red blends echobayvineyard.ca

Liquidity Wines Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Viognier, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, red blends, rosé, sparkling wine liquiditywines.com

Mayhem Wines Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Cabernet Franc, red blends, rosé, fortified wine mayhemwines.com

Meyer Family Vineyards Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, rosé, sparkling wine mfvwines.com

Montakarn Winery Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé montakarn.ca

Nighthawk Vineyards Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, dessert winey nighthawkvineyards.com

Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, white and red

blends, sparkling wine, fortified wine nobleridge.com

Rigour & Whimsy Pinot Blanc, Gamay Noir, white blends, orange, sparkling wine rigourandwhimsy.ca

See Ya Later Ranch Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, icewine sylranch.com

Stag's Hollow Winery & Vineyard Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Vidal, Tempranillo, Pinot Noir, Dolcetto, Syrah, Teroldego, Merlot, red blends, rosé, orange, sparkling, dessert wine, icewine stagshollowwinery.com

Synchromesh Wines Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, red blends synchromeshwines.ca

Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé, fortified wine wildgoosewinery.com

OLIVER Bartier Bros. Winery Chardonnay, Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Semillon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, orange, rosé, red blends bartierbros.com

Black Hills Estate Winery Chardonnay, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé blackhillswinery.com

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir,

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, red blends burrowingowlwine.ca

Cassini Cellars Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, dessert wine cassini.ca

Castoro de Oro Estate Winery Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé castorodeoro.com

Church & State Wines (Okanagan) Chardonnay, Marsanne, Rousanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Syrah,Merlot, rosé, white and red blends, Bordeaux blends, sparkling wine churchandstatewines.com

Covert Farms Family Estate Pinot Blanc, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling winet covertfarms.ca

Desert Hills Estate Winery Chardonnay, Viognier, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Gamay Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot, orange, white and red blends, sparkling wine, fortified wine deserthills.ca

French Door Estate Winery Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Marsanne, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, red blends, orange, rosé frenchdoorwinery.com

Gold Hill Winery Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, white and red blends, rosé goldhillwinery.com

Here’s the Thing Vineyards

Maverick Estate Winery

Viognier, Rousanne, Orange Muscat, Gamay Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, red blends, rosé heresthethingvineyards.com

Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, fortified wine maverickwine.ca

Hidden Chapel Winery Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec, white and red blends, rosé hiddenchapelwinery.com

Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chenin Blanc, Fumé Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, sparkling wine, icewine inniskillin.com

Intersection Estate Winery Viognier, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Marsanne, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, white and red blends, rosé, orange xwine.ca

Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Syrah, Merlot, white and red blends, sparkling wine, icewine jacksontriggswinery.com

Kismet Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, dessert wine kismetestatewinery.com

La Casa Bianca Winery Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, red blends, fruit wines lacasabianca.ca

Le Vieux Pin Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, white and red blends,rosé levieuxpin.ca

Okanagan Hills Estate Winery Pinot Gris, white blends ohwinery.com

Pinot Gris, Kerner, Chardonnay, Viognier, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, fortified wine olivertwistwinery.com

Phantom Creek Estate Winery Riesling, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, red blends, rosé phantomcreekestates.com

Pipe’Dreams Vineyard and Estate Winery Grüner Veltliner, Kerner, Merlot, Gamay, Zweigelt, rosé pipedreamswinery.com

Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Bordeaux blends, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine riverstoneestatewinery.ca

Pinot Gris, Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, rosé, sparkling wine scwines.ca

Silver Sage Winery Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, red blends, dessert wine silversagewinery.com

Squeezed Wines Gewürztraminer, Merlot, Syrah, white and red blends squeezedwines.ca

Stoneboat Vineyards

Platinum Bench Estate Winery Pinot Gris, Gamay Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, white and red blends platinumbench.com

Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé quintaferreira.com

Ramification Cellars Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé ramwine.com

Red Horses Vineyard

River Stone Estate Winery

Second Chapter Wine Company

Oliver Twist Estate Winery

Chardonnay, Cabernet

Sauvignon, Merlot, red blends, rosé redhorsesvineyard.ca

Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Pinotage, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine stoneboatvineyards.com

Blue Sky Estate Winery Viognier, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, white and red blends, rosé blueskywinery.ca

Bordertown Vineyards Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Grüner Veltliner, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé bordertownwinery.com

Lakeside Cellars Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé lakesidecellars.com

Lariana Cellars Viognier, Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, red blends larianacellars.com

LaStella Winery Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Moscato, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, red blends, rosé lastella.ca

Moon Curser Vineyards

Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Viognier, Gamay Noir, Merlot, Petit Verdot, white and red blends, rosé vinamitecellars.com

Arneis, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Syrah, Dolcetto, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Tannat, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Bordeaux blends, white and red blends, sparkling wine mooncurser.com

Winemaker’s CUT

Nk'Mip Cellars

vinAmité Cellars

Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé winemakerscut.ca

OSOYOOS Adega On 45th Estate Winer y Viognier, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Malbec, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, white and red blends, rosé, fortified wine adegaon45.com

ISSUE 07

Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, icewine nkmipcellars.com

Osoyoos Larose Estate Winery Bordeaux blend osoyooslarose.com

Sonora Desert Winery Ortega, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot,red blends,

rosé, sparkling wine sonoradesertwinery.ca

Young & Wyse Collection Viognier, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé youngandwysewine.com

PEACHLAND Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards Chardonnay, Ehrenfelser, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, red and white blends, rosé fitzwine.com

Hainle Vineyards Estate Winery Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Syrah, Zweigelt, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, sparkling wine, fortified wine, icewine hainle.com

PENTICTON Evolve Cellars Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Ehrenfelser, Syrah, red blends, rosé, sparkling wine evolvecellars.com

Little Engine Wines Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, white and red blends littleenginewines.com

Play Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, rosé, sparkling wine playwinery.com

TIME Winery Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Viognier, Syrah, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine timewinery.com

SKAHA BENCH Black Dog Cellars White blends, rosé, sparkling wine, icewine blackdogcellars.ca

Blasted Church Vineyards Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, white and red blends, fortified wine blastedchurch.com

Crescent Hill Winery Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, white blends, rosé, sparkling wine crescenthillwinery.com

Painted Rock Estate Winery Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, red blends, rosé paintedrock.ca

Pentâge Winery Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Semillon, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Tempranillo, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, dessert wine pentage.com

SUMMERLAND 8th Generation Vineyard Riesling, Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Noir, red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, dessert wine 8thgeneration.com

Back Door Winery Chardonnay, Muscat, Viognier, Ehrenfelser, Oraniensteiner, Merlot, Zweigelt, Pinotage, Petit Verdot, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, dessert wine backdoorwinery.com

Dirty Laundry Vineyard Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine dirtylaundry.ca

Estate Thurn Winery, Craft Distillery & Vinegar Brewery Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, dessert wine bodega1117.com

Giant Head Estate Winery Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, rosé, sparkling wine giantheadwinery.com

Heaven's Gate Estate Winery Viognier, Gewürztraminer, Gamay Noir, Marechal Foch, Merlot, Malbec, white and red blends, rosé heavensgatewinery.ca

Lightning Rock Winery Viognier, Pinot Noir, Syrah, rosé, sparkling wine lightningrockwinery.ca

Lunessence Winery & Vineyard Riesling, Merlot, white and red blends, sparkling wine, dessert wine lunessencewinery.com

Okanagan Crush Pad Winery Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Viognier, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, fortified wine okanagancrushpad.com

wine sagehillswine.com

Savard Vines Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Noir, red blends, rosé savardvines.ca

Saxon Estate Winery Pinot Gris, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, dessert wine saxonwinery.com

Silkscarf Winery Viognier, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, white and red blends, rosé silkscarf-winery.com

Sleeping Giant Fruit Winery Fruit wines, dessert wines sleepinggiantfruitwinery.com

Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, white and red blends, rosé sumacridge.com

SummerGate Winery Muscat Ottonel, Kerner, Riesling, white blends, rosé, sparkling wine summergate.ca

Summerland Estate Winery Ehrenfelser, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Pinot Noir, white blends, rosé, fortified wine summerlandestatewinery.com

Thornhaven Estates Winery Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, dessert wine thornhaven.com

Sage Hills Organic Vineyard & Winery Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, white blends, orange, rosé, sparkling wine, fortified

WEST KELOWNA Beaumont Family Estate Organic Winery Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, white blends, rosé, sparkling wine, icewine beaumontwinery.com

Black Swift Vineyards Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Malbec, white and red blends, rosé blackswiftvineyards.com

Ciao Bella Estate Winery Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, rosé, sparkling wine ciaobellawinery.com

Crown and Thieves Pinot Gris, Rousanne, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Malbec, white and red blends crownthieves.com

Frind Estate Winery Chardonnay, Riesling, Viognier, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé frindwinery.com

Grizzli Winery Siegerrebe, Viognier, Riesling, Muscat, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, red blends, icewine, fruit wine grizzliwinery.com

Indigenous World Winery Pinot Gris, Muscat, Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Gamay Noir, Merlot, red blends, rosé, sparkling wine indigenousworldwinery.com

Kalala Organic Estate Winery Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zweigelt, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, icewine kalalawines.ca

Little Straw Vineyards Estate Winery Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Marechal Foch, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine littlestraw.bc.ca

Mission Hill Family Estate Winery Riesling, Viognier,

Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, icewine missionhillwinery.com

Mt. Boucherie Winery Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Semillon, Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, white and red blends, orange, rosé, sparkling wine, icewine mtboucherie.com

Niche Wine Company Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Marechal Foch, Merlot, white blends, sparkling wine nichewinecompany.com

Off The Grid Organic Winery Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Zweigelt, orange, rosé offthegridorganicwinery.com

Quails' Gate Winery Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Marechal Foch, Pinot Noir,

white and red blends, rosé quailsgate.com

Rollingdale Winery Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Marechal Foch, rosé, icewine, fortified wine rollingdale.ca

Tender Hope Winery Rousanne, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, white and red blends, rosé tenderhopewinery.com

The Hatch Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine thehatchwines.com

Volcanic Hills Estate Winery Chardonnay, Ehrenfelser, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Gamay Noir, Syrah, Merlot, white and red blends, sparkling wine, icewine volcanichillswinery.com

Similkameen Known both as Canada’s organic capital and its best-kept-secret wine country, the sun-soaked Similkameen produces everything from fruit-driven reds to bright, flinty whites. Surrounded by rugged mountains that trap the heat and funnel mildew-banishing winds through the vineyards, the valley features a variety of soils including stone, gravel and silty loam from glacial rock formations. Although there are relatively few tasting rooms here, there are many vineyards that grow grapes for wineries in other regions.

CAWSTON Crowsnest Vineyards Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Merlot, white blends, rosé, dessert wines crowsnestvineyards.com

Eau Vivre Winery & Vineyards Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gros, Riesling, Pinot Noir, white blends, rosé eauvivrewinery.ca

Forbidden Fruit Winery

Merlot, red blends, rosé huggingtreewinery.com

Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, white and red blends, rosé, fruit wines forbiddenfruitwine.com

Horseshoe Found Winery

Liber Farm & Winery Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, white and red blends, rosé liberfarm.com

Little Farm Winery

Pinot noir, white blends horseshoefoundwinery.com

Hugging Tree Winery

Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, orange, rosé littlefarmwinery.ca

Viognier, Cabernet Franc, ISSUE 07

Orofino Vineyards Chardonnay, Riesling, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine orofinovineyards.com

Rustic Roots Winery Fruit wines, dessert wines rusticrootswinery.com

Scout Vineyard Riesling, Syrah, rosé scoutvineyard.com

Seven Stones Winery Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, red blends, rosé sevenstones.ca

Vanessa Vineyard Estate Winery Viognier, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, red blends, rosé vanessavineyard.com

KEREMEOS Clos Du Soleil Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Fumé Blanc, white and red blends, rosé closdusoleil.ca

Corcelettes Estate Winery Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, red blends, rosé, sparkling wine corceletteswine.ca

Robin Ridge Winery Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Merlot, red blends, rosé robinridgewinery.com

St. Laszlo Vineyards Estate Winery Pinot Noir, Merlot stlaszlo.com

Other regions

Some of B.C.’s most exciting wines are being produced in regions that are so new, few people have heard of them. But given the awards they’re pulling in, these wineries will become famous soon enough. And who knows where vintners will be planting grapes next?

THOMPSON VALLEY Harper's Trail Estate Winery Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine harperstrail.com

Monte Creek Ranch Winery Chardonnay, Frontenac Gris, Riesling, La Crescent, Cabernet Sauvignon, Marechal Foch, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, sparkling wine, fruit wine montecreekranch.com

Privato Vineyard & Winery Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Merlot, red blends, rosé, sparkling wine privato.ca

Sagewood Winery Pinot Noir, rosé, sparkling wine sagewoodwinery.ca

LILLOOET Cliff and Gorge Vineyards Marechal Foch, Petite Milo, rosé cliffandgorge.com

Fort Berens Estate Winery Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, white and red blends, dessert wine fortberens.ca

SHUSWAP Baccata Ridge Winery Marechal Foch, red blends, fruit wines, honey winest baccataridgewinery.ca

Celista Estate Winery Ortega, Sieferrebe, Marechal Foch, white and red blends, rosé, dessert wines celistawine.com

Edge Of The Earth Vineyards Ortega, Marechal Foch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, white blends, rosé, sparkling wine, dessert wine edgeearth.ca

Larch Hills Winery Ortega, Semillon, Siegerrebe, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Malbec, Merlot, Marechal Foch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Lemberger, red and white blends, rosé, sparkling wine, dessert wine larchhillswinery.com

Marionette Winery Riesling, Zweigelt, Pinot Noir, Merlot, white blends, rosé marionettewinery.com

Ovino Winery Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, dessert wines ovinowinery.com

Recline Ridge Vineyards & Winery Ortega, Bacchus, Siegerrebe, Kerner, Marechal Foch, white and red blends, rosé, dessert wines reclineridgewinery.com

KOOTENAYS Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, white blends, rosé bailliegrohman.com

Columbia Gardens Vineyard & Winery Gewürztraminer, Marechal Foch, Merlot, Pinot Noir, white and red blends, rosé, fortified wine cgwinery.com

Red Bird Estate Winery

Sunnybrae Vineyards & Winery

Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, red blends, rosé redbirdwine.com

Siegerrebe, Ortega, Kerner, Marechal Foch, Pinot Noirr sunnybraewinery.com

Skimmerhorn Winery & Vineyard

Waterside Vineyard & Winery Siegerrebe, Pinot Gris, Ortega, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Marechal Foch, white and red blends, rosé watersidewinery.com

Pinot Gris, Ortega, Gewürztraminer, Marechal Foch, Pinot Noir, red blends, rosé skimmerhorn.ca

Wynnwood Cellars Merlot, white blends wynnwoodcellars.com

PRINCE GEORGE Northern Lights Estate Winery Ltd. Fruit wines northernlightswinery.ca

Saignée PRET TY IN PINK, AND DELICIOUS, TOO Christine Campbell

W I N E

G E E K

osé lovers quiver with excitement when liquor store shelves blossom with pink hues ranging from the delicate blush of ballet slippers to rich, ripe, raspberry red. Spring has sprung, flowers are blooming, and rosé season is launched. Rosé is a joyful wine category gaining momentum and is the perfect wine for sunshine and backyard BBQs. Rosé wine is made by three main methods: maceration, blending and saignée (pronounced son-yay). Maceration, or skin contact, is used when crafting a rosé wine is the primary objective. Skins of black-skinned grapes stay in contact with the juice anywhere from two to 24 hours to achieve the desired colour and flavour profile. Think Provence rosé. Another approach, mostly practised in Champagne, is blending. This is when a small amount (usually five to seven per cent) of red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Meunier, is added to white wine for colour before bottling.

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The colour profile of saignée rosé can reach dark magenta or pale purple hues.

Saignée is the third method. It translates to “bleeding” in French, and can be a contentious topic as some consider this style of rosé merely a byproduct of producing concentrated red wines. Others maintain that these rosés burst with character and depth. In this method, grapes are picked to produce red wine and are put into a tank with skins and juice. After a short amount of time, 10 to 15 per cent of the juice is pumped out or “bled off” to another tank to make rosé wine. The saignée rosé is left to finish fermenting on its own and is sometimes aged in oak barrels. The colour profile of saignée rosé can reach dark magenta or pale purple hues if Syrah or Tempranillo varieties are used. Do explore the colour wheel and don’t be afraid to venture beyond pale pink rosés. The saignée method started to gain popularity in North America, specifically California, during the 1970s. It is also practised in Champagne with excellent results. If you are looking for a rosé with a generous depth of colour and a robust flavour profile that pairs remarkably well with food, consider exploring some delicious saignée rosés.

F I V E S A I G N É E R O S É S T O T RY Culmina Saignée Rosé 2019 (Golden Mile Bench, B.C., $24) Creamy mouthfeel, plum jam, fresh raspberries. Hillside Winery Rosé 2019 (Naramata Bench, B.C., $24) Partial saignée; fresh red cherries, field berries. Podere Ruggeri Corsini “Rosin” Rosato (Langhe, Italy, $25) Lifted acidity, bold nectarine flavours. Champagne Laherte Frères “Les Beaudiers” Extra Brut Rosé de Saignée (Chavot, Champagne, France, $110) Complex, richly textured, deep berry. Larmandier-Bernier Rosé de Saignée Ultra Brut (Vertus, Champagne, France, $135) Crisp, refreshing, balanced and delicious.

Getty Images photo

ISSUE 07

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