Chaberton Estate Winery is the pioneer winery of the Fraser Valley. It grows 44 acres of estate-grown fruit with other parcels from across the Okanagan Valley. Claude and Inge Violet sold their winery and vineyard in France and moved to the Fraser Valley in the 1970’s. They experimented with different grape varieties to see which grew well here, selected the best, and began planting the vineyard in the mid-1980s.
Winemaker Gary Zhygailo, a proud Ukrainian now living in BC, walked me through the estate vineyard, giving me some in-depth background on the grapes planted, which I will cover in my next article. For this article, I will cover the wines that I tasted with Gary in their tasting room.
My Wine Tasting Notes
The strategic cornerstone of the Chaberton portfolio is its cool-climate aromatic program. The following wines represent the current estate’s aromatic white wines:
- 2023 Unoaked Chardonnay 2023 (BC $20.95): Fermented in stainless steel and then aged on lees for 7 months, enhancing texture and mouthfeel. This wine has a nice melon and stone fruit nose. Medium-plus body with a smooth mouthfeel. medium-plus acidity. Tart stone fruit flavours plus some green fruits that continue to the finish. Medium length with a touch of pepperiness on the finish.
- 2025 Sauvignon Blanc (Oliver Sourced. BC $20.95): To maximize the varietal’s aromatic potential, the fruit received three hours of skin contact followed by a “cloudy” racking process. This wine has a lime, grapefruit, and herbaceous nose. Medium body with smooth mouthfeel. Bright acidity. Citrus, grapefruit, grapefruit pith, and guava on the palate. Fresh flavours. Long length.
- 2025 Dry Bacchus (100% Block 1, estate fruit. BC $21.95): Sourced exclusively from the 1984 estate plantings. Fermented in stainless steel to preserve the primary fruit flavours. Nice light aromas of peaches and oranges. Medium body with a round mouthfeel. Fresh, bright flavours of oranges and peaches. Medium-plus length.
- 2025 Gewürztraminer (Okanagan fruit. BC $20.95): This wine utilizes a multi-regional blending strategy, sourcing grapes from Kelowna, Summerland, and from Oliver. The Oliver fruit underwent de-stemming and skin contact for aromatic extraction, while the Kelowna and Summerland fruit was whole-bunch pressed to preserve delicacy. This wine has a nice rose petal nose. Medium body and medium acidity. Rose petals on the palate with a touch of bitterness. Nice mouthfeel. A dry finish. –
- 2024 Siegerrebe (Estate fruit. BC $20.95): This expression was produced using a “free run only” technique, bypassing the press. By collecting only the juice that drains naturally from the de-stemmed fruit, the winery avoids the phenolic bitterness and coarse tannins that can be found in the press fractions. It has nice honey and ripe peach aromas that continue to the palate. It is medium-bodied, with a smooth, soft mouthfeel. Medium acidity. I also picked up some dried stone fruit flavours on the palate. –
Chaberton’s expansion into the “lifestyle” segment is characterized by the addition of sparkling wines.
- 2024 Frizzante Siegerrebe (Estate fruit. BC $24.99): This “patio style” wine utilizes a forced carbonation method designed for enhanced aromas. This wine has the same aromas and flavours as the 2024 Siegerrebe above. Small, biting bubbles. I also picked up some orange and other stone fruit flavours, plus a touch of sweetness from added dosage.
- 2024 La Fleur de Chaberton Rosé 2025 (Okanagan sourced. BC $24.95): Composed of 90% Cabernet Franc from Oliver plus 10% Viognier, this rosé was crafted through gentle pressing to achieve a pale salmon hue. It has a pale orange colour in th eglass. Light aromas of pine needles and grapefruits. Medium body with a soft, smooth mouthfeel. Medium acidity leaves a light acidic prickle on your tongue. Red fruit, grapefruit, and some herbaceous flavours. Some citrus pith on the finish. –
The red wine program uses a three-year rotation of French and Hungarian oak barrels. Gary’s focus is on tannin maturity and the honest expression of vintage variation, particularly the balance between the leaner Fraser Valley estate fruit and their riper South Okanagan fruit.
- 2023 Gamay (Estate fruit. BC $23.95): Aged for five to eight months in barrel. This wine has a clear, medium-intensity garnet colour. Cranberry and crunchy berry aromas. Medium body with a smooth mouthfeel. Red fruit and berries on the palate. Light tannins and medium acidity. Tart red berries and light oak flavour on the finish.
- 2020 Merlot (Oliver/Osoyoos Sourced. BC $27.95): This wine underwent an extended barrel program of 24 to 30 months, utilizing a blend of North Oliver and Osoyoos vineyard sites. Possessing a cellar potential of up to ten years, according to Gary. A deep garnet colour in the glass. Deep, rich black fruit and sweet spices on the nose. This wine is full-bodied with a smooth, round, soft mouthfeel. Ripe black fruits, sweet spices, and pepperiness on the palate. Medium-intensity, fine-grained tannins that are grippy on the finish. A long length.
- 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon (Okanagan sourced. $27.95): Sourced from Naramata and Oliver, this wine was aged in a 50% new oak program. It has an opaque garnet colour. Lighter aromas of sweet, ripe black fruit and chocolate. Light body with a smooth, soft mouthfeel. Medium-plus acidity and medium tannins. Black fruits and a touch of capsicum on the palate. Grippy tannins and a tart black fruit finish.
- 2022 Syrah (Oliver Sourced. BC $33): This cuvée highlights the strategic use of Hungarian oak. The tighter grain and distinct lactone levels of Hungarian wood enhance the natural pepper and spice profile of the Syrah. This wine has a translucent, medium-intensity garnet colour. Red fruit and spicy notes on the nose. Light to medium body with a smooth, soft mouthfeel. Medium acidity and tannins. Red fruits, berry fruits, plus some spiciness and grilled sausage flavours. –
- 2022 Cabernet Franc (Single Vineyard. BC $36.95): Aged in 100% new oak, this wine required meticulous monitoring to ensure the wood did not overwhelm the varietal’s herbal integrity. A lighter, translucent garnet colour. Nice red fruit, cedar, vanilla, and cinnamon aromas. This wine is off-dry, or fruity, with a smooth, soft, light mouthfeel. Red fruit, red berries, some red cherries, tobacco leaf, and vanilla flavours. Medium acidity and tannins. Lightly grippy tannins on the finish. –
Thank you to Gary for spending time with me to taste through all these wines as well as give me background information on each wine he made.
All of these wines can be purchased online from the Chaberton Estate Winery website. A selection of these wines are available at Save on Foods stores that carry wine and at Everything Wine stores.
