A day in the South Okanagan

[Bucko]

This is an area that will only get better with time. Some stunning wines are being made there.

Here are some notes I made from my trip:

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
100 Burrowing Owl Place
RR1, Site 52, Comp 20
Oliver, British Columbia
877-498-0620
Open Easter to Oct. 31

Crush was in full swing at the winery. Bin after bin of Merlot grapes lined the loading dock, patiently waiting to be fed to the crusher. Winemaker Steven Wyse kept a close watch on the operations. “I am very pleased with the fruit this year,” Wyse said. “The sugars and acids are just perfect … with great concentration of flavors.”

Merlot is only one of the wines that Wyse works his magic on. The Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir served in the tasting room by the Chef de Cuisine, Bonny Hill, are all solid, well-made wines. Hill states the wines “pair very well” with the food dishes in the winery’s Sonora Room restaurant (open for lunch and dinner).

2004 Burrowing Owl, Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, $25 (CAD), 3,114 cases. The aromas are a nice mix of plums, cherries and cinnamon stick. Light to medium bodied, the wine shows great tannin and oak management. Generous fruit flavors linger on the lengthy finish; 90 points.

Golden Mile Cellars Estate Winery
13140 316A Avenue, Road 13
Oliver, British Columbia
250-498-8330
Open April 14 to Oct. 31

The winery at Golden Mile is modeled after a Bavarian castle. While it may sport a medieval façade, there is nothing old-fashioned about their wines. Winemaker Michael “Iron Mike” Bartier took time out from his barrel-racking duties to lead a tour of the facilities.

He was questioned about his barrel rotation program. “I don’t like wines that are overoaked,” said Bartier. “Oak is a seasoning. It should not be the main ingredient. It’s all about balance; let the vineyard express itself.” Based on several barrel samples, Bartier’s words ring true.

2004 Golden Mile, Black Arts Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, $35 (CAD) This straw-colored wine gives off aromas of peaches, sage, and grapefruit. Full bodied, balanced, and crisp, you’ll find just a dollop of sweet oak on the long, lovely finish; 90 points.

Stag’s Hollow Winery
RR1, Site 3, Comp 36
Okanagan Falls, British Columbia
250-497-6162
Open May to October, other dates by appointment

Stag’s Hollow is the culmination of a dream for Larry Gerelus and partner Linda Pruegger. They purchased a ten-acre vineyard near Okanagan Falls in 1992. Their first wines were bottled in 1995; winery construction began during the same period. The completed winery bears an odd resemblance to an Oklahoma train station built by a Cajun architect.

Gerelus is very much a hands-on winemaker, closely following the grapes from the vine to the bottle. He is “very pleased” with the vineyard’s macroclimate. The gravel and clay soils and dry weather provide ideal growing conditions for the grapes.

2004 Stag’s Hollow, Tragically Vidal, Okanagan Valley, Canada, $14 (CAD). The wine is very floral and grapefruity on the nose and palate. The zippy acidity gives lift to the pineapple and citrus fruit. Balance is ideal; 91 points.

Wild Goose Vineyards
2145 Sun Valley Way
RR1, Site 3, Comp 11
Okanagan Falls, British Columbia
250-497-8919
Open April to October, other dates by appointment

With the advent of irrigation, Adolf Kruger was able to purchase an inhospitable section of land east of Okanagan Falls in 1983. He confidently planted Riesling and Gewurztraminer vines. The grapes were sold under contract to Mission Hill Winery until winemaking facilities were established at Wild Goose in 1990. The resulting wines were an instant success.

“I turned over the reigns to my son [Hagen Kruger] a few years ago,” said Kruger, as he poured samples. “He’s doing a great job. We just won five medals at the fair last week. What do you think of our Gewurztraminer?”

2004 Wild Goose, Mystic River Gewurztraminer, Okanagan Valley, Canada, $19 (CAD). You’ll find loads of terpenes and tropical fruit on the nose, with lovely floral accents. These floral notes continue in the mouth, with bright acidity balancing the threshold sweetness; 91 points.