B.C. Wine Country I t ’s i n t h e Gl a ss
By Julianna Hayes
Tourism BC/Don Weixl
Prominent wine critic Jancis Robinson once referred to one of B.C.’s grape-growing areas as the“most famous wine region she’s never visited.” In 2009, she finally crossed it off her bucket list. Her glowing description of it as “a ribbon of lakes with sandy beaches threaded between slopes of ponderosa pines, granite cliffs and vine-covered benchland,” could easily have been plucked from a tourism brochure. But you know what? All of B.C.’s wine-growing regions really are that beautiful with diverse landscapes that are truly unique. Yes it’s true, any place can call itself pretty. Where British Columbia wine country really delivers is in the glass – to which Robinson firmly attested.
The Regions
The Okanagan/Similkameen Valley is B.C.’s largest and oldest wine appellation and has experienced unprecedented growth over the last two decades. The Okanagan is an ecological wonder. It stretches more than 100 kilometres and is arid, receiving less than 30 mm of precipitation annually. Okanagan Lake fills most of the valley floor and offers welcome respite from the blistering summer heat. An additional attraction is the vast array of wildlife species, including big horn sheep, cougars, burrowing owls and even rattlesnakes. The Okanagan is home to Canada’s only desert, an extension of the Sonoran, which stretches up from Mexico. This divergent terrain has created unique microclimates in the various pockets of the valley. For that reason, you will find a profound diversity in the varieties of grapes and styles of wines produced here. For example, in the south part of the valley, one will find increasing plots containing highly-prized reds once thought never possible to grow here, such as Zinfandel, Syrah, Carmenere and Sangiovese. Vancouver and the Gulf Islands wine region is far more humid, but is also blessed with microclimates that favour winegrowing. The Cowichan Valley, for example, enjoys rather dry summer months with just over 100 cm of rainfall annually.
4
British Columbia Wine Tour Handbook
Vancouver and the Gulf Islands have a longer growing season, a lower risk of frost in the spring and fall and little or no snow in the winter. These areas are more suitable for growing aromatic whites and lighter-style reds. But fine wines are also being made from tree fruits, berries and even honey. Many island producers purchase grapes from the Okanagan to make fuller-bodied wines. This charming region harkens back to a simpler time, with an easy, casual approach to life. Agritourism is very strong with roadside and farm-gate produce at the ready. Growing conditions are similar in B.C.’s third primary wine producing region, the Fraser Valley, which has a collection of wineries in an area rich in agricultural roots. Its proximity to Vancouver makes it highly accessible and provides excellent opportunities for rural daytrips and urban excursions. Fraser Valley producers focus mainly on growing whites and lighter reds, along with picking up fruit from the Okanagan.