BC Wine 101: Summer 2023 Edition

t’s been an interesting summer so far in B.C. wine world —visitor numbers are down and many wineries are struggling after a tough winter killed off vines. You know what you can do to help? Come visit! Spend a few days in one of B.C.s five wine-producing regions: drink some delicious wines, eat some terrific food and have yourself a delightful time!

To help guide you, here are our picks for summer-sippers, along with latest news and events in wine-land… Cheers!

1. Tasting room news

Heads up: the new tasting room at Chronos in downtown Penticton is absolutely stunning and wholly unlike anything else I have seen in the Okanagan. Think plush green banquettes in a climate-controlled room, where you can relax and enjoy a flight of wines from Chronos, Time and Evolve along with some seriously tasty snacks, creamy local cheeses and charcuterie. Add-ons to your tasting experience include a guided sabering experience and a cellar visit where you can taste directly from the barrels. I checked it out on a recent sneak preview and honestly couldn’t have been more impressed. Add this to the top of your must-do list the next time you’re in the Okanagan.

Speaking of ‘unlike anything else’, the team behind the Okanagan Crush Pad has launched its updated, expanded tasting room space and has launched a new winery at Garnet Valley Ranch. Stop by for cheese and charcuterie at Haywire and don’t skip the gorgeous Gamay, fragrant with sage and bright Bing cherries, as well as the buttery ’21 chardonnay. Book a visit to GVR and take the golf buggy tour through organic lavender fields, vineyards and stop off for a cooling dip in the pond and perhaps a glass or two of their traditional method sparkling. It’s a truly special place and I can’t wait for you to see it too.

2. Events

The annual Pig Out festival is back and serving up all things pork on September 16th in Oliver.

Orofino is hosting a long table dinner with chef Angus An of Maenam on August 14th.

September 22 to 24 marks three days of local wines, beers, ciders and spirits in Oliver. Join in the super-fun grape-stomp competition at the Festival of the Grape, party at the District Wine Village, and take part in the Beer Olympics at the 7th annual Cask & Keg.

Stags Hollow’s annual Festa do Albariño is happening on August 10th. Party like you’re in Spain with tapas, live music and plenty of Albariño (a dry white wine that’s usually found in Spain, but Stags Hollow grows and makes it right here!).

3. Five fresh whites to drink right now

1. Rigour & Whimsy 2022 Return to the Beginning: Oh, this is the most puzzling chardonnay I’ve enjoyed in a while: fresh fruit salad on the nose but absolutely delicious. This is one to confuse and delight your Chard-loving friends with.
2. Fairview Cellars 2020 Barrel-aged Chardonnay: Under new ownership, with talented winemaker and CEO Danielle Hutton now at the helm, I am thrilled to say how much I love the new wines here. Dive into this divine chardonnay which is everything I love: a little note of gun flint on the nose, buttery as hell and utterly gorgeous.
3. Orofino 2022 Orange: Really all I want on a sunny day is orange wine: bring me skin-contact aromatic whites with character and complexity! Try this terrific blend of gewürztraminer, riesling and muscat, with a nose so delicious I wanted to climb into the glass and take a swim. Terrific juicy finish. Yum!
4. Hester Creek 2022 Trebbiano: I look forward to this wine every year. This year it’s giving me lime pith alongside the usual zesty pink grapefruit and juicy nectarines. Grab a bottle and celebrate summer!
5. Moon Curser 2022 Viognier: How I love a peachy fruit-salad-in-a-glass viognier and this one from Osoyoos’s Mooncurser is one of the best in the Valley. Super crushable and bright with a mouthwatering acidity. Lovely stuff.

4. Ask a somm: Poplar Grove’s food and beverage manager Michael Ziff on chilled reds for the summer

“If I ever wish to elicit the look of surprise from a guest at the restaurant, I suggest a chilled red. At Poplar Grove, we make some of the best wines in the Okanagan, but we also love to support other wineries—especially ones who produce varietals or styles that we do not. Hence, our ‘Wines from our Friends’ section on our restaurant list. Here are three reds to try chilling down.

1. The Orofino 2021 Gamay has a wonderful balance of juiciness and acidity backed by an earthy brambley-ness and crushed red berries. Tannins are soft and the low alcohol helps to make this one a no-brainer to cool down; it opens up pairing opportunities too! Lunch burger-wine anyone?
2. When is the last time you had a single varietal pinot meunier? Don’t delay. L-ST PROJECTS 2022 Pinot Meunier is a balanced blend of floral, earthy and fruit characteristics: raspberry, cherry, mushroom and rose. Supple tannins add the tension necessary to beautifully express itself, and none of the nuance is lost with the colder temperature.
3. We recently hosted a Wine Club event, and I paired a dish with chilled malbec. It was the surprise hit pairing—even our winemaker, Stefan Arnason agreed. The savoury herbaceous quality of this Poplar Grove 2020 Malbec is supported by lush dark plum, raspberry and hints of flower blossom. But once again, it’s the soft tannins and lovey acidity that make this another great candidate to chill down.”

5. Five cool reds to pair with summer

1. I don’t think anyone is making wine with this grape in the Valley and after tasting this Pamplemousse Jus 2022 Leon Millot Pet Nat, I can’t think of a reason they aren’t. Cherries. Sarsaparilla. So interesting!
2. Not gonna lie: I had my doubts about this low-sugar, low-alcohol Poplar Grove Rosé Nouveau, but they were instantly banished when I tried it out with a crowd of friends. Universally adored. Fresh strawberries on the nose. Nicely herbaceous. Love a ‘session’ wine!
3. The Unsworth 2020 Pinot Noir is so silky. You’ll love the gorgeously well-integrated tannins in this superb example of a Cowichan PN. Cedar. Juicy black cherries. Yes, please!
4. Eau Vivre 2022 One The Edge Melange Rouge: Licorice and dark black berries on the nose and a splendidly peppery note and then something wonderful and aromatic. Love this new range of unfined, unfiltered wild ferments from this Cawston winery.
5. McWatters 2020 Meritage is a ridiculously crowd-pleasing red blend that is sure to pair with absolutely everything and delight absolutely everyone. Super silky, perfectly integrated tannins, beautiful fruity nose—I’m thinking it’s not too early to start planning holiday wine.

6. Ask a somm: Let’s talk riesling

Wine educator, creator of the Top Drop festival and all-round wine guy, Kurtis Kolt has been consulting on Maenam’s wine list for years, and recently worked with chef Angus An to create the The Riesling Project 2022, a joint venture between Kelowna’s Tantalus Vineyards, and Orofino in the Similkameen. Says Kolt, “Chef Angus An and I flew up the Okanagan at the end of December to do some blending trials with Dave Paterson of Tantalus and Orofino’s John Weber. The result is an assembly of six different components, some partially barrel fermented, a little extra skin contact in another, and there’s even a cheeky small percentage of Gewürztraminer, offering the wine an aromatic lift. It’s quite complex with lovely texture, and a host of stone fruits like peaches and apricots, with bright, citrusy acidity keeping things lively. Next time you’re dining at Maenam and tucking into all of Angus’s hot, sour, sweet, salty and spicy goodness, ensure you grab yourself a glass (or two). Looking to go further on your local riesling adventures? Rieslings are known for lively acidity, so even if they have some sweetness, there’s always a freshness to them; they usually have lower alcohol than other wines, making them tailor-made for beating the heat on hot, summer days. Here are three more that suit the season.

1. Synchromesh 2022 ‘White Label’ Storm Haven Riesling is a  juicy wonder, chock-full of apples and pears, and clocking in at a mere 8.2% alcohol – it won’t slow you down one bit!
2. Wild Goose Stoney Slope Riesling 2021 is an outright bargain at 22 bucks. Think muddled lemon, fresh lime, and a nice dab of river rock salinity.
3. Peak Cellars Sparkling Riesling 2021 is just so darn fun and worthy of a toast. Pop the cork and enjoy all of that tropical cheer!”

7. Meet the maker: Costa Gavaris, Rigour & Whimsy

Rigour & Whimsy is owned by husband and wife team Costa and Jody Gavaris. They currently focus on amber and orange wines as well as gamay and syrah. The name Rigour & Whimsy is an homage to their shared commitment to seeking balance in themselves, in their relationships, and in the natural world. Their tasting room opened this year in Okanagan Falls, go see them to taste and buy wine!

Q: This summer, what should we be drinking from B.C.?

A: St. Katharina Vineyard 2018: Pinot noir sparkling wine from one of the most individual and stunning vineyards in all of B.C. Absolutely top quality. Plot Wines 2022 It’s Nice: farmed with care by Kevin in Kaleden. A fun blend of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and muscat to pair with all the lighter fare that hot weather calls for. Lock & Worth 2022 Merlot: A lighter take on a popular grape, serve chilled.

Q: What food-and-wine myth would you like to dispel?

A: I’d love to see people try good quality sparkling wines for more than just an aperitif, as well as giving off-dry and semi-sweet wines a more of a chance. These can both work wonders with seafood like crab or prawns, as well as lightly spicy dishes.

Q: What wines should we be drinking from R&W?

A: 2022 Licorice Daddy: a chillable light red made from cabernet franc from an Osoyoos vineyard transitioning to organic practices. Full of fresh raspberry flavours, we have this a couple of times a week with pizza or smash burgers.

Our 2022 Bifröst is a light style of skin-contact wine made from pinot blanc and gewürztraminer. This fresh and zingy wine has flavours of granny smith apple, citrus and aromas of Turkish delight. It pairs wonderfully with chicken and fish dishes of all kinds as well as salads and grilled veg.