The BC Wine industry is more than making wine and selling wine, so much more. On Monday, November 6 Wine Growers of BC held an informative SWOT discussion.
SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, a SWOT analysis is a technique for assessing these four aspects of a business model. SWOT Analysis is a tool that can help you to analyze what an industry does best now, and to devise a successful strategy for the future. (i)
Moderated by DJ Kearney with panelists: Alistair Even, JoieFarm; Bailey Williamson, Blue Grouse Estate Winery; Charlie Baessler, Corcelettes Estate Winery; David Paterson, Tantalus Vineyards; Ross Wise, Black Hills Estate Winery and Severine Pinite, La Stella Winery; it was an interesting discussion that ranged from subjects like climate change to sustainability.
Relatively young in the world of wine, BC’s modern wine industry is one of the province’s rising economic stars. As of March 2023, there were 341 licensed grape wine wineries in the province, and BC VQA Wine is the second-best-selling category in BC, with greater than 19 per cent of the market (behind only BC non-VQA wine). In 2019, BC wineries welcomed almost 1.2 million visitors, generating over $600 million in associated revenue for the province. Including both tourism and retail, BC’s wineries generally contribute about $3.75 billion annually to the provincial economy. (ii)
While listening to an update from each of the panelists we also were tasting a selection of twelve wines. This gave us an opportunity to learn about what each panelist, and the winery they represent, considered to be the direction each felt important while also sharing their insight on a diverse number of subjects relating to the industry as a whole.
Here are the wines that were tasted along with the winery notes and my impressions. With a few exceptions these wines are currently available for you to enjoy.
JoieFarm Plein de Vis Sparkling Rosé 2022
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley
Bright red fruit characteristics combine with crisp acidity and subtle sweetness. This juicy medley of watermelon, tangy cranberry and succulent raspberry is delicate but leaves a lasting impression. Carbonation adds vibrant effervescence that dances both visually in the glass and refreshingly on the palate. This wine full of life!
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
• Secrest Mountain Vineyard, Oliver*
Production Notes
Chardonnay was picked on September 26th and went straight to press, partially in whole clusters. Pinot Noir was picked on October 19th and cold soaked overnight for colour and light tannin extraction. After pressing it was settled 2 days in tank, then racked with a portion being set aside for ferment in puncheons using a combination of ambient and commercial yeasts. All ferments finished in 14 days. After combining all portions, the base wine was aged 2 months on fine lees before secondary fermentation. Charmat method was used to produce a gentle but satisfying mousse.
Other Notes
Chardonnay 53%, Pinot Noir 47%
Very pleasant notes of wild strawberries mixed with violets, a hint of straw and delicate rose petals give way to dusting powder. Delicate floral notes with a pinch of citrus.
An interesting tangy acidity that I enjoyed. Some subtle caramel notes, warm, soothing and fairly light and so drinkable.
$35.56 available online and at the winery
The conversation revolved around consumer trends, health and wellness. The younger market are keen for wine in cans.
La Stella Winery Vivace White Pinot Grigio 2022
Okanagan Valley
VIVACE IN 7 WORDS
Vibrant, Grapefruit, Lime, Peach, Floral, Lanolin, Mouthwatering
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
We celebrate the fact that we make wine in a region where vintage variations play an important role. Typical growing seasons are a nightmare for commercial wineries interested in making consistent but boring wines. For us, however, it defines our interest in wine. We look forward to seeing what Mother Nature gives us to work with each year. It is the effects of each vintage on the finished wine that urges us to start verticals of our favourite wines then follow their evolution and discuss their merits at tastings with friends.
Careful canopy management, early picking, and selection from cooler microclimates has given us a wine with low alcohol % but one that is lively, full and chiseled. 2022 Vivace is frankly one of our absolute strongest efforts to date. perhaps our greatest iteration yet. It is absolutely enthralling to see such a complex wine for this humble grape variety. The wine greets you on the nose with a very expressive note of bergamot rind, desert vegetation (sage) and lime juice. The palate is packed with a melange of citrus fruits before it finishes with tart apple and zest notes. The long finish carries on way beyond what many come to expect from this humble but noble grape variety. Vivace is Grigio gone to CrossFit.
PAIRINGS
Di Carne
Seared West Coast Halibut with a Brown Butter Lemon Thyme Sauce or Roasted Chicken on the Crown with Pan Drippings and Side Garden Vegetables or Salish Mussels steamed in a Light White Wine, Lemongrass and Ginger broth are favourite pairings.
Vegetariano / Vegana
A variety of Roasted Vegetables with pistachio Kale Pesto Sauce or a Bright Baby Greens Salad with Roasted Nuts and Fresh Berries.
A slight scent of oak with green grass, crisp aromas and a hint of crème caramel on the nose. Some brioche. A light wine with moderate acidity. A simple uncomplicated wine. Not quite what I had expected.
$25.99 available online and at the winery
Most of the discussion was about sustainability and the very small percentage of BC wineries signing on to the trend. In the U.S. wine market 75% of buyers are influenced by “sustainable” on the label and will pay up to $3. extra.
For LaStella a switch to lighter wine bottles saves not only the environment but also saves on things like shipping costs. A win for wine buyers.
Tantalus Vineyards Old Vines Riesling 2020
Our Old Vines Riesling is made for those seeking a wine with elegance and a sense of place. Made exclusively from a single block of our 1978 Riesling plantings, its purity conveys all that is special about our historic, old vineyard – coupled with our team’s constant pursuit to craft world class wines.
A fresh green gold in the glass, aromatics gently emerge as the wine opens from its two-year bottle slumber. Notes of beeswax, mandarin skin, wet river rock, moss, lemon oil with granny smith apple and a hint of white flowers all play their part.
A beautiful balance persists on the palate with big notes of key lime pie, mandarin and fresh white peach. Year after year this wine carries remarkable length and finishes with a classic Tantalus nervy character and intriguing minerality. Built to age.
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
Our “Block 5” of 1978 plantings, sits on a north facing slope of deep, silty soils. This two-acre parcel of Clone 21B Riesling is bordered by a mature Ponderosa pine forest on its western and northern edges. The tall stand of pines bufer the late afternoon and evening sun, offering dappled light exposure and therefore slower ripening in late summer and early autumn.
We haven’t changed much about the winemaking behind this Riesling since its 2005 inception. We take the gently whole bunch pressed juice from our 1978 plantings of Riesling. We settle and then ferment at 11-12 deg C for 45 days. Very simple winemaking. Nothing added and nothing taken away. As always, the wine has rested in bottle in our cellar for 2 years before its spring release.
This is a wine I will never tire of. The glass is filled with beautiful scents and for me the slight, and pleasant, aroma of diesel that I look for in my glass of riesling.
This is a classy wine with its scents of violets and minerality. Hints of salted popcorn, a quick swirl and the diesel is more pronounced.
An excellent wine, mellow and smooth. Inticing caramel flavours, light goldlen in colour, a perfect riesling. Sadly this vintage is sold out.
The grapes came from 45 year old vines and produced 600 cases, in 2023 210 cases. The grapes were picked early this year after experiencing no rain at times for weeks. A summer of intense heat preceded by colder winters creating a greater swing in conditions between the seasons.
Black Hills Vineyards Viognier 2022
NEW RELEASE!
Our 2022 Viognier displays vibrant, fresh acidity and intense aromatics.
A Rhône Valley variety that is perfectly at home in the South Okanagan. Our Viognier is the best suited of all white varieties to the Black Sage Bench, easily handling intense summer sun and high temperatures. It ripens late in the season, allowing cooler temperatures to protect and enhance the intense stone fruit and floral aromas it’s known for.
As for all our white wines, we press Viognier using extended gentle press cycles. This Alsatian method of pressing allows us to extract the full aromatic and textural potential from the berries while keeping the juice clear and fine. In 2022, a portion of Black Hills Viognier was fermented and aged in concrete vessels. Concrete vessels allow the wine to retain fresh fruit aromas as it would in stainless steel tanks but bring additional layers of complexity and texture.
100% Viognier
Tasting Notes
Intensely aromatic when first opened, the nose on our 2022 Viognier is a pure expression of ripe orchard fruit – peach and apricot, supported by white flowers, baking spice, and subtle quince and orange zest. The intensity of fruit follows on the textured palate with a hint of marmalade and creaminess from extended lees contact. Bright acidity cleanses the palate and dried apricot highlights a lengthy finish.
Production
Hand harvested, bunch sorted, whole bunch pressed.
A distinct very clear and light in colour. Sweet scents evolving into floral, tropical with cocoanut and pineapple reminiscent of a ChiChi cocktail. Hard candy and aromas of sweet peas and gardenias, some underlying, almost hidden, scents of oak. I also picked up hints of sweet bread buns, Easter bread and toasted raisin bagels.
The flavour is light and floral and quite pleasant. Balanced with good, strong acidity. Lingering in the mouth with a tiny bit of a slightly sharp finish.
For the most part the topic of discussions was a concrete cubes versus stainless steel comparison.
Blue Grouse Vineyards Chardonnay 2022
100% CHARDONNAY
100% barrel aged for 7 months, notes of candy apple, caramel, and citrus alongside a crisp salinity reflective of the Cowichan Valley.
Viticulture and Composition
VINTAGE 2022
GRAPES 100% Chardonnay
GI Vancouver Island
SUB GI Cowichan Valley
This wine is provokingly oakey and spicey on the nose. A scent similar to a viognier, quite powerful in the glass. Exhibiting pleasant scents of brandy.
This Chardonnay is typical of what we have come to expect from B.C. Fairly oakey and strong on the palate. Definitely for lovers of a traditional chardonnay.
$30.99 available online and at the winery
The discussion revolved around the complexities of a large family winery umbrella as opposed to it’s past as a small, family owned and run winery.
The Jackson family have consistently established a committed and responsible approach to winery management. With expectations of continued support for the BC wine industry.
Blue Grouse Vineyards Pinot Noir 2021
100% PINOT NOIR
Partially whole cluster fermented and aged in amphora. Barrel aged for 16 months. Notes of red fruits, forest floor and spice. This wine is a true reflection of Vancouver Island where the water meets the forest.
Viticulture and Composition
VINTAGE 2021 GRAPES 100% Pinot Noir
GI Vancouver Island
SUB GI Cowichan Valley
Slightly lighter in colour with strong scents of cranberries, peat and spice. Hints of dill and grass.
Light and fruity, with pleasant flavours of blackberries and black pepper. Still a little young but with good acidity. The mouth follows the nose with cranberry, just a slight, but enjoyable tartness, with ripe, lingering flavours.
$38.99 available online and at the winery
Discussions on the broad spectrum of clones. Of course also touching on the Cowichan Valley and islands climate where it is seldom too cold or too hot and irrigation is less of an issue, giving the winemaker the advantage of consistent quality and quantities, year after year.
JoieFarm PTG 2022
PTG combines elegant Pinot Noir with rich, spicy Gamay to create an incredibly well-balanced wine. We work with Pinot Noir and Gamay because we feel that they excel in the cool, lake-moderated, desert climate of south-central British Columbia. The superiority of these varietals in our terroir is undeniable and, equally important, is their compatibility with Pacific Northwest cuisine.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2020
Varietal
Gamay
Appellation
Okanagan Valley
A bistro style wine with an offering of value for money. Scents are pleasant with somewhat of a ripeness component and some hard candy notes. The wine is lighter with good acidity. A peppery and spicey finish.
$31.22 available online and at the winery
Discussion was about the market that is catering somelwhat to the younger generation of wine drinkers. Not necessarily overly sophisticated but nevertheless quite knowledgable.
Tantalus Vineyards Syrah 2021 Further Afield Series
100% Syrah
Our Further Afield Series has emerged out of a desire for our winemaking team to explore British Columbia’s most revered varieties, beyond our vineyard borders. Sourced from compelling sites but crafted with a Tantalus perspective.
We adore Syrah for its expressive, bold character and rich density and winemaker David Paterson and proprietor Eric Savics felt it was high time to work with this variety under the Tantalus family of wines. We hope you enjoy the inaugural results of this endeavour, further afield.
A vibrant deep garnet in colour in the glass, this Syrah release is beautifully lifted with intense notes of violets and blue fruits, alongside touches of charcuterie, anise and licorice. Intriguing hints of white pepper, cedar sap and cherry candy add a wonderful complexity to the nose. The palate is very juicy, with loads of blackberry, dark plum and black cherry present. A little peppery baking spice and red licorice complement the palate. The finish is long and lifted with great clarity and minerality. The tannins are fine grained and very well integrated.
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
The Syrah entered the winery at the end of our on site harvest season in perfectly ripe condition from Blind Creek vineyard, located in the Similkameen Valley. Strikingly different to our East Kelowna soils and climatic conditions, the vineyard plot sits on a gentle slope, comprised of broken granite and stony soils. This unique site is nestled against the mountain, which provides heat reflection back on to the vineyard, offering ideal ripening conditions for this fuller body red variety.
Four separate batches of fruit were vinified, each one fermented at slightly different temperatures with different yeasts (including some wild fermentation). Ferments took place over various lengths of time to gain layers and complexity. The wine was then pressed and settled to French oak barrels, of which 15% were new. Further élevage took place in barrel for 11 months of maturing before racking and a gentle filtration. The wine was bottled in late summer of 2022.
This wine has a dark, rich colour in the glass. Powerful scents of ripeness, liquorice, spice, tobacco, some dusty notes with a slight undertone of smokiness.
The wine does have some smokey flavours but the ripe goodness is rich and smooth with lighter than expected tannins. A dry and very interesting wine with depth and a black pepper finish.
$34.78 available online and at the winery
The topic of discussion was very much about climate and climate change and how it affects the vines, the winemaking process. Challenges for the region overall and how all involved are planning for the future. Sustainability is the key to longevity of the wine industry.
Corcelettes Estate Winery Syrah Viognier 2021
Unfortunately this wine is no longer available and will not be returning to the winery. No wine notes were available.
The wine exhibits ripe, dark fruit scents of mainly blackberry, with red cherries, even a touch of marochino cherry, and is fairly oakey. The floral, almost perfumed, scents of viognier are also present on the nose.
The wine shows good acidity, is dry and fairly smooth. An oakey finish with hints of prunes and red plum.
Corcelettes Estate Winery Merlot 2020
When describing our Merlot, like all wines, it starts in the vineyard. The Similkameen’s climate and soil profiles are so ideal for Merlot vines that the resulting fruit expresses a purity and freshness that has critics and enthusiast all sorts of shook up! Many of our Merlot blocks are 16 years old, some are own rooted and consist of three different clones. All Merlot blocks are planted on varying aspects and slopes, but all are rooted in our infamous ‘stemwinder’ soil. All these unique blocks are tended to separately, hand harvested at their individual times and cellared in small lots. Merlot is an important part of our wine program so this strategy allows us to better understand these separate blocks and their resulting wines. This Merlot is assembled after 12 months of barrel aging by carefully selecting complimenting lots and then aged another 6 months as a blend. The combined barrel program is represented by 72% French and 28% American oak.
Stemwinder soil is extremely rocky, the average stone looks volcanic and is about the size of a baseball-they are dark, porous and jagged- there’s also a lot of shale in Stemwinder soil. Our Merlot captures the essence of this distinct terroir and expresses the Similkameen Valley beautifully!
Awards
Gold Medal, NWAC 2023
Vineyard Notes
100% Corcelettes Estate Vineyard, Stemwinder Soil, self-rooted clones 181 and 184, Similkameen Valley.
Winemaker Notes
Harvested by hand on multiple dates, fermented in several small lots and aged for 18 months in a combination of 72% French and 28% American oak barrels.
Food Pairing Notes
Anything Italian is fun! Also pairs well with sharp cheeses, smoked ribs, and chili.
At first this wine gives some unusual and unlikely scents that give way red roses and heavy oak with ripe berries. The wine is ripe and complex with medium tannins and heavy acidity, fairly smooth with good body.
Discussion revolved around marketing and sales with approximately 25% of all sales happening at the winery tasting room.
$31.90 available online and at the winery
La Stella Winery Fortissimo 2021
FORTISSIMO IN 7 WORDS
Cherry, Plum, Meaty, Herbal, Cigar, Rustic, Bold
WINEMAKING NOTES
Fortissimo is our way of paying respect to the pioneers of Tuscany who challenged the traditions of winemaking in the 50s and 60s to gain recognition for their wines.
2021 Fortissimo is delicious and very charming for such a young red and is more readily accessible than typical vintages. All the components are married seamlessly together. The large format puncheons and Hungarian/Slavonian oak are evident in the subtle way the oak is present with whispers of baking spice notes.
Overall the wine has fantastic layers of fruit and savoury flavours. Bing cherry mingles with red and black cherry fruit. Aromatic herbs and cured tobacco leaves are also starting to emerge. The savoury profile in this wine is even more accentuated in this vintage. The palate is layered and while it is still young and somewhat morphed into itself, it still offers plenty of pleasure in youth.”
PAIRINGS
Di Carne: This wine matched with Tuscan-style cooking is a match made in heaven.Tuscan wild boar stew or rabbit ragu over polenta are two of our favourites.
Vegetariano / Vegano: Potato tortellini with a hearty tomato sauce or a rich vegetarian Cacciucco with Tuscan seasoning are delicious pairings with this wine.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
GRAPE VARIETY: 54% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 4% Sangiovese
GROWN:VINEYARD: 89% Osoyoos Lake District, 11% Black Sage Bench
This is the wine that comes to mind when I think La Stella. Alive with rich blackberry scents and ripe fruit, showing a slight toast on the nose.
A delicious blend that is both rich and wonderfully loaded with very ripe fruit. Smooth with an underlining touch of smoke and charcoal. The dark fruit continues to be prevalent with medium tannins.
$35.99 available online and at the winery
The discussion continued with the topic of sustainability. Something both winemaker Severine Pinte is very comitted to and very passionate about. More on this subject @sustainablewinegrowingbc
Black Hills Estate Winery Tempranillo 2020
Vibrant ruby in colour, the 2020 Tempranillo is packed with ripe raspberry, cherry, and blueberry aromas, along with subtle floral notes. This bold fruit expression is complimented by hints of cedar, licorice, and fresh sage. Maturation in seasoned French oak barrels for 18 months has allowed the essence of the Tempranillo fruit to shine through. The rich concentration and velvety ripe tannins suggest this full-bodied wine can continue to evolve over the next decade, making it a great candidate for cellaring.
With only 100 cases of this vintage produced it’s not surprising this wine is also sold out.
Wonderfully developed rich scents of bold, ripe fruit and delicious ripe cherries.
The palate revels in black cherry, tobacco, and leather. Rather a warm richness with lighter than expected tannins. Some hints of oak with excellent acidity. A beautiful wine.
Discussion was about the plants themselves, specifically the nature of brush vines thought to be more versatile and regenerative.
(i) Google search
(ii) courtesy of Wine Growers of BC
Wine notes and bottle shots courtesy of the winery websites. My notes (in italics). I received an invitation to attend from Wine Growers of BC. The event included the SWOT discussion, tasting twelve wines and a buffet lunch followed by the Swirl wine tasting. Feature image: MyVanCity. All opinions are my own.
