| BC DIVERSITY |
Break It Down Here is a complete list of BC’s
Okanagan Valley As varied and diverse as local wines have become, there is no denying that the Okanagan Valley put BC on the contemporary wine map, and the region continues to be the heart of BC wine country. The Okanagan Valley remains home to more than 80 percent of provincial vineyard acreage and incorporates 11 of the 12 sub‑GIs (or 92 percent!). Indeed, a tour through the Okanagan Valley’s 250 km north- south stretch provides its own varied tour of BC wine. For example, try this three-bottles survey: start with Bartier Bros. Cabernet Franc from the southern Okanagan, move to Poplar Grove Rosé to represent the midsection Naramata Bench, and finish with the sparkling deliciousness from the more northern reaches of Kelowna’s Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cipes Brut. These three bottles highlight the overall diversity found in the Okanagan Valley: warmer temperatures in the south give way to cooler climes in the north, represented by a spectrum of heat-loving, robust reds to lip-smacking, acidity-laden sparkling wines. Six bottles and six distinct BC wine regions. Admittedly, it’s nowhere near enough to cover the province’s true bottled diversity, but it’s a solid starting survey to highlight the unique aspects, or terroir, of different GIs.
BARTIER BROS. CABERNET FRANC BC VQA $29.99 993139 Made with grapes grown in the Cerqueira Vineyard located on Oliver’s Black Sage Terrace, this Cabernet Franc is bold but taut, providing a nice combination of fruit, concentration and grip.
Geographical Indications (GIs) and Sub-Geographical Indications (Sub-GIs): GIs Okanagan Valley Similkameen Valley Fraser Valley Vancouver Island Gulf Islands Thompson Valley Shuswap Lillooet Kootenays Sub-GIs Golden Mile Bench Okanagan Falls Naramata Bench Skaha Bench Cowichan Valley Golden Mile Slopes Lake Country East Kelowna Slopes South Kelowna Slopes Summerland Valleys Summerland Bench Summerland Lakefront
POPLAR GROVE ROSÉ BC VQA $24.99 761528 Pouring a deep salmon pink, this is a quintessential BC blush wine. It is robust, with ample aromas of red berry and citrus fruit with a touch of herbs on the finish.
SUMMERHILL CIPES BRUT BC VQA $31.99 314419 Made from organically grown Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay grapes, following the traditional method with secondary bottle fermentation, this sparkler is bright, rich, creamy and simply delicious!
McIntyre Bluff near Oliver, Okanagan Valley, BC
Naramata Bench near Penticton, Okanagan Valley, BC
bcliquorstores.com
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