The Resilience of BC Wine
Photo credit: Wines of British Columbia
Mother nature dealt BC wineries a cheap shot in 2024 - a kick in the stomach when they were already down. As we’ve all seen, the bounceback has been strong.
Many producers brought in fruit and/or juice from the US under temporary exemptions announced by the BC government. These new wines have been featured on the blog, and more on that story can be found here. But if you look deeper, there are other examples of incredible resilience, where BC wineries have pivoted and made the most of difficult circumstances.
The Okanagan was full of orchards long before grapevines appeared. Many wineries today still have some fruit trees on their property, and use this fruit for various purposes. 8th Generation Vineyard in Summerland has apples growing on their estate, which endured when the vines faltered. So when life gives you apples, you make cider.
8th Generation released 3 unique ciders - all Gala and Spartan blends - when grapes were scarce, demonstrating the tenacity of the land and an innovative steward’s ability to work with it. Hence the name, tenacious.
Tenacious Barrel-Aged Dry Cider is co-fermented with some Riesling and aged in barrel for 3 months. A tangy and serious cider!
Tenacious Dry Cider is the prototypical dry cider, crisp with explosive effervescence. Very light and sublimely refreshing.
Tenacious Off-Dry Cider leaves some of the natural sweetness from the apples for a juicy, classic style. It’s charming with a long, sticky finish.
The resilience of 8th Generation goes beyond cider, however. While they chose to remain a BC land-based winery and not import any grapes or juice, they decided to release a special version of one of their most popular wines.
Confidence is a sparkling rosé with a touch of sweetness. Due to limited harvest in 2023 and 2024, they released a non-vintage version blending both years. The result is the same delicious product fans love, made with the same commitment to excellent quality from home-grown fruit. This Pinot Noir-based, bright and fruity off-dry frizzante highlights the varietal’s hibiscus and sweet Rainier cherry notes, with peak summer nectarine and yellow plum broadening out the mix.
The organically grown acres higher up in Summerland at Garnet Valley Ranch are recovering well. Wise management ensured they had decent wine inventory stocked up, so getting US fruit was not necessary for survival. Instead, the team has just released a wine made from the apples and berries that grow on their property. Named Orchard + Field, this lightly sparkling wine is crisp and refreshing at 5% abv, and priced at $17.50. The haskap berries provide a deep, intense pink colour and tangy flavours of cranberry and pomegranate. It’s available online, at the winery, and at select Okanagan liquor stores.
Far from a one-time product, Orchard + Field signifies a commitment to Garnet Valley Ranch’s direction of sustainability, regenerative agriculture, and harnessing biodiversity. Two new acres of heritage apples and two new acres of Haskap berries will ensure this product and this ethos is carried forward into the valley’s future.
Resilience is not the ability to dodge a hit. It’s the refusal to stay down, and stubbornness to get back up and take another. It’s also the wisdom to modify conditions within our control and strengthen our capacity to withstand, adapt, and grow stronger. Looking into the stories behind bottles of BC wine (and cider) like those of 8th Generation Vineyard and Garnet Valley Ranch, resilience can be found in spades.
Blog post written by: Matt Tinney, Contributor, uncorkBC