Reading Time: 4 minutes The Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery is located on the famous Golden Mile Bench between Oliver and Osoyoos in the South Okanagan Valley. Walter and Gordon Gehringer own and operate the Oliver Winery. After their father Helmut and his brother Karl completed a seven-year micro-climate evaluation, the present vineyard site was purchased in 1981. In 1985 the winery was built and the first vintage produced. The past 30 years of passionate winemaking on the Golden Mile Bench is reflected in the unparalleled level of consistency. Photo C ..read more

Reading Time: 7 minutes In March, I had the opportunity to visit Hester Creek Estate Winery and participate in a media event for a new wine to be launched in June. I also tasted some of the new wines. Before going to the tasting notes, here is the background information on the 2023 Harvest. The 2023 Harvest “Starting in December of 2022, we knew that the 2023 harvest season in the Okanagan would be one of note. Cold temperatures had all the vintners and winemakers in the valley questioning what their yields might add up to and Hester Creek was no exception. We knew that this growing season w ..read more

Reading Time: 6 minutes Viognier (pronounced vee-own-yay) is a vibrant aromatic white wine originating in the Northern Rhône and rapidly gaining popularity in California, Australia, and beyond. Wines are often aged in oak to deliver Chardonnay-like richness. Viognier is the sixth most planted white grape in British Columbia, with only 235 acres planted. This represents only 4.5% of the total BC white wine grape crop. However, more Viognier is being grown yearly, and the acreage grew by 42% between 2008 and 20221. Here are some excellent BC Viognier wines for your tasting enjoyment. Church & ..read more

Reading Time: 9 minutes BC Syrah or Shiraz?  That is the question.  Born in Melbourne, my go-to red wine was a big, bold Shiraz with steak on the Barbie.  Now living in the Okanagan, my palate has also expanded to enjoy the Northern Rhône style Syrahs. BC is small potatoes compared to the major Syrah/Shiraz growing regions, only 550 acres! Syrah Wine Regions total ~460,000 acres worldwide (186,000 hectares) France (169,000 acres) Côtes du Rhône: Cornas, Hermitage, St. Joseph, Côte-Rôtie Australia (105,000 acres) Barossa, McLaren Vale, Limestone Coast Spain (49,00 ..read more

Reading Time: < 1 minute WGBC Full Members You can download the latest list from the WGBC site. WGBC ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Back Door Winery BC Tree Fruits Cider Co. Burrowing Owl Vineyards Castoro de Oro Estate Element Cider Co. Forbidden Fruit Winery Lonetree Cidery Festina Lente Estate Winery and Meadery Frind Estate Maan Farms Estate Winery Meadow Vista Honey Wines Millionaire’s Row Cider Co. Northern Lights Estate Winery Okanagan Hills Estate Winery Sanduz Wines Scenic Road Cider Company Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery Non- WGBC Wineries Averill Creek Beau ..read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes Here are three excellent Pinot Noirs from the Jackson Family Wines: La Crema / Monterey, California Blue Grouse / Cowichan Valley, BC Cambria / Santa Barbara, California What makes Jackson Family wines exceptional? Jackson Family Wines is a renowned wine producer committed to quality and innovation. Several factors contribute to the exceptional reputation of their brands. Quality Vineyard Sourcing: Jackson Family Wines has access to prime vineyard sites in various wine regions, allowing them to select grapes from areas with optimal terroir for each varietal. The qua ..read more

Reading Time: 5 minutes If you’re looking for an aromatic, flavourful white wine, Gewürztraminer should be your go-to selection. Historically BC Gewürztraminer tended to be on the sweeter side, but recently several dry Gews have been brought to the Market. A white wine born in the Alsace region of France, this wine smells identical to lychee fruit. Seriously, the wine shares the same aroma compounds as the exotic fruit. So if you’re ever tasting Gewürztraminer and someone asks what you smell, you can always say lychee — you’ll never be wrong!1 Other complex aromas include ruby red grapefruit ..read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes Have you been tasting BC Wine all day and need to rejuvenate your palate? Look no further than the great selection at Gone Crackers! Choose from – Undressed crackers Olive Oil & Cracked Pepper Roasted Shallot and Herb Parmesan & Rosemary Blue Cheese & Cracked Pepper Canadian Cheddar and Chive If you love a good port or dessert wine, you can now enjoy these drinks with a selection of Gone Kooky – Coconut-Oat, Cinnamon & Spice and Cafe´Dream. GONE CRACKERS – Undressed Wineries demand this cracker for their wine tastings because it is the perfect palate ..read more

Reading Time: 8 minutes Recently, I was chatting with a successful BC winemaker about how difficult it is to make money as a small producer in the BC Wine industry. He said, “Honestly, it all comes down to exit strategy.  That is where your payout is!  You use your revenue to “weather the storm” and your payout comes when you sell your land.” The price of Okanagan vineyard land continues to escalate. When I first looked at vineyard costs, $100K per acre was a good price. Not anymore. Covert Farm white grape vineyard parcel was offered at $250K per acre and an ..read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes Dirty Laundry Vineyard introduces the 2023 BC White vintage. The winery is renowned for: Unique Name and History: The vineyard gets its name from a laundry run by Chinese immigrants during the Gold Rush era in Summerland. This intriguing backstory adds character and interest to the vineyard. Scenic Location: Situated in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, the Dirty Laundry Vineyard boasts stunning views of the surrounding landscape, including picturesque vineyards and Okanagan Lake. Its location makes it an attractive destination for visitors seeking excellent wine an ..read more