We’ll be visiting in a week and wondering what to keep an eye out for on wine lists. Looking for food friendly crisp whites with good acidity and lighter reds. Anyone producing distinctive wines, farmed organically/bio and taste where they come from? Love to hear your thoughts.
Not sure if you would call them good, but it seems Mission Hill Family Estate is worth tracking down.
This page may also be helpful in your endeavor:
The more largely distributed producers(from that list), at least from my visit this past weekend are:
- Burrowing Owl
- Inniskillin
Gregg,
From a couple of tasting experiences it is a bit of a crap shoot but fun. No idea about the farming practices, but there are still a number of “distinctive” whites being made as some of those odd German crossings are planted in BC. I’ve had Kerner, Sieggerebe, Baachus, etc up there. There are some very good wines (Mission Hill is a good choice), but it ain’t Napa…
I did three days of tasting in the Okanagan valley last year and found a few whites I liked. Nothing exceptional (except the ice wine), but certainly totally passable. Most of the reds were definitely not my style (going for the whole warm climate, California/Washington thing), so I doubt they’d be yours based on what you said you’re looking for. I’ve been to most of the places listed thus far. You can read my report of what the wineries are like and my tasting notes here:
https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=14599
Certainly a beautiful area…
David
If you have time, go to the Salt Tasting Room near Gastown (Vancouver). A good number of Okanagan wines are poured. Wish I could recall the wineries, but my wife and I had a very nice Gamay and Cab Franc. No spoofilization on those. You’re smart to stick to the local stuff because imported wine in BC is hideously expensive. BC has the highest import tax of all the Canadian provinces.
I grew up in Vancouver and my parents are still there, so I visit a couple of times a year and always try to sample B.C. wines. For the most part, they’re not that exciting, but they have improved vastly. There’s a good range of whites from vinifera grapes now and the reds have improved. The Okanagan is very hot in the summer, but most of the wines I’ve had retained decent acidity.
One I’ve particularly liked is an off-dry riesling from Joie. I first had it in a restaurant, but it’s widely available and cheap.
Several years ago I had a fine pinot from Nichol in a restaurant at a time the wines were largely unavailable at retail. I was much less keen on their cabernet franc and Skt. Laurent when I tried them two years ago, but I think the winery is worth watching.
Larry - Thanks for the tip on Salt Tasting Room. I don’t it, but I’ll be there next month, so I’ll have to check it out.
I’ll keep an eye out for Mission Hill. Salt looks interesting for a later night visit. The Joie Farms Riesling sounds perfect for our Vij’s dinner. I found this place: YEW restaurant + bar. They offer 50% the entire list on Sundays and so close to our hotel, I’ll probably stop in. I appreciate the comments.
I recently had a better than just decent Pinot Noir from Blue Mountain.
Other good wines I have tried include Burrowing Owl, Cedar Creek, and Quail’s Gate.
I can’t say that I have been impressed with Mission Hill
Here is a link to a wine writer form BC who has tons more recommendations.
P Hickner
Yes - Blue Mountain is also quite good.
On a related note, apparently you will now be able to BYO to BC restaurants.
P Hickner
Thanks Peter. Any more info the byo? Any limitations? What are places charging for corkage?
Had a great pinot from Foxtrot while in BC. Okanagan Valley. A real surprise.
Really? That would be nice, wine prices in restaurants there are brutal.
Unfortunately, the retail prices on foreign wines are brutal, too – ghastly, in fact – and you’re only allowed to bring two bottles into the country.
To answer the original question, yes there are some good BC wines, but they are the exception rather than the rule.
Mission Hill might be compared with with Mondavi for size and range of product, although Mondavi’s wines are overall better. Mission Hill is a good place to visit…the property and views are incredible and you can have a nice bite at the restaurant.
Quail’s Gate is a few minutes from Mission Hill and they make pretty decent pinot noir (they have a NZ origin winemaker). Ive been told their chenin blanc can also be beautiful, but I have yet to try it myself. The restaurant here is also quite nice for lunch or dinner.
I would also visit Tantalus. They make the best riesling in BC for sure, especially there ‘Old Vines’ bottling.
Another good place to visit is Blue Mountain. It is one of most beautiful vineyard settings I have ever seen. The stripe label ‘reserve’ wines can be pretty decent in certain vintages.
But from a pure wine quality stand point, it would a true shame to visit the okanagan region and not visit Le Vieux Pin, LaStella and Tantalus. Boutique wineries that make the best wines in BC, hands down. Places like Mission Hill, Quail’s Gate and Blue Mountain are great for the grand property, restaurants and tourist aspects, but from a wine quality aspect, Le Vieux Pin and LaStella are it. I only buy and cellar wines from three BC wineries, Le Vieux Pin, LaStella and Tantalus (old vines riesling).
Full disclaimer - I am friends with Rasoul, who posts on this board and works for LVP and LaStella. But this has only given me more opportunities to taste the wines from LVP and LaStella, meet the people behind them and see the passion they put into their craft.
I would also include a meal at Mirodoro restaurant (at Tinhorn Creek winery).
Thanks, Devin! This is a great guide for me on my next Vancouver trip.
In the reds, I should have added Osoyoos Larose, the joint venture with Gruaud Larose. I brought a bottle of the 2008 back to NYC this spring and served it blind. It was surprisingly good. At first it seemed a bit too extracted and tannic, but it opened up and really began to show well. Quite an impressive showing. I gave it ~88 with more potential.
Personally I enjoyed Dirty Laundry as one of my favorites to visit and picnic on the patio. It’s laid back, rural place with great views and a fun tasting room. For the whole region I think the whites are always your best bet, particularly the Rieslings. At Dirty Laundry another favorite was the Woo Woo Gewurtztraminer.
I’ve been up to the Okanagan twice in the last five years. I’ll agree with David Paris. Lots of good enough wine. But I was fairly blown away by Blue Mountain. Terrific pinot, chard and bubbly. You can tell just looking at the tightly spaced, low to the ground and meticulously hedged vines that they’re not farming things the normal way up there. The wines are worth a search.
There is one key word in this sentence. Allowed.
Devin, what have you had from Le Vieux Pin and LaStella that are good - I get up there a bit and found that the BC wines I like often seem to be limited to one wine from a particular winery. See your Tanatalus take for a possible example.
Mission hill is pretty good… Oculus is a pretty good wine (from Mission Hill)
Foxtrot and Blue mountain Reserve Pinots are both pretty good…
I think BC wines can be summed up as: uber hype marketing, overpriced for what you get, can be very good, to good, to crap… regardless if it’s very good, good or crap, it’s overprice and has way more hype due to marketing than substance
Yes - either you can now, or you will be able to soon - bring your own bottles to restaurants.