Snow falling outside the window, a roaring fire, a cozy blanket for two – now all you need is a beautiful bottle of B.C. red wine to complete this perfect winter vibe. Lucky for us, here in Okanagan wine country we can snuggle into winter with a long list of local reds to enjoy. Here are a fabulous few to note.
CedarCreek's Simes Vineyard Natural Pinot Noir
CedarCreek Estate Winery is one of Kelowna’s original winery stars that built a brand early in the Okanagan wine world. This destination winery is picture perfect sitting at the end of Lakeshore Road overlooking Okanagan Lake.
2020 Vintage Notes: Certified Organic, no additions, no yeast, no preservatives, and no oak. With minimal intervention at every step, this is the truest expression of soil and season CedarCreek has ever produced. Opens with tantalizing earthy and leafy characters, quickly followed by blackberry, dark cherry, and plum notes. The palate is lively and bright with natural acidity and the tannins from the whole bunches.
Ancient Hill Baco Noir
This beautiful castle like estate winery is located in a micro wine region of its own. Winding your way there through orchards of the Ellison area of North Kelowna, you will find Ancient Hill Winery owned and operated by the Kamphuys family from Holland.
2017 Vintage Notes: This is the flagship red wine of Ancient Hill Winery. Heavier bodied and barrel aged and bursting with dark, rich fruits, Baco Noir is a rare varietal in the Okanagan. Black cherry, plum, spicy, chocolate, vanilla and butterscotch on the nose, this wine is soft and offers a rich mouth feel with powerful flavours.
Nagging Doubt The Pull
Nagging Doubt Winery is a wonderful small winery located at the highest point of Southeast Kelowna. Here winemaker Rob Westbury grows and makes an array of excellent wines. The tasting room is open by appointment only (this Garagiste winemaker has a full-time day job too!)
2019 Vintage Notes: This is a big wine, with an intense nose of black cherry, plum, blackberry, baking spice, and hints of chocolate and tobacco, all echoed on the palate. Impressive tannins make this wine ideal for cellaring. The Pull 2019 consists primarily of Merlot (47%), with Cabernet Franc (27%), Cabernet Sauvignon (18%), and Malbec (8%).
SpearHead Pinot Noir Saddle Block
Located in Kelowna’s most exciting new wine region of Southeast Kelowna, Spearhead has built a brand of wine excellence in the middle of orchard territory. Here is home to award-winning winemaker Grant Stanley, also a Pinot Noirist of the highest level, where he crafts different versions of this beautiful grape into amazing wines.
2019 Vintage Notes: A luscious wine with ripe dark fruits and bright floral aromas. Meaty nuances and fresh earth notes following the concentrated dark cherry flavours. Fine velvet texture and endurance on finish. Pairs well with grilled food.
Sandhill Estate Small Lots One
Sandhill Estate Winery is Kelowna’s first urban winery located in the walkable industrial area/now brewery district of Kelowna is also home to BC's oldest winery location. The wine shop has so much to offer besides a great tasting bar, they also offer wine education and shopping galore with house wares, home decor, cookbooks, and local artisan treats on display.
2017 Vintage Notes: This blend of 71.5% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, is bright garnet in colour with an ever-changing bouquet of sweet pipe tobacco, vanilla extract, roasted coffee bean, dark plum, black cherry, sweet spice and oak. This full-bodied wine has firm drying tannins, great structure, and rich fruit flavours.
Niche Wine Extra Mile Foch
Niche Wine Co. is another one of our amazing little boutique wineries. Producing the highest quality wines in the small batches, handcrafted with love by James and Joanna Schlosser in West Kelowna, there are future plans for a tasting room. In the meantime, you can order online or find them in many wine shops.
2018 Vintage Notes: Aromas of chocolate, vanilla and coconut coupled with a round, rich palate make this the kind of full bodied wine that will keep you coming back for more (and more, and more). Flavours of blackberry, plum, and hazelnut pair well with a great cut of meat and a whole lot of Leonard Cohen.
