Just around the corner from Spearhead Winery is The View Winery & Vineyard. I stopped by to try their wines and to find out that they also make apple cider under the name of Wards Cider. I did not have a chance to try their ciders but purchased a few bottles to try at home.
The View Winery is situated on a parcel of land that has been in the Turton/Ward family for five generations. Historically, fresh market apples were grown on the property. I was told that the tasting room used to be a Packing House, built around 100 years ago. The packing house was a place where fruits and vegetables are processed and packaged for sale. In the mid-1990s wine grapes were planted.
Red Shoe?
Why is there a red shoe on their wine bottle labels? From the winery, “My husband and I went dancing. We danced until my red pumps started to pinch. After heading home and finishing a bottle of Merlot, he playfully removed my shoes and stuffed the heel of one shoe into the empty bottle.
And there it was, with an overturned glass beside it, an image of our own making. It spoke to us of our love of wine, born by accident during a fun and carefree moment.“.
Rhino?
Some of the wine bottles have a drawing of a Rhino on them. Why? There are no rhinos in Canada. Part of the answer is due to the grape, Pinotage, which was made in South Africa by crossing Pinot Noir with Cinsault. “Pinotage, which is a South African grape that, like the rhino, is fairly rare (in the Okanagan Valley). They (owners of The View) eventually decided that all the wine made from Pinotage should be named after the rhino due to its rarity and now, partial proceeds from every bottle sold go toward the World Wildlife Fund’s Adopt a Rhino campaign.” (infotel.ca)
The three wines in the series include the White Rhino, which is a Blanc de Noir made from Pinot Noir and Pinotage, the Pink Rhino, which is a Pinotage Rosé and the Black Rhino, a red made from 100% Pinotage.
Here are notes from a few of the wines that I enjoyed at the winery. I do not know how long each of the bottles has been opened. Newly opened bottles and bottles that have been opened and exposed to air for a while can have differences in aromas and flavours.
My Wine Tasting Notes
The View Winery & Vineyard Dry Riesling 2018 – Pale lemon colour. Medium intensity aromas of lemon, petrol, and crisp apple. Dry and lean, light body with high acidity. Tart crisp crab apple flavours. Medium length. 
– 
The View Winery & Vineyard Gewurztraminer 2021 – Medium lemon colour in the glass. Aromas of pine needles. Off-dry, medium body, with a soft mouthfeel. Medium acidity. A blend of pine needles, and juicy tropical fruit flavours. Medium length with a light finish. –
The View Winery & Vineyard Red Shoe Red 2020 – a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinotage. It has a medium-intensity clear garnet colour. Light floral and red berry aromas along with a touch of dill. Dry, medium body with light tannins. Dill and red fruits on the palate. Medium length finishing with tart red fruit flavours.
The View Winery & Vineyard Black Rhino 2020 – 100% Pinotage. Medium-plus garnet colour. Dill, black cherries and red fruit aromas. Medium-body, lean mouthfeel. Drying tannins on the mid-palate. Red fruit, red cherries and nutmeg flavours plus a touch of black pepper. Medium length with a dry finish and firmer tannins. Some bitter dark chocolate on the finish as well.
The View Winery & Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019 – A light clear garnet colour. Medium-minus intensity aromas of smoky red fruit. Light body, dry, with a lean mouthfeel. Medium acidity and light tannins. Tart red fruit, cherries, and a touch of floral. Some bitterness and red fruit flavours on the finish.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
You can purchase all the wines in person at the winery. Online from The View’s website, the Pinot Noir, the Dry Riesling, and the Gewurztraminer are available for purchase. Their Pinot Noir is available at BC Liquor stores and at select Save-on-Foods stores.
