Category: Okanagan

Today I tasted the battle of the blends.  An epic battle royale between two iconic red wines made by Hester Creek Estate Winery.  Wines of phenomenal origin and destiny, The Judge and Garland are crafted from the best barrels in their cellar, and are an authentic expression of our South Okanagan terroir.  These are heavy bottles with solid corks. Their…

I think we are all grateful in BC for the rainy weather we had recently to combat the forest fires, as well as water our trees, gardens, and vineyards.  The sunny weather is coming back, as summer is not yet over.  I received two red wines from Osoyoos’ Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery to review for you.  The two wines…

British Columbia has become one of the most exciting wine regions in the world, but for many people, especially those outside the province, its story is still waiting to be told. If you have ever wondered why BC wines are gaining international acclaim, which grape varieties thrive here, or how the unique landscapes shape what’s in your glass, Getting to…

TIME Family of Wines has evolved since 2020 when Ron and Shelley Mayert became the owners.  Evolve Sparkling House is one of the labels under the TIME Family of Wines umbrella. Their aim is to ensure growth of the established business and reputation which has been carried by the McWatters family for decades. I received three sparkling and one still…

Bordertown Vineyards and Estate Winery was established in May 2015, but Mohan Gill and his family had already over 20 years of experience as growers, supplying some of Osoyoos’ best fruit to a select few wineries and winemakers. Bordertown wines uses 100% estate grown fruit for their wines.  I received a selection of their wines to review for you.  I…

Here are more 2024 wines from BC Okanagan wineries that used some or all of their grapes from south of the border, due to the devastating 2024 winter wiping out almost all grapes in the Okanagan.  In this case, Blasted Church Vineyards brought Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the Andrews Family Vineyard in WA state.  The grapes were grown…

With this hot, sunny weather, sipping a more fruity, lower-alcohol, drink is probably high on your list.  Fortunately, I received a bottle of ORCHARD + FIELD, from Garnet Valley Ranch in the Okanagan.  This drink is a blend of organically grown heritage apples and berries (there is no full description of the blend) at Garnet Valley Ranch to make this…

2022 was an epic year for making wine, according to BC’s Hester Creek Estate Winery.  The year started out challenging with a late cold start, summer temperatures were not too high, low rainfall during the summer, but then lead to a long, warm end to extend the growing season, allowing the grapes to fully mature.  Many wineries noted that their…

Now that you have some background about the BC winery situation for 2025 from part one of Brent Gushowaty’s article, here is the second part of the article I have for you by Brent when you are at a BC winery’s tasting room. Your Tasting Room Manners – Before You Arrive Group Think For most wineries, large groups arriving unannounced…

Have you started touring BC wine country this summer?  I have a two part article about touring BC wine country in 2025, written by Brent Gushowaty.  In part one, he covers: The impact of the 2023/24 freeze Introduction of 2024 “replacement wines” Evolving winery business models and tasting innovations Part Two will focus on the practical aspects for the casual…