Two weeks ago, I wrote about British Columbia’s Similkameen Valley, a picturesque and quiet wine region. The Okanagan Valley is equally picturesque, but far less quiet, especially in and around Kelowna, a city that was described to me as “the Jersey Shore of Canada.” I’m not quite sure what image that conjures up in your mind, but in practice, it meant nearly endless waves of bachelorette parties (locally referred to as “stagettes”) and a kind of manic energy that has fueled rapid growth in the wine industry up and down the shores of Okanagan Lake.
It’s a fascinatingly diverse wine region. Most of the production in the north centers around white varietals and Pinot Noir, as the cooler conditions favor a high-acid style. Given the cooler conditions and the relatively steep slopes of the lake banks, it’s no surprise that Riesling thrives. You can find bone-dry expressions with stark acidity reminiscent of wines from Australia’s Margaret River, as well as slightly riper styles that trend more Alsatian. Even the off-dry wines crackle with acidity, and were often my favorites.
Chardonnay also abounds, with Chablis, not Napa Valley, as the point of reference. In an attempt to balance out the higher acidity, a number of winemakers have been employing extended lees contact to broaden the texture and soften the wines—full malolactic fermentation is also relatively common, along with some new oak usage. The resulting wines were often charming, and occasionally exceptional, as with the 2014s from both Tantalus Vineyard and Quails’ Gate.
Given the conditions, I was actually surprised that relatively few wineries have tried their hand at sparkling wines, but fortunately there are a few exceptions. Blue Mountain is perhaps the best known outside of BC, but for my money, the standout is Summerhill Pyramid. The biodynamic winery turns out not just light and bright offerings, but also some sparklers with extended aging, including a stunning vintage sparkling wine from 1998 that could easily have been mistaken for a $150 bottle of Champagne.
The roster of red wines is a bit more expansive, especially as one considers the whole of the valley. As mentioned, Pinot Noir tends to thrive in the north, though everything from Syrah to Merlot to Zweigelt is planted in at least some quantity. It’s the Syrah that intrigued me most: a bottle of Cuvée Violette from Le Vieux Pin near Oliver almost made me change my itinerary, and several others showed a deft blend of savory and herbaceous notes with clean fruit and a lingering earthy finish. The warmer growing conditions of the Black Sage Bench seemed to favor Bordeaux grapes, though none showed quite the same unique character as the cooler climate varietals.
My biggest takeaway from my trip is that in many ways, the British Columbia wine region is a wine lover’s dream: largely undiscovered outside of Canada, yet with some exceptional wines that can be uncovered with just a bit of exploration. Add to that the natural beauty, and it’s a place I’ll be returning to sooner rather than later.
Zach Geballe is a sommelier at the Dahlia Lounge, the owner of Vine Trainings where he teaches wine classes, and a writer. He lives in Seattle, where he owns more wine than he can reasonably drink, but loves to share. You can find him at @zgeballe or vinetrainings.com.
