Beyond B.C. Wine Month: Why You Should Be Sipping on B.C. Wines All Year Round

British Columbia’s annual B.C. Wine Month may be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean you should stop sipping on B.C. wine until next April! With over a thousand wineries located across the province, B.C. wine producers are always coming up with something new and delicious for you to taste.

Last year, British Columbia experienced the third worst wildfire season on record with over 1,600 fires burning about 8,700 square kilometres of land. Although this was a challenging and frightening time for B.C. wine producers, many wineries were still able to create some beautiful wines for the 2021 season. 

Although British Columbia has many great locations for winemaking, one of the most unique spots is the South Okanagan, also known as Canada’s ‘pocket desert’. Within the South Okanagan you can find the Okanagan Valley, and more specifically, the Black Sage Bench on the East side of the Valley. This area is known for its hot afternoons and long days full of sunshine, as well as sandy soils. As a result, some beautiful Bordeaux red varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc have come out of the Black Sage Bench, and made their way into award winning wines. 

BC wine is hard to find in stores across the country. For example, the largest wine retailer in Canada, the LCBO, has a woefully limited B.C. wine selection. Fortunately, many wineries have online stores with shipping available across the Canada! The shipping costs can be high, however, I assure you the following wines, all produced on the Black Sage Bench, are 100% worth the additional fees.

Nota Bene from Black Hills Estate Winery

Nota Bene is Latin for “take note,” and you definitely want to take note of this wine! Although their 2019 vintage is currently sold out, they are preparing for their Nota Bene release party coming up in June which you can purchase tickets for on their website. If you can’t decide what time to visit the Okanagan this summer, definitely consider the weekend of June 18, because this is one wine party you do not want to miss!

Rosé from French Door Estate Winery

What’s summer without some #Roséallday action? French Door’s 2021 Provence-style Rosé has clean and smooth flavours of grapefruit and grenadine on the palate, paired with delicate scents of pear, mandarin and apple. The acidity of this Grenache and Mourvèdre blend brings this Rosé to life, making it crisp enough that you want to take another sip, again and again.

Piano Brut from Stoneboat Vineyards

If you’re looking for something a little bit more bubbly, try Stone boat’s Piano Brut! This wine was inspired by Italian Prosecco and the creamy bubbles are created naturally using the traditional Charmat Method. Made from old-vines Pinot Blanc, this sparkler offers refreshing aromas of citrus and peach, with green apple, honey, and biscuit notes on the finish.

Cheers to another great B.C. wine month!