She offered some salient tips on tasting B.C. wines.
TC: Why is it noteworthy to have an event that features local wine?
SM: Most B.C. wineries are relatively small and the wines don’t make their way into the government stores. You have to search them out in the independent stores or restaurants, or visit the wineries. Taste is like a tour of the wineries — without the long drives.
TC: What are the best types of wine B.C. produces, and why?
SM: I love our aromatic whites. In particular, there are some outstanding Rieslings coming from cooler sites where there’s a taut balance of fruit, acidity and minerality.
TC: Are there any surprising new wines B.C. winemakers are attempting?
SM: B.C. is a relatively young wine region — we don’t have [the French region of] Burgundy’s 2,000 years of experience in matching variety to vineyard site. We’re still learning what grows well and where. That makes for a lot of experimentation. There are more than 60 different grape varieties planted. Some things work. Others not so much. But that’s the point of experimentation.
TC: Are there any particular tasting notes to B.C. wines — do they differ regionally?
SM: There are huge differences in the climates and soils of our various wine-growing regions. The heat and aridity of Osoyoos in the Okanagan is a far cry from the more moderate and wet climate here on Vancouver Island. So, no surprise that there are significant differences in the varieties and styles of wines that we find across B.C. vineyards.
Having said that, I judge at the All Canadian Wine Competition (we judge the wines blind) and B.C. wines do seem to have a consistently different profile to the wines from other Canadian wine regions.
Generally, I look for ripe fruit and fresh acidity, wrapped round a savoury core.
With the different soils and climates, you can definitely expect regional profiles. For example, Similkameen wines tend to be less fruit-forward, have brighter acidity and more minerality than their Okanagan counterparts.
TC: How do B.C. wines compare with other wine regions?
SM: At a blind tasting put on by the B.C. Wine Institute last year, professionals were asked to do side-by-side variety comparisons of a B.C. wine with another classic region. It was encouraging to see how many times the B.C. wines were selected as the better wine. As the vine age increases across the province and we build our understanding of what grows well where, we can expect better and better things from B.C.
TC: Any tasting tips?
SM: The tasting room can be overwhelming, so think about what you want to achieve. If you love Merlots, try all the Merlots in the room.
If you’re stuck on Pinot Gris, skip those and try other varieties instead. When you find a wine that you enjoy, note down the details, or take a photo. Also ask where the wine is available — since most of the wineries have limited volumes, they are unlikely to be in the government liquor store.
— Sarah Petrescu
