Finally, the sunny, warm weather is with us here in BC. Winter was dreadful, but now we can get out on the patio and enjoy some freshly vinified BC white wine. The 2016 harvest was very good in BC and produced wines with good flavour character and acidity. Recently I attended the Bloom BC VQA Spring Release Tasting and tasted through mainly white wines, and a few red wines, which I hope you will enjoy for the summer.
BC’s wine industry has come along since it started with 17 grape wineries in 1990 to 275 as of March 2017. Pinot Gris and Chardonnay make up 42% of all the white wine we produce, while Merlot and Pinot Noir account for 51% of our red wines. Besides wine production, we also have many visitors to our wineries. Lately, BC wineries have welcomed more than 1 million visitors each year.
Here are a dozen + 2 BC wines to set you on your path for Summer.
White Wines
Arrowleaf Cellars Riesling 2015 – Light petrol, apple, and orange nose. Dryish, with medium body and acidity. Apple and Mandarin orange flavours. Nice. 
Calliope Wines Viognier 2016 – Very light stone fruit and orange aromas in the glass, with more following on the palate. The wine is dry and round, with medium acidity. Quite delicious. 
Calliope Wines Sauvignon Blanc 2016 – Green fruit with stone fruit aromas in support. Dry and round with higher acidity. Grapefruit, stone fruit and some green fruit flavours too.
Cassini Cellars Unoaked Chardonnay 2015 – Nice fruity nose primarily pears and other stone fruit. Medium body, silky mouthfeel. Ripe pears and a hint of spices in the mouth.
Church & State Wines Signature Pinot Gris 2016 – Nice ripe stone fruit nose. Dry, higher acidity, with some roundness to it. Stone fruit, lime and orange flavours. Finishes with some citrus pith. Very good.
Church & State Signature Chardonnay 2015 – Medium intensity, ripe tropical fruit, pears and vanilla aromas. Fuller bodied, round with a thick, rich mouthfeel. Pears, tropical fruit and vanilla flavours.
Corcelettes Estate Winery Gewürztraminer 2016 – Nicely aromatic; lychee and roses, with more on the palate, along with tropical fruit, followed by grapefruit. You get layers of flavour with this wine. Medium plus body, round with medium acid. Some bitter pith on the finish. A patio sipper.
Gold Hill Winery Viognier 2013 – Light stone fruit nose. Dry, medium plus acidity with a light acidic prickle on your tongue. Light stone fruit flavours along with some spice. An elegant wine.
Hillside Winery Un-oaked Pinot Gris 2016 – Melon, peach and floral components make up this wine’s aromas. Dryish, soft with medium acidity. A mix of floral, honey and stone fruit flavours. Tasty.
Howling Bluff Three Mile Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2016 – Nice nose; a combination of jalapeno pepper and green fruit. More jalapeno and green fruit on the palate, along with some lime. Dry, medium acidity. Nicely balanced.
Red Wines
Privato Vineyard and Winery Tesoro Pinot Noir 2014 – Light red cherry, violets, nutmeg and dill on the nose. More violets on the palate along with red fruits and some sweet spices. Dry, medium minus body with fine tannins.
Robin Ridge Gamay 2014 – Nice plummy nose. Dry, medium minus body, round and light acidity. More plum flavour and some spice on the palate. Very good.
Robin Ridge Cabernet Franc 2014 – Light intensity dark cherry and plum nose. Medium plus body, medium acidity. Quite fruity; plums and cherries, along with some pepperiness that kicks in mid-palate. Firmer tannins.
Thornhaven Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2016 – Smokey, red fruit nose. Dry, medium body, with a mix of red fruits, smokiness and minerality. Fine tannins. Good quality.
