After visiting Cannon Estate Winery, my next Fraser Valley winery stop was at Singletree Winery, which is only a few minutes away. Thank you to Tourism Abbotsford for setting this meeting up for me. I met with Debbie Etsell from Singletree who poured me a selection of their wines, while I sat in one of their cabanas overlooking the vineyard. A cabana is a small open seating area with a roof, a bench to seat two, and a table between the seating area so you and your friend or spouse have a place to rest your glass of wine. There is also a propane fire pit near your feet which they can turn on when the weather starts to get chilly.
This is a 67-acre operating farm, owned by the Etsell family. Besides growing grapes and making wine, they also raise turkeys. Debbie’s son, Andrew, is the winemaker. All their wines are vegan-friendly.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Singletree Winery Wild Siggy 2017 (BC $21.66) – This is their natural wine made from the Siegerrebe grape. It is bottled unfiltered. It has a medium-intensity clear apricot colour. Medium-plus aromas of ripe apricots. It is dry, with a medium body and a lean mouthfeel. Dried apricots, and touches of ginger, floral, and apricot skin on the palate. Medium tannins. Medium length with some pepperiness on the finish. A nice, geeky wine.
Singletree Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2023 – A pale lemon-green colour in the glass. Medium intensity nose with a mix of green beans and green chillies with more on the palate. You also get pineapple and some flintiness on the palate. This wine is dry with a medium body, and a round, thicker mouthfeel. High acidity with tart, puckering finish. Medium length. –
Singletree Winery Gruner Veltliner 2023 – A medium-plus clear lemon colour in the glass. Visible teardrops on the sides of the glass after swirling. Medium-intensity aromas of ripe apples and apricots. Nice aromas. There is also a touch of sweet spices. This wine is dry with a medium-plus body and round mouthfeel. Light acidic prickle. Apricot and bruised apple flavour along with apricot skin and dried apricots. Light pepperiness. Medium length with some bitterness and dryness on the finish.
Singletree Winery Siggy 2023 – It has a light, lemon-green colour. Pronounced Gewurztraminer-like aromas of roses, apricots and sweet spices. Medium-plus body, offdry with a round, thicker mouthfeel. Light prickle on your tongue from acidity. Roses, lychee and apricot flavours with peach on the finish. Medium length.
Singletree Winery Petite Milo 2023 – A medium-intensity, clear lemon colour. It has a light stony minerality nose plus a touch of stone fruit. A thicker, round mouthfeel. Light lemon, earthy flavour, with a touch of stony minerality and sweetness. –
Singletree Winery Rosé 2023 – Debbie mentioned that this wine is made with a new clone of Pinot Noir that they planted in their vineyard but she did not know which clone. This wine has a nice, medium-intensity clear rhubarb red colour. Medium-intensity aromas of fresh rhubarb and red cherries. Medium-body, dry with a soft, smooth mouthfeel. Medium acidity and tannins. Floral, red fruit, rhubarb, red cherries, and a touch of acetone on the palate. Medium length.
These last two wines are their Bordeaux blend, with the grapes coming from the Naramata Bench in the Okanagan. 2017 was a hotter vintage than 2018. I think you will be able to see the difference in my tasting notes.
Singletree Winery Harness 2017 (BC $30.45) – A blend of 30% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot. A deep, dull garnet colour. Nice medium-intensity aromas of cedar, red cherries, ripe blackberries and sweet spices with more on the palate. Dry, medium-plus body, lightly round mouthfeel. Sweet ripe fruit and sweet spices on the palate. Medium acidity and tannins. Medium-plus length with lingering cherry and sweet spice flavours. Quality.
Singletree Winery Harness 2018 – I don’t have the exact blend for this wine but would be the same grapes in different percentages. With a cooler harvest, I would guess that the Cabernet Sauvignon percentage would decrease and the Merlot percentage would increase. This wine has a deep, dull garnet colour. It has lighter aromas of leather, cedar, red fruits and ripe cherries. It is dry with a lean mouthfeel. Higher acidity. Tart red fruit, sausage and leather on the palate.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
The wines can be purchased online via the Singletree Winery website or in person at the winery.