Our Wines

M-M-M-Merlot! So mellow and marvelous.

Plummy and rich-ripe, like grandma’s best fruit compote; soft and round, deep-red, naturally sweet, a texture of stewed mixed fruit, and oh, those über-ripe plums all along the taste buds. This is a good wine to welcome friends with: pour a glass and everyone feels right at home, enjoying the soft-edged, mellow finish, the touch of sweetness just makes it dance on the tongue.

But it’s also a meat wine, all and any meat, any which way. Like rouladen—the deep fruit right away picks up the onion and dill pickle in the beef roll-up; big, bold roasts coated with cracked fennel seeds, black pepper and sea salt; yam fries; pork loin studded with good garlic and tied with a few fresh bay leafs under the string; hearty, spicy pasta; Portuguese pork and clams; baked apples, stuffed with nuts and currants; cheeses like gruyere, manchego, pungent blues. And of course, apple pie and cheddar.

Or, just you and a glass, savouring the sunset on the deck.

Winner of a Silver Medal at the 2011 Northwest Wine Summit

Price: $16.99

Two of the great Bordeaux grapes come together here in our Okanagan Valley-grown blend—Merlot for substance and “bass notes”, the Cabernet for elegance and subtlety and a lot of “highs”. Somehow, it came out even softer than our Merlot of the same vintage, but showing fine tannins—tame tannins!—thanks to the influence of the Cab. First sniff: spice, greens, even—lurking in the back there—what might be a little eucalyptus. The finish really lets the fruit shine all the way, and the closing note of mellowness is the Merlot, having the last word.

You could write a cookbook on all the different dishes this wine likes: lamb, lots of ways, for sure—roasts, chops on the Barbie, ground lamb meatballs in tomato and onion sauce, breast of lamb stuffed, the French way—they call it la faletta; meat samosas; Savoy potatoes in rich beef broth; baked casseroles; bbq short ribs with onions and vinegar; braised chicken with red wine and brandy; steak and kidney pie; five-spiced beef; tomato-cheese chowder; chocolate mayonnaise cake.

For a dinner adventure, look up the famous comfort food dish from Finland, called karjalanpaisti— beef, lamb and pork hotpot that’s surprisingly simple to make (just ten minutes) but it takes five hours to cook!

Winner of a Silver Medal at the 2011 Los Angeles International Wine Competition.

Price: $18.99

Here it comes again: our latest edition of the world-famous Bordeaux-grapes/California-named blend that’s become synonymous with high quality quaffing across Canada and throughout the U.S.—the marvellous Meritage.  We chose our grapes from leading South Okanagan Valley vineyards and blended it here in Langley to our winemaker’s exacting specifications—lots of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, a little Cabernet Franc.

And on the table? Anything you like that’s hale and hearty, but a favourite in our circle is Austrian ham (Kaiserschinken) or Parma Prosciutto with shaved Parmesan petals and a splash of extra virgin olive oil on top. Crusty Tuscan style bread in good supply. Or fresh-made pasta with tinned Italian tuna (the kind packed in olive oil, not the wimpy version that’s drenched in water!), black peppercorns, a couple of hot chili peppers and lots of fresh rosemary.

Price: $24.99

It's our homegrown grape with Austrian roots.  This challenging to pronounce but easy to drink red wine proudly bares our "Backyard Vineyard" label, because it comes from our Abbotsford Vineyard.

A big wine that's fruit-forward and a bit of a tart, our zweigelt is a bundle of berries at the height of fruit season.  It's the kind of tart-sweetness you taste in those big super ripe cherries...yum. It is rounded out with just a splash of Black Sage merlot.

Food: Meat lovers, unite.  Whether it's a nicely seasoned steak, some pork tenderloin or even a meat-esque portobello burger, this wine shines when it's paired with a little something to munch on.  Or devour.  Your choice.

Silver medal winner at the 2011 Los Angeles International Wine Competition and 2011 Pacific Rim International Competition.

Gold medal winner for Art and "Original Illustration" at the 2011 Los Angeles International Wine Competition.

Price: $17.99

Another cool customer in the grape world is the difficult to pronounce but easy to drink zweigelt.  (think zvy-gelt...it gets easier when you drink more)

Because this one comes from the Fraser Valley, we wanted to give it a name all our own.  And Paradiso rolls off the tongue way easier.

Traditionally a little spicy, this grape likes our climate and it's fairly hardy; local temperature variations really highlight its unique character.

This one reminds us of fresh cherries from the market, and handfuls of super ripe raspberries.  A bit lighter than we've seen in other years, this wine doesn't yell to be heard above the crowd; it's got more of an insistent whisper.

Food: Bring on the cheese - the soft, creamy goat cheese or double cream brie.  maybe even some medium cheddar, smoked meats or rich red pasta sauces.  Play.  Explore.  We do.

Silver medal winner at the 2011 Los Angeles International Wine Competition, 2011 NW Wine Summit - Pacific Rim Wine Competition and 2011 Pacific Rim International Competition.

Price: $15.99

A rose by any other name...and when it's a combination of two tongue twisters (schonburger and zweigelt) and one delicate lady (pinot noir), we like to keep it simple. So, Rose it is.

Hello, fruit basket.  This blend makes us think of a morning at the market - raspberries, strawberries, cherries and red currants.  Picnic anyone? Even in the off season, a glass of this will have your head dancing with images of sun-warmed chairs and cool green grass.  Take-your-shoes-off kind of days.

Food: from summery salads and brunch fare to cozy, rustic fish, turkey, and chicken dishes, our rose can take it on.  Our favourite: cold salmon and dill.

Silver medal winner at the 2011 NW Wine Summit - Pacific Rim Wine Competition.

Price: $15.99

Flexibility.  It's what we love about riesling, and why we like to drink it.

We get these grapes from our friends in the Okanagan, from people who know how to grow the good stuff.  Fortunately we've got some really nice friends who share our growing philosophy - and who like to share their fruit.  Thanks, guys.

A little dry, a little fruit and some laid back sweetness makes this riesling an easy partner for good eats.  We also think an afternoon in the hammock is a great pairing for this one - with or without the food.

Food: Curry stuff - prawns, chicken or vegetarian, this will cool things down.  Fish - really? Sure, especially with a bit of spice thrown in for good measure.  Drool-worthy.

Price: $18.99

Fresh and fruity, we love our pinot gris for lunch, brunch or whenever there's a good excuse to open a bottle.

Pinot gris loves British Columbia, and it grows well in many locations.  With its versatility - white grape flesh tucked away in a darker red grape skin - this grape is going the distance.

If a grape were a time and place, this would be summer in the country.

Food: Oh so many options.  Vegetable options, brunch goodies or light afternoon snacks, our pinot gris can take it on.  It's a great dance partner, easily moving to compliment many styles.

Price: $15.99

Our current take on the hugely popular New Zealand variety is gently grassy, green and bright and fresh, but with nice fruit and weight in the mouth. (If you’ve tasted New Zealand Sauvignon you know it can be harsh and sharp; we think we’ve come up with the “Goldilocks” version:
not too acidic, not too overstuffed, not too green, not too sweet, but “just right!”). You’ll catch whiffs of fresh herbs—tarragon, Italian parsley, oregano, even a little rosemary—all making it a fabulous fish wine—think crab salad, spot prawns, scallops, steamed rock cod with cilantro, smoked sablefish, fresh halibut fillets bamboo-steamed with black bean sauce.

Balance is everything and here’s a beautifully balanced wine, everything integrated and in its place—fruit, acidity, alcohol, a hint of oak.

Egg dishes like this one (who says you can’t have wine with eggs? Certainly not the French); it’s a good brunch wine when there’s Bennies on the menu, traditional or with smoked salmon and capers; crab quiche; Bloody Caesar-steamed mussels with sopressata sausage; the famous Japanese savoury custard called chawan mushi and always sushi, especially if you’re not a big fan of sake.

Winner of the 2011 Judges Choice Award at the Wine Access International Value Awards.

Price: $17.99

Our Pinot Gris made a lot of friends with the last vintage, due in large part, we feel, to its rich, round fruit and freshness. So e kept the formula, got fresh grapes from the same source in the grape center of British Columbia—the Okanagan Valley and let the wine basically make itself, with a few guiding touches from our winemaker. And so—more of the same as last year’s crowd-pleaser. And we think the price easily outplays most of the competition.

Yes, it is a little shy and first but don’t let that fool you: there’s plenty of ripe fruit in here and your taste buds will soon tell you that. It’s a full and round Pinot Gris with a little whisper of fresh fennel for the nose, civilized acidity and a pleasing, long lasting finish. Like many of our wines, it easily does double duty—as a welcome wine, conversation-starter and –fueller, and good food company.

Roast potatoes with pumpkin seed oil would be nice (or truffle oil, if you just got a raise!); baked potatoes in the Swedish hasselback style, the slices interleafed with fresh bay leaf; breaded cutlets (pork or veal, or turkey); fried fish in light oil, pickled herring or roll mops.

Price: $$15.99

Tasting Notes to Follow:

Price: $$14.99

The Joy of Bubble…it’s not just for parties anymore; so versatile with so many different foods!

But, just like you, it still loves a good party!

We start by making it from 100% Fraser Valley-grown Pinot Noir, one of the three grand grape varieties that goes into French Champagne. Then we let it just take on a little colour—a pretty pink hue, what the French like to call l’oeil de perdrix—eye of the partridge.  It starts of fresh and clean, maybe a little shy, so pour it into a big wine glass instead of the tall, skinny flute.

Inhale—and drink away. Never mind those tiny little sips, this is a deep, gulpable sparkler, or as iconic British Columbia wine pioneer Harry McWatters likes to say:“guzzleable”! Now you’ve got it--the fresh, bright flavour, very crisp, light, lively and lemony, and when it opens up in the glass, in your mouth, it gets good and hearty.  By all means celebrate with it, but we think it really comes into its own when it meets—and matches—food. Your creativity in the kitchen makes it all the more enjoyable.

Consider: avocadoes with lime and salt (a shot of tequila on the side if you like!); pasta with creamy crab sauce; ahi tuna, just seared on bitter greens; flank steak salad in the summer; salade niçoise anytime; beet-and-adobo pickled eggs with toasted Winnipeg rye bread! All those complex but accessible flavour components in the wine make it an all-day solo sipping wine or a multi-course dinner companion.

Silver Medal Award Winner at the 2011 Northwest Wine Summit

Price: $19.99