BCWAS Bus Tour 2016: Similkameen Valley

The BC Wine Appreciation Society swept the Similkameen and Southern Okanagan valleys on their eleventh annual winery tour this month, and I was lucky enough to nab myself a spot on the bus again this year. My wife and I had to be quick to sign up when the tour sold out in a single day earlier this summer, filling a 56-seat bus in record time! Tour guests travelled far and wide in one busy weekend, visiting ten wineries from Keremeos to Oliver, where we looked forward to the generous hospitality for which BC wine country is known.

Departure from our Osoyoos hotels came bright and early Saturday morning, with a 9am appointment awaiting us at the small family-owned winery Hugging Tree outside Cawston. Owners Walt & Christine Makepeace still sell much of their grapes to neighbouring Similkameen wineries, but producing a couple thousand cases from their thirty acre vineyard is enough to keep the whole family busy, including their winemaker son Brad. All were on hand to welcome the bus of eager wine aficionados with a generous selection of cheeses and even homemade tarts. Just as we started enjoying the wines a loud bang shook the wraparound deck on which we had congregated: stunningly, a minor earthquake had just struck the region! Looking to make our own impact, guests wasted little time stocking the bus with cases of citrus-apricot 2014 Viognier, fruit-forward 2012 Merlot, and structured, plumy 2012 “Telltale” Cabernet-Merlot, the only wines remaining in stock after a busy summer season.

By 10:30 we had bid adieu to the Makepeace family and motored up the road to Eau Vivre Winery, for a garden tasting of the many award-winning wines. Eau Vivre opened in 2007, the same year Walt & Christine were planting their new vineyard, so owners Dale Wright & Geraldine Estin have a few years’ head start on the friendly competition. The refreshing 2014 Riesling helped prepare our palates with lime cordial flavours and a smooth, clean finish. Soon Dale was cracking open his many reds, sourced from premium vineyards throughout the Similkameen and finished by Winemaker Anthony Buchanan since 2013. The newly released 2014 Pinot Noir follows in the footsteps of two past Lieutenant Governor’s Award-winning vintages, and impressed with a toasty forest floor and cherry profile helped along by wild fermentation. Cabernet Franc and Malbec from the 2013 vintage offered chocolate cherries and juicy smoked strawberries respectively, before the 2012 “Buddhafull” red blend showed the benefit of age in an elegant full bodied raspberry palate.

We whirled through the wine shop for more spoils and back on the bus headed to Clos du Soleil’s Keremeos estate. There Managing Director and Winemaker Michael Clark led tours of the organic and biodynamic vineyard and clean new winery, beginning to fill up with freshly harvested white grapes. Split into two groups, we alternated between touring and tasting, as the team had pulled out all the stops and opened virtually everything available. Highlights included the extremely rare 2014 Estate Reserve White, a Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon oozing with mineral-driven baked pear in a vibrant, creamy palate with years ahead of it - superb at present with appetizers of charred chicken skewers. The similarly exclusive 2012 Estate Reserve Red burst with expressive, elegant floral aromas, ripe tannins and rich fruit still growing in complexity as it ages into even further greatness. Even the upcoming Grower’s Series 2014 Syrah made it into our glasses: the winery’s first varietal Syrah is destined for wine club members before wider release this fall. The heady nose of Black Forest Cake elicited high praise even before the fresh wild berry palate and soft peppery finish.

The sense of community exhibited in the Similkameen Valley was particularly evident as Clos du Soleil welcomed several other local wineries to join us for lunch and show off their own prized bottles. A spectacularly varied and lavish spread from Shayna & Shulman Culinary Adventures had us munching on antipasto platters, cheeses, and charcuterie before swinging by the grill for creative oyster mushroom hot dogs, seemingly endless sliders, and warm fresh cornbread. The shaded crush pad made the perfect location for samples as we nibbled and noshed our way into mid-afternoon. Orofino’s John & Virginia Weber were present with their exciting 2015 Wild Ferment Syrah and racy 2014 Hendsbee Vineyard Riesling. George Hansen of Seven Stones broke out his iconic 2013 red blend “The Legend”, while Sara Harker masterfully juggled bottles and baby to pour several intensely-flavoured sparkling and dessert fruit wines from her family’s Rustic Roots. The well-loved Gamay of Tim Cottrill’s Robin Ridge shared the spotlight with fragrant cocoa from a 2013 Cabernet Franc plus the elegant new “Signature Series” 2012 Meritage. Alongside the highly-regarded wines he produces at Forbidden Fruit, Nathan Venables also introduced his small lot Dead End Cellars label, including the deep and dark “Game Over” 2013 Tannat-Malbec.

The hours seemed to fly by with that many wines to taste and soon the tour organizers were rounding up the crowd for our next winery visit, literally right next door! Since the Baessler family took over the former Herder winery and vineyard in 2014 their small Corcelettes label has grown a great deal, and Winemaker Charlie has made good use of the full tanks and barrels he inherited. Using the aged wines of (recently, and sadly deceased) Lawrence Herder Charlie has produced a 2011 Reserve Pinot Noir, 2011 Meritage, and 2012 Merlot, plus a non-vintage bubbly “Santé”. The existing Corcelettes “Menhir” flagship Cabernet-Syrah remains in fine form, with the new 2014 expressing inky sausage and full bodied black fruit. As a very special treat, the Baesslers opened their micro-lot of 2014 “Vendange Tardive” late harvest Gewürztraminer before we departed. Only 16 cases of this luscious libation were produced (harvested under icewine conditions), and we savoured aromas of burnt honey and concentrated lychee before the delightfully clean, bright, apple pie finish.

Heading back towards Osoyoos we had one more stop to make before poolside refreshment and a highly anticipated group dinner. Although the Webers had shared a few of their wines with us at lunch, they had another treat in store during a short visit to Orofino. Not only were tour guests given a chance to pick up their earlier wine orders, but John and Virginia offered an abridged vertical tasting of the flagship “Beleza”, going as far back as 2006, when it was known merely as Merlot-Cabernet. That final vintage before the new nomenclature (once Petit Verdot was available for inclusion) was still fresh and juicy, with lots of life remaining in the rich palate. The heat of 2009 had rendered that vintage an aged character beyond its years, with prune and spicy mocha flavours, while cool 2011 showed the opposite effect with an elegant nose of menthol and herbs before a long smooth finish. The newest release from 2013 was youthfully delicious, ripe and fruity with leather and brown sugar to carry it through the years.

Once everyone had freshened up back in Osoyoos we all met at Watermark Beach Resort for a Winemaker’s Dinner with proudly organic Forbidden Fruit Winery. Owners Steve Venables and Kim Brind’Amour were on hand to introduce even more wines than their son Nathan had showed off earlier in the day. Seated under an expansive white tent on the Resort’s beachside lawn we toasted to the evening’s clear skies with intensely plummy “Flaunt” 2014 Sparkling Plum. The 2015 Dead End “Skrewd” blend of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Gris provided creamy accompaniment to a starting salad of seasonal greens, radishes, and heirloom tomatoes. The locally sourced ingredients introduced the Watermark’s focus on featuring nearby organic farms and Okanagan producers, keeping everything fresh and flavourful.

Forbidden Fruit’s 2014 Sauvignon Blanc brought tropical melon fruit to join the next course of Albacore Tuna & Quinoa Salad, piled high with goat cheese and roasted vegetables. Honey Rosemary Glazed Chicken came next with Wild Mushroom Risotto and the Dead End “Catch 22” 2013 Cabernet Franc, expressing enjoyable cassis and licorice. The 2012 red blend “Redemption” was the natural partner for Roasted Beef Striploin with confit potatoes and squash, where it found favourite showing off rich black currant and dark cherry flavours. Generous portions provided little room for dessert but we managed a bite of Okanagan Fruit Crisp with Vanilla Bean Gelato while sipping the luxurious but delicate 2015 “Caught” Apricot Mistelle as the sun set. With the bus about to turn into a pumpkin guests soon made a quick departure back to the tour hotel, where the wisest got a good night’s sleep before another full day to come!

Collectibles: April 2015

Even with the approaching summer season and the call of whites and rosés, I still found plenty of cellar-worthy reds to dote over this month. With a couple of exceptions, all were relatively new releases too, keeping collectors piqued outside the traditional red seasons. A few favourites included a couple additions to cherished rotating vertical collections, meaning older vintages finally become fair game for consumption!

Eau Vivre Pinot Noir 2013: This Similkameen Valley star has significant provenance, as both the 2009 and 2010 vintages were awarded Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in BC Wine. A bottle for the cellar became a necessity after it was revealed as my number one selection at the recent BC Wine Appreciation Society Blind Tasting (in which it was voted the overall crowd favourite). Considering only 600 cases were produced, as the winery’s flagship variety, and the “simply delicious” palate described by John Schreiner, it makes for an obvious collectible at a dynamite price. Swirl VQA Store $24

LaStella Allegretto Merlot 2012: Newly released for summer (and unlikely to last long) is one of Italian-inspired LaStella’s complex and coveted Merlot (the other being $100 Maestoso). Despite the iconic status of Maestoso, the own-rooted “Pie Franco” Allegretto from south-west Osoyoos is actually produced in lesser quantities: only 206 cases are available, while the most recent release of 2011 Maestoso saw 329 cases on the market. Needless to say it will be rare to find on store shelves, with Club/Society members and visitors to the Osoyoos winery likely to acquire most in short order; well curated VQA stores may have some. Winery Direct $70

Le Vieux Pin Equinoxe Syrah 2011: The sister winery to LaStella is focused on Syrah, recently expanding to three different styles at a range of price points. The winery’s Equinoxe tier of wines represent their penultimate reserve collection. The 2011 was released last fall and is now approaching end of vintage, not that 268 cases went very far to begin with. Several reviews on WineAlign emphasize the bright, elegant palate, well worthy of a gold medal at last year’s National Wine Awards. Even before release Anthony Gismondi was gushing about the wine’s fabulous character. Winery Direct $90

Burrowing Owl Athene 2012: A co-fermented blend of 53% Syrah and 47% Cabernet Sauvignon from a vintage generous to both varieties. The wine spent 21 months in a creative blend of 85% French, 10% American, and 5% Hungarian oak barrels before bottling last August and then several months of bottle age. The first few vintages of this wine (a versatile and beneficial blend that is growing in local popularity) were fairly hard to find, but lately it has been showing up in stores outside the winery. Firefly Fine Wines & Ales $42

Le Vieux Pin Retouche 2012: Recalling the secretive historical practice of “Hermitaging” Bordeaux wines inspired Le Vieux Pin to do the same here, adding just enough Syrah “that it sits invisibly behind the Cabernet filling in the gaps.” In previous vintages that has equated to approximately 20% Syrah, 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, and similar proportions are likely this year. This is in contrast to Burrowing Owl’s even split that shines more light on the Syrah component. The resulting wine (a mere 61 cases) can be expected to exude youthful but ripe tannins, which I am more than happy to tame into elegance with some years in the cellar. Winery Direct $69

Perseus Select Lots Cabernet Franc 2013: This young Cabernet Franc was quite popular at the recent BC Wine Appreciation Society 10th Anniversary Gala. The 2012 vintage (from the Similkameen valley’s renowned Blind Creek Vineyard) received a silver medal at the National Wine Awards, but the 2013 comes from a different vineyard on the Okanagan’s Golden Mile Bench. Little else is known thus far about it, given limited release; but when a small allotment arrived at Swirl VQA Store I was happy to pick up a bottle for future assessment before it all disappeared. Winery Direct $30

Poplar Grove The Legacy 2010: Cool conditions in the 2010 growing season prompted Poplar Grove to implement aggressive crop thinning practices; the harvest was reduced from 210 tons to 80 tons! Production of the winery’s icon “The Legacy” was cut by 40%, down to just 300 cases, which are seeing particularly limited distribution. Fortunately I was able to continue my vertical collection by snagging one bottle directly from the winery. Evidence of intriguing vintage variation can be seen when comparing 2009 and 2010 vintages, as Merlot decreased from 56% to 33% while Malbec increased from 3% to a bountiful 24%, surpassing both Cabernets! Winery Direct $50

Church & State Quintessential 2011: The winery delayed release of the 2010 vintage – still bottle aging – to present their award-winning 2011 after it was deemed more approachable. In a very impressive showing, it won a prestigious gold medal from the British International Wine Challenge last year, the first time since 2008 any BC VQA wine has been awarded higher than silver at the IWC. Although it could be eagerly enjoyed at present, this bottle will join my vertical collection to “put some fat on” as per Anthony Gismondi’s 90-point review. It bumps out the 2006, meaning I finally get to crack open that well-aged gem! Swirl VQA Store $60

BCWAS Pinot Noir Blind Tasting

The BC Wine Appreciation Society recently hosted their third annual double blind varietal wine tasting, pitting nine BC bottles against one another and three international competitors. Previous years featured Syrah and Cabernet Franc, making Pinot Noir an ideal candidate this time around. Although Pinot Noir has remained the second-most-planted red grape in BC for at least fifteen years it has recently begun to garner more attention. Last year’s naming of the Mission Hill Martin’s Lane 2011 Pinot Noir as “World’s Best” at the Decanter Awards put an international spotlight on the excellent work being done here.

There exist a number of experienced and talented winemakers focussed – sometimes exclusively – on Pinot Noir in our local industry. One such person is Bradley Cooper, owner of Black Cloud, plus current Winemaker at Serendipity Winery. Brad was generous enough to join the Society for the Blind Tasting, to serve as Moderator and provide insight on Pinot Noir and the BC wine industry. Brad’s years of service at Township 7 helped build the winemaking experience that allowed him and his wife Audralee Daum to launch their own “garagiste” wine brand Black Cloud a few years ago, making small quantities of Pinot Noir-exclusive wines.

Brad reminded everyone of the renaissance Pinot Noir experienced following the release of the movie Sideways in 2004. The film effectively raised the profile of Pinot Noir in North America, providing consumers with a re-introduction to this complex and remarkably drinkable wine. While many local wineries have relatively long histories with Pinot Noir, the last decade in particular has offered up winemakers the freedom to explore their passion and hone their techniques. Along with the more well known, long-running Pinot Noir producers (e.g., Blue Mountain, Quails’ Gate), a great number of smaller wineries have existed historically or have come on stream in the last few years.

Just like past blind tastings, this year featured plenty of delicious wines along with many surprises when the popular vote results were revealed. The wines seemed to range from those in the lighter, more delicate spectrum to dark, rich, and oak-influenced: we smelled and tasted flowers and earth, raspberry, orange, cherries, strawberries and more; plus leather, mushrooms, barnyard, and toasted oak. Knowing the broad range in which Pinot Noir is grown in BC, interpretations and hypotheses were left wide open: in the Okanagan Valley alone it is planted from the desert of Osoyoos to the forested hills of Vernon.

Participants received a short ballot on which to record their top five favourites, in rank order, to analyze the popular vote using a Borda Count spreadsheet. This method of assigning points is fairly robust in dealing with truncated ballots, which is why a ranking of all twelve wines was not required. Three different scoring systems were used to ensure redundancy, and provided the Society Executive with a overview of favourites: wines were thus revealed in three groups. Latter analyses based exclusively on the twelve-point scoring system (i.e., 12 points for every first place ballot ranking, 11 points for second, etc.) enabled a complete ranking to be compiled.

The bottom four wines included two of the three international contributions to the tasting. Last year’s Cabernet Franc blind tasting found the French contribution least favoured, and surprisingly a solid last place finish was once again accorded to old world viniculture. The relatively pricey, aged 2009 vintage of Domaine Louis Jadot Santenay “Clos de Malte” from the Côte du Beaune region of Burgundy simply didn’t find favour amongst BC wine aficionados. Rounding out the bottom four, but scoring significantly higher than the Burgundy, were the Black Cloud 2011 “Altostratus”, Oregon’s Evesham Wood 2013 vintage, and the 2011 Reserve from Blue Mountain. Both the Black Cloud and Blue Mountain were derived from the cool 2011 vintage, yielding bright berry fruit with hints of leather; but perhaps just a bit too tart and lean for some.

The middle group of wines – ranked 8th to 5th – contained some well-known favourites, with significant history behind them. CedarCreek’s 2012 Platinum Block 2 Pinot Noir represents a family of reserve-tier wines going back many years, and was split into block-specific wines starting in 2011. In comparison to what the winery describes as structured, chocolate and spice character in Block 4, the gold medal Block 2 yields a more delicate, floral profile thanks to surprisingly different soils in the adjacent blocks. Alongside CedarCreek we revealed the 2012 vintage from new Lake Country winery 50th Parallel. After many years at Quails’ Gate, Winemaker Grant Stanley partnered with Curtis & Sheri-Lee Krouzel to build 50th Parallel, which focuses on premium Pinot Noir and opened for business in 2013. As the young vineyards mature and Grant becomes even better acquainted with the terroir, the future of Pinot Noir at 50th Parallel should be a prosperous one.

Two notable award-winning wines and wineries followed, as Haywire and Howling Bluff garnered support in the top half of the favourites. Both wineries are the recipients of Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for their Pinot Noir, with the creamy 2011 Haywire Canyonview having received the award just last year. Summerland’s Haywire (based at Okanagan Crush Pad) is going all in with Pinot Noir, planting up to 50 acres of own-rooted vines in the nearby Garnet Valley. Across the lake on the Naramata Bench, Luke Smith’s Howling Bluff has received not only two Lt. Governor’s Awards for Pinot Noir (2006 & 2009) but received Red Wine of the Year honours from the Canadian Wine Awards (for his 2008 Pinot Noir). We received the fortunate opportunity to taste the yet-to-be-released, juicy 2012 Summa Quies vintage, the reserve tier from Luke’s premier estate vineyard.

Overall Ranking

1.  Eau Vivre 2013 ($22)

2.  Kim Crawford Rise And Shine 2012 ($35)

3.  Nk’Mip Qwam Qwmt 2012 ($30)

4.  Meyer Reimer Vineyard 2012 ($40)

5.  Howling Bluff Summa Quies 2012 ($35)

6.  Haywire Canyonview 2011 ($35)

7.  50th Parallel 2012 ($32)

8.  CedarCreek Platinum Block 2 2012 ($45)

9.  Blue Mountain Reserve 2011 ($40)

10.  Evesham Wood 2013 ($34)

11.  Black Cloud Altostratus 2011 ($35)

12.  Louis Jadot Santenay 2009 ($45)

Closely ranked in fourth and third place respectively were Meyer’s 2012 single vineyard offering from Kelowna’s Reimer Vineyard, and Nk’Mip’s Osoyoos-appellation Qwam Qwmt (Reserve) from the same superb vintage. Despite being sourced from vineyards at nearly opposite ends of the Okanagan, the wines presented similarly intense, dark palates; with the expressive toasted oak aromas from Meyer yielding to slightly more subtle perfumed red fruit from Nk’Mip. At last year’s National Wine Awards the Meyer took home a silver medal in competition, while the Nk’Mip was awarded gold.

With only two wines remaining we finally discovered the group’s favourite BC bottle of the tasting, in the form of Eau Vivre’s 2013, the only contender from the Similkameen Valley. A close second was New Zealand’s Kim Crawford Small Parcels “Rise and Shine” 2012, bringing more rich, dark complexity from the southern hemisphere. In 2012 and 2013 Eau Vivre won consecutive Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for their 2009 and 2010 Pinot Noir. The newest 2013 vintage provided impressive, complex aromas of spiced cherries, with hints of earthy mushrooms. The rich palate provided more cherries, cinnamon, and cloves, with a touch of marmalade on toast: the wine appeared in the Top Five ranking on 32 of 48 ballots. Those with a little bit left in their glasses were lucky indeed; revisiting the wines now exposed proved an engaging conclusion to a very thought-provoking evening!

Wine Bloggers Conference 2013 – Part II

After a day spent indoors for most Conference participants there was an eagerness to get outside and enjoy the beautiful Okanagan summer weather. I had already snuck out to visit a couple wineries in the morning, but was just as excited to depart on the bus for our mystery excursion to feature “wine & geology”. To be honest I had already surmised the excursion would be visiting the beautiful Similkameen Valley, and that we’d be dining at a very special new location, which is why I’d hustled to get on board that particular bus! Joining me were my wife and a blogger friend of ours from Vancouver, plus plenty more friendly faces I recognized throughout the full busload. Under the enthusiastic leadership of Kim Lawton from the Similkameen Wineries Association, we took off for Keremeos and our first stop.

After an exciting trip through Marron Valley via Kaleden and Highway 3A we arrived in Keremeos from the north and pulled into the Grist Mill Heritage Site. This functioning flour mill, with original machinery intact, was built in 1877 and is the last remaining site of its kind in Western Canada. Inside the Visitor Centre we were greeted with sparkling wine from Orofino Vineyards and Rustic Roots, along with fresh oysters and other treats to enjoy on our tour of the grounds. The lush gardens and swiftly rushing creek provided for a relaxing venue to chat and begin an introduction to the Similkameen. Still, it wasn’t long before we were off to our dinner destination at Seven Stones, with everyone’s palates refreshed and ready for more!

We zipped down the Crowsnest Highway through Cawston to reach Seven Stones, one of the southernmost wineries in the valley (outdone only by Vineglass and Forbidden Fruit, nearly at the American border). At George Hanson’s beautifully-sited winery the entire Similkameen Wineries Association was awaiting us, with such a bevy of wines from the nine wineries one could scarcely count them all, let alone taste them! That’s not to say the group didn’t try, as each winery proprietor was present to convey their unique story and pour in person. The bloggers were divided amongst three groups, and alternately toured the property with George or explored the terrain of the region with trained geologist Dale Wright of Eau Vivre Winery. Tasting through the wonderfully varied wines of the Similkameen – from fruit frizzantes to bold Cabernet Sauvignon – was certainly a cherished moment, yet the high point of the tour was exploring George’s brand new wine cave.

The multi-wing concrete caves extending underneath Seven Stones are nearing completion, and George was only too happy to show off what should soon be one of the premier wine-tourism destinations in the Similkameen. Although one wing will store Seven Stones’ many barrels (and connects directly to George’s home), a second wing has a promising future as a highly desirable event space, including a commercial kitchen and a full suite of lighting and sound. It was in that enigmatic locale that Chef Chris Van Hooydonk of Artisan Culinary Concepts was preparing a tapas feast for dinner. Guests still tasting upstairs needn’t have worried, as every remaining bottle was ferried down to the cave where we could all help ourselves with dinner! As good as the wine was, it was almost outshone by Chef Van Hooydonk’s spectacular spread of food, of which not a single crumb could be found at the end of the evening.

Amongst a great many thanks and congratulations to our hosts, it took quite a while to round up the bloggers for our departure to a reception with the four other excursion troops. We reunited with our compatriots at Spirit Ridge Resort, home of the celebrated Nk’Mip Cellars, for a rooftop party hosted by the Oliver-Osoyoos Winery Association. As the sun set we cavorted late into the night, and did our best to keep anchored in the increasingly-amusing windy weather. No doubt the staff at Spirit Ridge weren’t amused by how many broken glasses resulted from the table-clearing gusts, but the conditions certainly kept things exciting! Once again we were gracefully chauffeured back to Penticton Lakeside Resort for more after-hours parties and some solid sleep for the wisest among us.

Saturday morning began with a luxurious breakfast in Gyro Park across the street from the hotel, organized by the Downtown Penticton Business Association. With everything from fresh crepes to mouth-watering pastries and savoury breakfast wraps there was something for everyone, regardless of their waking state. I myself fuelled up for the day, given that I would be spending the morning wine touring once again, and had even corrupted a fellow blogger into joining me! My wife was to spend the day gallivanting with several friends on a bachelorette party weekend which just happened to coincide – geographically and chronologically – with the Conference, so we dropped her off in Naramata and set out with shopping list in hand.

Stops at Elephant Island and Kettle Valley produced some key acquisitions, and we even auspiciously spotted Robert Van Westen erecting his road-side sign, prompting another winery visit. Rob was even kind enough to treat us to a barrel sample of his upcoming 2012 Pinot Noir, which should easily match the superb quality found in the 2011 “VD” collaboration with Tom Di Bello. Before returning to the hotel for lunch and afternoon sessions we enjoyed a leisurely tasting on the patio at Laughing Stock, where I picked up my latest Preferred Share Wine Club allotment. Tasting both the 2011 Syrah and Blind Trust Red I was quite pleased to be taking home three bottles of each of these finely crafted and very promising red wines.

Back in Penticton my fellow blogger and I caught the tail end of lunch with Wines of Uruguay, and committed to attending the afternoon sessions, including the enticingly-named “Drink Them Before They’re Famous”. That breakout session hosted by Master Sommelier George Miliotes introduced us to a stunningly good custom Gamay that had not yet been tasted by anyone beyond the development team. An introduction to Canadian icewine from Inniskillin came next, with some remarkable story-telling by guest speaker Randy Picton, Winemaker at Nk’Mip. Randy recounted the spectacular longevity of an open bottle of icewine he kept in his laboratory fridge for years, prompting a few attendees to recork the sample bottles throughout the room and slip them into satchels for later! We immediately moved into the next “Live Wine Blogging” segment, featuring many high end local reds, and of which I was sure to participate in full this time, to much relief and enjoyment. Lastly, New Wines of Greece hosted a lengthy pre-dinner reception featuring a slew of educational opportunities for those of us – myself included – who had yet to taste from grapes with names like Assyrtiko and Xinomavro.

The closing dinner prepared by the Resort’s Head Chef Chris Remington required the challenging selection of only four wines from the myriad wineries represented at the Conference. Poplar Grove’s highly respected Pinot Gris was a nice match for the first course of candied salmon, while the second course halibut sang with Hester Creek’s Character White blend. Hopefully those present were able to appreciate the inclusion of the Okanagan’s only Trebbiano grapes (from 45-year-old vines no less) in the Character White, alongside Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc. Penticton’s “in-town” winery Perseus, within walking distance of the hotel, was tapped for their full-bodied Invictus red blend to pair with lamb and lentils. Although I skipped the lamb in favour of more lentils and roasted beets I had no trouble enjoying the dark, ripe fruit found within the predominantly Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon of the Invictus. Our final course consisted of generously portioned cheesecake and the unexpected Lemberger Icewine of West Kelowna’s Little Straw Vineyards. An individual 50mL bottle for every diner revealed delicious fresh, clean berry fruit flavours, and likely prompted some unique wine journal entries as well.

After several hilarious skits and the conclusion of the Wine Blog Awards, some well deserved applause for the Conference organizers acknowledged the passion that brought WBC13 to Penticton in the first place. It was then revealed that next year’s Conference will be held in Buellton, California, where attendees will enjoy the wines of over 100 members of the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association. Just like that the 2013 Conference was over: I’m so glad I made the decision to attend, which in retrospect I can scarcely believe was even in question! Fortunately for my wife and I the adventure was to continue for one more night in the Okanagan, with a luxurious stay at Hester Creek’s Villa coming up next!

BCWAS Bus Tour 2012: Journey’s End

Having made the decision to stay in Osoyoos Sunday night after the conclusion of the Bus Tour, I was able to take my time Monday making my way back to Vancouver. I took the more northerly Coquihalla route on the way to the Okanagan, so it made sense to take the southern route through the Similkameen Valley on the trip home, thus ensuring I could visit as many of my favourite wineries as possible along the way. First I had some unfinished business in the Okanagan though, as there were more than a few wineries to which we simply couldn’t make it during our bus tour. In the back of my generously sized rental SUV I already had eight cases of wine – three of my own and five from other BCWAS members who were grateful for some borrowed trunk space; fortunately there was room for a little bit more!

My first stop of the day was at Tinhorn Creek, where I had confirmed in advance I could pick up my Fall Crush Club allotment of newly released red wines, including the 2009 Oldfield Series reserve wines – Merlot, Syrah, and 2Bench Red (Meritage). It being my big chance to take advantage of my Crush Club (15%) discount, and avoid shipping charges, I made sure to pick up a few additional bottles – gifts for friends, and some more Merlot and Cabernet Franc of course! Outside the winery I visited the Barrel Room to take in the wonderful aromas, and was even lucky enough to spot Winemaker Sandra Oldfield supervising the very first bin of 2012 grapes being loaded into the hopper at the crush pad!

With another case of wine in the trunk I spent the next couple of hours searching for a few more wines on my To-Buy list. I dropped by Road 13 to investigate the recently advertised small lot reds, such as Syrah-Malbec, Syrah-Mourvedre, and some vineyard-specific Pinot Noirs. Unfortunately the wines had not yet received their final VQA approval, and so couldn’t be sold yet, but I made sure to place an order for delivery in the coming weeks. I then returned to Fairview Cellars to pick up Bill’s “Bucket o’ Blood” Cab-Syrah, it having just been labelled – and now ready for sale – the day before (one day after our Bus Tour visit). I also swung over to the Black Sage Bench to check out Black Hills’ shiny new “Wine Experience Centre” and snag a bottle of 2010 Syrah (only the second vintage of this varietal for Black Hills). Being my own designated driver I wasn’t able to sit down for a Tasting Experience in the beautiful venue, but it’s nice to leave something for next time. Finally, just down the road, I stopped at Church & State to see if any new releases were available exclusive to the wine shop (always a possibility in September), but I was saddened to have no luck. I was, however, pleased to meet what I can only assume was the winery’s guard Mantis, an entertaining and fascinating insect which generously posed for photographs.

By mid-day I had worked up quite an appetite and was looking forward to enjoying lunch at Hester Creek’s excellent Terrafina Restaurant. After tasting a number of new releases in the spacious tasting room, I joined the winery’s Communications Manager Sarah Lefebvre for some wine country chat and spectacular pizza. Neither of us could say no to the fire-crisped dough and fresh local ingredients, including tomatoes grown right beside the building! Back in the wine shop I was once again stymied by timing, as the winery’s Reserve Cabernet Franc and big red blend “The Judge” were only days away from release, but Sarah reassured me I would be able to get some one way or the other. The winery does have a comprehensive online store, and sees wide distribution in Vancouver, so my small but growing vertical of The Judge will eventually be joined by the 2009 vintage.

Finally making my way out of the Okanagan Valley I had a number of stops ahead of me in the Similkameen on the way to Vancouver. The first winery encountered after leaving Osoyoos on the Crowsnest Highway is Forbidden Fruit, so far south as to be nearly at the Canada-US border. Having missed visiting this renowned organic farm and fruit winery in the past due to time constraints, I was committed to finally stopping by this time around. Bouncing down the dirt road along the Similkameen River I soon arrived at the charming tasting room and immediately picked out some fresh organic peaches and apples available for sale. I also made sure to leave with a bottle of Pomme Desiree Iced Apple Wine: the 2009 vintage was named top fruit wine at the 2010 Canadian Wine Awards, and the newest vintage (2010) was the only non-Quebec wine to even medal! I look forward to returning to Forbidden Fruit in the future to enjoy the picnic area overlooking the River, and perhaps tour the orchards with owners Steve Venables & Kim Brind'Amour.

Travelling a short distance up the highway I made sure to stop at Seven Stones, where I got the chance to catch up with owner George Hanson, and get bottles of newly released 2010 Cabernet Franc and Row 128 Merlot. I always make sure to find room in my cellar for George’s supremely well-crafted wines, his rich reds in particular. I was a bit too early for the upcoming 2010 “The Legend” Meritage, but George tantalized me with talk of Christmas Gift Packs that might include opportunity for this very small lot wine (100 cases produced).

Continuing on my way I made a short stop at Eau Vivre, where I was excited to get one of the last remaining bottles of Lt. Governor’s Award-winning 2009 Pinot Noir, along with a 100% Similkameen Malbec from the 2010 vintage. After I left and complimented the tasty, albeit quick experience over Twitter, owner Dale Wright was actually apologetic for not “recognizing” me during my visit! I certainly didn’t expect any special treatment, and was just glad enough he managed to find some of that special Pinot Noir while I was there. Yet another winery to spend more time experiencing in the future!

As I eased my way west I paused to say hello to Orofino Vineyards’ proprietors John and Virginia Weber, while we watched a new barrel delivery in progress. I left with another bottle of delicious 2010 “Scout Vineyard” Syrah upon re-tasting it, plus a couple bottles of bright 2011 Gamay to enjoy in the waning days of summer. I was pleased to keep my record of Orofino being my most visited winery (since 2005) intact!

Before getting serious about actually returning to Vancouver – considering the afternoon was rapidly coming to a close – I made sure to visit Herder Winery and pick up a few bottles of brand new 2010 Pinot Noir for myself and some friends. We’d all enjoyed the 2009 quite a bit following our June visit, and Proprietor and Winemaker Lawrence Herder was quick to report that he likes the new 2010 even more! Wishing I could stay and chat longer with the wonderful Herders I confirmed directions and hours of the nearby Robin Ridge Winery before setting out for my final winery visit. Just before the end of the business day I zoomed through Robin Ridge to add one more bottle to my collection: the 2009 Reserve Merlot won Double Gold (Best of Category) at the 2012 All Canadian Wine Championships, after being named Best of Varietal at the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival.

Arriving home in the late evening I was glad to be back in familiar surroundings after quite a whirlwind weekend. My wife was certainly pleased I’d made it home in one piece, and I had a fun time suggesting to her that all ten cases of wine in the trunk were ours. I’m not sure she was relieved when I revealed “only” about 60 bottles were ultimately staying with us, but even she couldn’t deny they were quite a sight to behold lined up together – a delicious future for a couple years down the road. I would soon be faced with the decision of where to put all this wine, considering I seem to be collecting it faster than I can drink it, but that’s a story for another day!

Similkameen Wineries Association Tasting & Dinner

Last Wednesday the Similkameen Wineries Association hosted a fantastic dinner at Edible Canada on Granville Island. The dinner was preceded by an afternoon tasting of wines from all eight member wineries: Cerelia, Clos du Soleil, EauVivre, Forbidden Fruit, Orofino, Robin Ridge, Rustic Roots, and Seven Stones. Wineries were pouring their current vintages and some exciting new releases for Fall, including myriad fruit and dessert wines from Forbidden Fruit and Rustic Roots. One noticeable absentee from the event was Herder Vineyards, next door neighbours to Clos du Soleil. Having tasted their excellent wines I can say they were sorely missed: hopefully the Herders will fortify the Association with their membership soon.

In the middle of the room John & Virginia Weber from Orofino Vineyards were pouring a couple of brand new reds. The 2009 Passion Pit Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark and ripe wine that clocks in at 14.9% alcohol. It is noticeably unfiltered – as are all of John’s reds – but that’s never a problem if the wine is made with care. The 2009 Syrah is an even darker colour, and just as rich, with a very promising future. The slightly reduced 14.5% alcohol is actually more noticeable in the Syrah due to its current tightness, but I’m really looking forward to trying it again mid-decade – Orofino recommends aging until 2013 at least. Both new wines sell for $29, which is a very respectable price point for small lot wines this well crafted. For even more information about Orofino check out their new blog, The Orofino Press; I’ve even heard a rumour that a Twitter account may be in the works!

At the Clos du Soleil table owner Spencer Massie was pouring his focused portfolio of Bordeaux-style whites and reds, while also showing off his new dessert wine “Saturn”, a Botrytis-affected late harvest Sauvignon Blanc. With low acid and lots of fresh fruit flavours it is a delicious treat, but the 50 cases made will probably disappear quite fast! Also newly released by Clos du Soleil is the 2009 Signature Red, their top tier Bordeaux blend – and this vintage includes all five Bordeaux varieties. Only 275 cases have been produced, but if you miss out you can always get one of the available magnums, double magnums, or 6L Imperial (i.e. “Methuselah”) bottles!

Standing behind an immense array of bottles in the corner of the room was Steve Venables, owner of Forbidden Fruit winery in the very south end of the Similkameen Valley. Steve and his wife Kim grow over 60 varieties of fruit on the banks of the Similkameen River, and have been doing so organically since 1977, several years before organic certification even existed! All that fruit yields more than a dozen table and dessert wines, including fortified and sparkling varieties, from both grapes and tree fruit. Steve was pouring most of those wines, including the dreamingly delicious Pomme Desirée Iced Apple Dessert Wine – Fruit Wine of the Year at the 2010 Canadian Wine Awards. I also tasted the rich flavours of plums and apricots in two of Steve’s “nectar wines” Plumiscious Plum Mistelle and Caught Apricot Mistelle: both are beautifully balanced expressions of pure fruit grown with care and years of experience.

Joined by my wife, we later sat down to a five-course dinner paired with ten wines that included all eight Association wineries. Canapés were served with two crisp sparkling fruit wines: Rustic Roots’ “Fameuse Frizzanté” is made from Snow Apples and Santa Rosa Plums while Forbidden Fruit’s “Flirt” is all peaches made into a refreshing, dry Traditional Method Brut. The “Similkameen Salad” came next, featuring an array of freshly-picked produce (some that very morning) including star crimson pears, toasted hazelnuts, sundried cranberries, cabbage, sorel, radicchio, endive, and celery dressing. Orofino’s Riesling was served alongside Clos du Soleil’s Capella, which I found to a particularly good pairing. The heavy Sauvignon Blanc component in the Capella was not to my wife’s liking, but I enjoyed the balanced structure and soft, almost floral aromatics.

While most diners received a seafood course next featuring Albacore Tuna we were pleased that Edible Canada flexibly provided us with an expanded version of the tuna side dish of beet greens and autumn squash. Heirloom cherry tomatoes helped to accentuate the flavourful greens, while we enjoyed Eau Vivre Pinot Noir and Cerelia’s red blend “Misceo”. The Pinot Noir is a blend of Similkameen and Okanagan grapes, with tart strawberry flavours, while Misceo is a smooth, low acid Merlot-driven Meritage blend.

Our fourth course diverged substantially from the Bison Short Ribs and beets everyone else received to feature an original gnocchi and vegetable medley that we both adored. Peas, edamame, and green beans supported mushrooms, greens, and even some edible flower petals as we devoured the mouth-watering fresh gnocchi. The wine pairings for everyone included Robin Ridge Gamay and Seven Stones’ new 2008 Meritage. Robin Ridge retained the services of Master of Wine Rhys Pender for some detailed and very accurate tasting notes: I could really notice the ripe cherry and toasted almond aromas in the Gamay Noir. George Hanson’s newly released Meritage follows two highly award-winning vintages and has already received prominent praise for its juicy berry characteristics and long finish.

Both Forbidden Fruit and Rustic Roots received repeat consideration with the dessert course: vanilla, blueberry basil, and peach galette was served with crème fraîche ice cream. The lightly flavoured crispy galette was an ideal match for the rich but delicate wines, while the ice cream was almost dangerously delicious! Forbidden Fruit’s “Crushed Innocence” is a white peach dessert wine that is both pure and elegant, while Rustic Roots’ Apricot is made from three different varieties of organic apricots – equally refreshing and well suited to the final course of the meal. Both wines summarized nicely the excellent pairings, delicious food, and talented winemakers we celebrated that evening. Cheers to the Similkameen!