The wine route less travelled

Photograph by Jeff Bassett

Over the trill of songbirds in their 2.2-hectare vineyard, John and Virginia Weber acknowledge that the Similkameen Valley in British Columbia’s southern interior—home of their Orofino winery, opened in 2005—might be the least well-known of B.C.’s appellations.
(Vancouver Island, the Fraser Valley, the Okanagan Valley and the Gulf Islands are the other four viticulturally distinct grape-growing regions in B.C.)

Only a 30-minute scenic drive over a mountain pass from the well-travelled Okanagan wine routes near Penticton, or a sporty, twisting 20-minute detour from Oliver or Osoyoos along the U.S. border, the Similkameen Valley is one-twentieth the Okanagan’s size and, until very recently, home to so few wineries it remained well below the radar. However, Orofino’s sophisticated Bordeaux-style reds and crisp, mineral-edged whites, as well as stellar offerings by neighbouring Herder Winery (opened in 2003), Seven Stones (2007), and Cerelia (2009), have the insider wine crowd buzzing—even if they’re not quite ready to throw the Similkameen name around at a dinner party.

“When we first arrived here in 2001,” recalls Virginia Weber, “there were three wineries. Now there are 10.” In other words, just enough to make a day of wine-tasting in a 30-km stretch that makes up the Similkameen wine route. Signage and other amenities are lacking, so a good GPS and an up-to-date guidebook are very helpful. Since 2009, the newly minted Similkameen Wineries Association has been working to put the Similkameen on the Canadian wine map through local events and at major wine shows.

“Similkameen wines aren’t new. We have 20-year-old vines here at Orofino,” smirks John Weber, when asked why his wines are so good for such an undiscovered region. Traditionally, it was more of a grape-growing region that supplied high-quality grapes to Okanagan wineries. The few estate wineries that did exist earlier didn’t win the valley many fans either. But in the last few years, a new breed of winemaker has moved in. They are (for the most part) young and ambitious, asserting themselves as a quality-obsessed appellation, not just an accessory to the Okanagan next door.

It’s no big secret why Big Vino and mass tourism haven’t taken over the Similkameen. It’s not for the faint of heart, both for wineries and visitors alike. Lacking the moderating “lake effect” of the 135-km-long lake that runs through the Okanagan, summer temperatures can reach above 40° C in July and August. Notorious afternoon winds sweep through the narrow valley daily. And thanks to the steep mountains and clear skies, the nights cool off dramatically. It’s a brutal landscape that really only appeals to the most intrepid of winemakers and winery visitors. It also is the key to being able to produce some of Canada’s biggest reds and best whites.

“Grapevines need the swings in temperature,” explains veteran B.C. wine writer John Schreiner. “Otherwise, the acidity can be burned out of the grape if it stays hot continuously. With the cooling off at night, you get the bright fruit flavours.” Schreiner’s books are essential companions for anyone interested in the province’s next big (little) winery. “The Similkameen also has lean soils,” he continues, “and it would be difficult to overproduce on these soils. With potatoes, that’s not a good thing, but with grapes, it is.” In other words, less fruit per vine yields more concentrated flavours and ultimately better, more complex wines.

As it emerges from the shadow of the Okanagan juggernaut, that is one of the biggest hurdles Similkameen wines now face. The productions are so small most good wines don’t make it out of the region. Almost none make it out of B.C. And with barely the critical mass of wineries to make it a destination in itself, it will have to rely on the draw of having the Okanagan next door for a while longer. It’s a complicated relationship, but not without precedent in the wine world.


JOHN SCHREINER ON WINE August 25th, 2010

For full story go to www.johnschreiner.blogspot.com

 Orofino Vineyards has achieved a modest cult status since opening in 2005, hence the occasionally aggressive prices. In a career change, John and Virginia Weber moved from Saskatchewan in 2001, taking over a partially established vineyard. Some of their vines are almost 20 years old and it shows in the depth of the wines. They have also persuaded several neighbours to plant grapes, notably Bordeaux reds to support Orofino’s complex blends.

Orofino 2009 Riesling ($19.90) has immediate appeal with aromas of citrus and tropical fruits. Full on the palate, the wine delivers flavours of apricots and citrus fruits, with a well-balanced kiss of sweetness. 90.

The winery’s Pinot Noir 2008 ($31.90) is delicious, rich and silky on the palate, with spicy aromas and flavours of strawberries. 90-91. The Red Bridge Red 2008 ($24.90) is 100% Merlot from a vineyard in Kaleden. The wine shows the classic lush texture that one wants in Merlot – long, ripe tannins. The flavours of plum, black cherry and coffee are framed subtly with oak. The wine has a lingering finish. 90.

The Beleza 2008 ($33.90) is the winery’s Meritage blend, 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot (Beleza means beauty in Portuguese, we are told). Aged 16 months in new French and American oak, the wine is still tight; if you can’t cellar it for a few years, decant it. It begins with an interesting sage aroma. On the palate, there are flavours of currants, coffee and vanilla. 88-90.

The winery also has just released two small lot wines. Petit Verdot Reserva 2007 ($45 and most of the 50 cases have been sold). The wine begins with perfumed spice and fruit aromas. On the rich palate, there are notes of red currant and raspberry. 89-90. The winery also has released 100 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2007 ($40), a bright and expressive wine with a firm texture, hints of cassis and an attractive finish of sweet fruit. 91.

Orofino Beleza 2008 ($33.90)
The word means “beauty” or a perfect feeling or moment in Portuguese, and the outstanding Keremeos winery gave its Meritage-style wine that appropriate name. Mostly Merlot (60 percent), plus Cabernet Sauvignon (20 percent), and Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot (10 percent each), it sat in oak for almost a year-and-a-half and came out inky-dark, all unfined and unfiltered. A special-dinner treat: rich and heady, it loves well-cooked rare meats and maybe even an after-dinner cigar if you do that sort of thing. Available primarily at the winery, sometimes in magnum too.
 
- Jurgen Gothe The Georgia Straight Thursday, August 12, 2010