The province of British Columbia, especially around the area of the Okanagan Valley, has a few truly extraordinary wine makers who are making some amazing products. The quality of some of this wines is world class and I believe that this region of Canada could compete on equal footing with the some of the best wines in the world, for both red and white wines. Local demand for these wines however is so high that they rarely make their way out of the province and when they do, they sell for high or even premium prices. Even in BC, it is tricky to find quality local wines at under $20 which is why I so rarely blog about them.
I want to take this opportunity to tell you today about wines from my own backyard because over the summer I realized how unique and exciting these wines are. Coming from Ontario I only had an idea about BC wines and I only knew of a couple producers. I thought the wines were pretty lame and I had no idea of the scope of production and the influence of small wineries in the movement to make quality wine here in BC. It was exciting to learn about all the producers and the different regions in the Okanagan and learn about some of the really cool and interesting ideas that are being tried out on this new terrain.
Production in BC is still really small and local demand is really high so it will be a while before the rest of the world realizes the gem that is the Okanagan Valley but until then, we can enjoy quality, world class BC wines and revel in the fact that they are made only a few hours away from a fine city like Vancouver that loves fine food and wine.
BC wine makers and growers are still largely figuring out what grows best where and what kind of vinification methods contribute to making the best wines so we find a wide range of grape varieties, both red and white, in a wide range of style. I'm a fan of the aromatic white wines like Gerwurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris as I think these wines show really well in the cool continental climate of the Okanagan, but there are also many producers who are making undeniably fantastic and even age worthy red wines.
Since I tend to say that BC does Gewurztraminers the best I'll start here with some of my favorites.
Blasted Church 2009 Gewurztraminer:
Fantastic and under under $20!! (although just barely). It's fruity, yet crisp and dry on the finish. It is easy to drink on it's own but is also food friendly. This is probably one of my favorite wines, and was a classic go-to wine for me over this past summer. I hope their next vintage is just as awesome! I have been known to drink this wine out of a travel coffee mug on the bus on a way to a party. Believe it or not, when I tell that to customers who are looking for an easy drinking white wine, they'll usually buy it. Who knew that my ridiculous antics could work as a selling point!
Averill Creek 2009 Gewurztraminer:
This wine's unique selling point is that it comes from Vancouver Island. That and the fact that it's a surprisingly fantastic wine. I say surprising only because most people don't think of Vancouver island as an ideal climate for grape growing. This wine however is very crisp and soft with some lovely riper fruit that continues along the finish. It is still dry and fairly easy to pair with food. At just over $20, it was a nice summer sipper over the last few months.
other whites:
Kettle Valley 2009 Chardonnay:
Previous vintages of the Kettle Valley Chardonnay have been good but they haven't stood out of the crowd like their 2009. This latest vintage was exceptional for them. The oak was better integrated and while still creamy with light oak flavours, more of the fruit was allowed to show through for a delightful and rich Chardonnay. A truly powerful and beautiful wine for under $25. One of my top selling Chardonnays over the summer because of it's refreshing fruit but it has enough body and roundness to be enjoyed throughout the winter. Since it is not too oaked, it pairs well with a variety of foods and can be enjoyed in any weather.
Kettle Valley 2009 Pinot Gris:
This is not your average Pinot Gris. The juice is kept in contact with the skins for a short period of time giving it a slight pinky hue. While this unfortunately turns off some wine drinkers, the more adventurous will be rewarded with a fantastic and unique wine. The skin contact helps give the wine a bit more structure while still allowing it to be full of great citrus and stone fruits which Pinot Gris is so famous for. This wine I find to be especially great with foods such as salmon and other rich seafood's because of the extra body given to the wine by the skins.
Joie Farm:
I have been very happy with the white wines I've tried from Joie. I especially love their Riesling because of it's dry, crisp and fantastic ripe fruit. Like all their wines, it is a product of passion and the love of wine making and this dedication shines through in every glass.
The Joie Noble Blend is an extremely popular wine among connoisseurs in the Vancouver area and that's no surprise as this dry wine is full of great fruit and refreshing minerality. A blend inspired by the noble varieties of Alsace as well as other Germanic varieties which do so well in this particular climate, the 2009 vintage shows off the talents of Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Auxerrois, and Riesling.
The Joie Rose has entered into a league of it's own in the BC rose market. Easily one of the top selling BC rose wines over the past summer, this wine has a cult following and for good reason. Nothing comes close to being able to compare to this not overly fruity, refreshing, dry, slightly frizzante and food friendly wine.
Joie also has a few Red wines on the BC market and although I find them interesting, I'd rather stick to their whites.
Black Widow:
Another winery with a portfolio worth writing about. This winery is located in the same area of the Okanagan as JoieFarm and as far as I'm concerned, does best with their white wines rather than their reds.
The oasis is a blend of aromatic grape varieties with Schonburger (a variety with characteristics similar to the Muscat grape) leading and Gewurztraminer in the background. Intensely fruity, refreshing and the perfect drink in the summer heat.
The Black Widow Pinot Gris is crisp, full of lemon and lime with bold minerality and acidic enough to be perfectly suited to patio's and BBQ's during the summer months.
Both wines were top choice of wine drinkers in Vancouver over the past summer. I :look forward to the next vintage of both the Oasis and the Pinot Gris. These wines are great buys at just over $20.
Now onto the reds
Herder Meritage:
A perfect Summer BBQ red that will bring you right into fall for Thanksgiving dinner. Don't forget to then put a couple bottles aside for the Christmas Holidays. At $22 a bottle, I cannot sing it's praise enough. I absolutely adore this wine. It has complexity, depth, fruit, it's round and bold and incredibly versatile with food. It is Merlot based with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec rounding it off and adding the finishing touches.
My top selling red of the summer and also the wine I bring as a gift whenever I go anywhere.
Church and State Quintessential:
This rich and bold wine is filled with Red and Black fruits as well as the complex aromas and flavours imparted by time spent in oak. I looked all over the church and state website but I couldn't find any specs on this wine like how much time it spent in oak, whether the oak was American, French or a mix and what the grape varieties are and in what proportion. Regardless of this lack of information, this wine is yumminess all over and what I would gladly call 'elegance in a glass'. At $50 a bottle, the price is a little hefty but it could prove to be the magical touch to a special evening.
kettle valley Malbec:
I'd love to try this wine in a blind taste taste against other Malbecs to see if it can hold it's own. It was an absolutely excellent example of this grape with great fruit and firm body but I don't know if I felt that it was great because of how it was actually made or because it was from BC and any success with a Malbec seems so unusual. This wine definitely has something going for it, I just wish it was more available in our market for me to have it again and try it against some of it's Argentinian counterparts. Worthy on uniqueness points if nothing else. A cool wine on all counts!
Well, there you have it. This summer was a great learning experience for me in terms of trying and understanding the complexities behind the BC wines and the market where we can find them. There are so many local wines to try and with new and innovative producers willing to try new things and take some risks, I look forward to some exiting wines in the future.
