Wines of Canada – Discover the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia

The only time I’ve visited the Okanagan Valley wine region in British Columbia was during a conference in 2013. I had the opportunity to visit wineries that were (and still are) producing beautiful selections in breathtaking settings. I’ve longed to return.

Fast forward to a few months ago. I met Canadian native Jenny Book at a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) class in Chicago where she instructed and I poured wines for attentive learners thirsty for knowledge (and more wine!). During lunch, our conversation revolved around Canadian wines and her affinity for the people and landscape in the country she calls home.  I discovered that Jenny lived coast to coast before settling in Alberta. She has the International Sommelier Guild Diploma and achieved the Top Canadian Graduate Award in the WSET Diploma in 2012. Jenny has traveled extensively in pursuit of wine knowledge and loves to share her passion for wine education as a WSET instructor in Canada and the USA.

Naturally, I wanted to tap into Jenny’s expertise about the Okanagan Valley. The result is her excellent article about a region she loves. Enjoy the read!

Canada is a bit off the beaten track for most when it comes to wine. Have you had a Canadian Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot or Syrah? If the answer is no, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Total plantings for all of Canada are around 31,100 acres (similar to land under vine in Oregon) and are spread over provinces that span 5,700 km, thus the vast majority of production is consumed locally and few (if any) of the best bottles will leave Canadian soil. This means you’ve got to seek them out – but it’s worth it. Canadian wine has been winning in international competitions for decades and the bar is very high these days for quality to cost ratio.

Being that Canada is so big there’s a vast geography between viticulture coast to coast. British Columbia rules the west. It lies directly north of Washington and has 9 delineated geographic indications (GIs) within, that stretch from Vancouver Island in the west to the Kootenays nestled in the Rocky Mountains in the east. The most significant of these GIs is the Okanagan Valley which is home to around 85% of BC’s vineyard acreage and approx. 2/3 of the 280+ wineries in the province.

Strikingly beautiful with incredible views of the lakes and mountains, the Okanagan Valley is considered one of the most picturesque wine growing regions in the world. It lies between the Coastal Mountains and the Rockies with a North-South orientation guided by lakes and rivers. By latitude it spans 49-51°N and is decidedly a northern continental climate, however there are definitive differences between the North Okanagan and the South, and as such there are defined sub-regions that carve up the valley. From North to South there’s Lake Country, Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland, Naramata Bench, Penticton, Kaleden, Okanagan Falls, Skaha Bench, Golden Mile Bench, Oliver, Black Sage Bench, and Osoyoos. The province is in the process of officially designating these sub-regions with Golden Mile Bench, Naramata Bench, Skaha Bench and Okanagan Falls already legally defined.

It’s quite amazing how different the north feels from the south. Consider this: the south is literally a desert (the northern extension of the Sonoran Desert in fact), hot, very dry, often very sandy with sparse sage brush growing as the wild vegetation. In this dry heat the south is considered best for ripening thicker skinned red grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and even newcomers like Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and Tannat. In the North there’s much more natural vegetation with conifers, deciduous trees and green vegetation.  Not surprising as it receives approximately 50% more rainfall than the south (though still low at approx. 12 in/yr) and is also noticeably cooler with daily highs typically 5°F lower or more. As such, the North is better suited to Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir.

One commonality between the North and the South is the purity and length of the sunshine hours. The Okanagan Valley gets 16 hours of sun/day in the peak of the summer. This is 2 hours more than in Napa and so vital for ripening because even though it can be hot during the day (sometimes 104°F) there is a large diurnal variation and evening temperatures can swing into the 50s. This means grape ripening is prolonged and acids stay high. The growing season is also relatively short being so far north – spring springs late and fall can come abruptly so those 2 extra hours of sun are essential for achieving ripeness. Stylistically Okanagan Valley wines can be defined by their purity of fruit and relatively high acid profile but you can find everything from full bodied age worthy reds to fresh and fruity whites within this profile.

It’s really a region to see firsthand as it’s beautifully set up for tourism. Many wineries have tasting rooms and award-winning restaurants to keep you happily rolling along your way. There’s far too much to see in one trip – you’ll be spoiled for choice – but I’ll leave you with a few brief notes and highlights of my latest trip through the valley that will hopefully inspire you to seek out a bottle of Canadian wine in the near future.

For world class sparkling wine Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards is a great place to begin. Located in Peachland where afternoon shade maintains a nervy acid in the wines, these traditional method sparklers are fresh and focused and show a lovely depth of autolytics.  The Fitz Brut which spends a minimum of 2 years on the lees is oh so easy to sip! It’s a beautiful aperitif style bubbly which seems to disappear from the glass all too quickly. The blanc de blancs is a great choice from their reserve selection if you’re looking for something a little more serious. 100% Chardonnay and aged for 36 months on the lees, this is savoury with great length and a perfect pairing with bbq white fish or chicken.

For lesser known grape varieties Bench 1775 is knocking out a great Tempranillo and Teroldego. There are only miniscule plantings of these grapes in the valley so you won’t see much of them but they’re definitely proof of the experimentation that exists throughout the valley. These thick skinned reds grow in Southern Okanagan and yield wines that are inky in the glass and brimming with brambly fruit and balanced firm tannins. Love these wines for a step away from the ordinary! A fun addition to the wines of Bench 1775 is a new collaboration with Bird’s Eye Bistro. Stalwart restauranteurs Jackie Cooke and Kirk Shaw are behind this unpretentious and tasty fresh seasonal menu. We had a gorgeous watermelon salad, warm olives and quiche with a glass of Bench 1775 Sauvignon Blanc – killer pairing – and the view from their relaxed patio is one of the best in the Okanagan.

For aromatic whites Wild Goose Winery in Okanagan Falls makes classic Alsatian style blends and single varietal wines. Their Pinot Gris is one of the best in the valley delivering richness in apple, spice and hay notes. Autumn Gold is a fan favourite – an aromatic blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Blanc it has noticeable but balanced residual sugar and lovely nectarine fruit, laden with spice and floral notes. The Mystic River Gewurztraminer delivers a true Gew experience – great lychee, rose and ginger highlight the complexity in this off-dry texturally rich single vineyard wine.

For textural Pinot Noir and peppery Syrah, Tightrope Winery is a must see. Winemaker Lyndsay O’Rourke maintains a lovely balance in her wines which is apropos considering the name Tightrope. She makes gorgeous whites too, but my favourites are her reds, Pinot and Syrah – both show a great density of fruit and are always balanced in acidity and alcohol. Tightrope Winery really nails what is possible in the Okanagan – outstanding wines that show a sense of the valley, are most definitely competitive against an international palate of wine, and maintain an excellent ratio of quality to cost, killer.

Thank you, Jenny.

Cheers! ~ Cindy