#Fort Berens Estate Winery

[mywinepal]

BC Winemaker’s Harvest 2023 Interview

BC Winemaker’s #Harvest2023 #Interview @bcwine @GoldHillWine @BlueGrouseWines @BlastedChurch @ fortberens #bcwine #bcvqa #okanagan #Lillooet #VancouverIsland

For the 2023 harvest, many winegrowers reported their earliest start on record due to a hot, sunny summer. What did Wines of British Columbia have to say? From Wines of British Columbia, “Going into the summer season BC wineries knew they were facing the challenge of a reduced wine grape crop. “A devastating extreme cold event in December 2022 impacted vineyards throughout the Okanagan Valley and…

[jculture-en]

Wine lovers have much to discover in Lillooet and Whistler

#Wine #JapaneseWine [The Georgia Straight]Fort Berens Estate Winery is only a spectacular day trip away from Whistler, a town offering wine-lovers everything from sprawling cellars to sophisticated menus.

[quenchmagazine]

Danny Hattingh, Fort Berens Estate Winery: In Conversation

Danny Hattingh, Fort Berens Estate Winery: In Conversation

Quench wine editor, Gurvinder Bhatia talks to winemaker Danny Hattingh about growing grapes in the emerging region of Lillooet, British Columbia.

Special thanks to the Vancouver International Wine Fest

[myvancityca]

100% LILLOOET AT FORT BERENS ESTATE WINERY by My VanCity posted on My VanCity

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100% LILLOOET AT FORT BERENS ESTATE WINERY

A New Milestone: 100% Lillooet at Fort Berens Estate Winery

This week, Fort Berens Estate Winery in Lillooet is releasing their 2015 spring line-up which includes their 2014 Pinot Gris, 2014 Riesling, 2014 Pinot Noir Rosé, 2014 23 Camels White and 2013 White Gold. Rolf de Bruin, founder and one of the owners of Fort Berens explained, “We are thrilled to announce that for the first time in our history, every single wine in our spring release is 100% Lillooet: 100% estate-grown, 100% produced on our own onsite facility and 100% bottled in Lillooet.”

Rolf continued, “These five new releases join our other 100% estate-grown whites, including our 2013 Chardonnay and our 2013 Late Harvest Riesling. These will be followed later this spring with the release of our 2014 Chardonnay and 2014 Late Harvest Riesling, which are also 100% Lillooet. We can’t even begin to express how much pride we feel now that our entire white wine list is 100% Lillooet.”

To commemorate this new milestone, Fort Berens will be running a 100% Lillooet contest from April 17th through to May 31st. Rolf explained, ���When we realized that all of our white wines would be 100% Lillooet, we decided this milestone deserved to be celebrated! We will be giving away an exclusive Fort Berens prize package valued at over $1000 plus weekly prizes throughout the 6-week contest. The grand prize includes a one-year membership in our Discovery Club Wine Club and a private multi-course, wine-paired dinner for four people in our wine cellar with our winemaker. In addition, we’ll be doing a random draw each Friday for a Fort Berens prize package.” For your chance to win, enter the contest at FortBerens.ca or on the Fort Berens Facebook page between April 17th and May 31st.

As Lillooet’s first winery, in the heart of this emerging wine region, it’s important to the team at Fort Berens that they focus on producing wines that showcase Lillooet. Heleen Pannekoek, co-founder and co-owner of Fort Berens continued, ”Last year we won the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in British Columbia Wines for our 2012 Riesling. Winning this prestigious award for a wine made with 100% estate-grown grapes really proved that not only could we grow grapes in Lillooet, but that we could grow premium-quality grapes here. Now that we have our new winery built, a maturing vineyard, and our full vineyard and winemaking team in place, our focus has turned to truly understanding what we can produce with grapes grown in Lillooet. Our intention is to keep improving the quality of our wines and continuing to express the distinct flavours of Lillooet.”

Heleen summarized, “Releasing our new vintages and showcasing 100% Lillooet is a major milestone for our team.  In addition to that, we are absolutely thrilled with how our new releases are tasting. Our vineyard is in great shape going into the key growing period and we have exciting plans coming up for the upcoming season.”

While 2014 may have been a major milestone year for the team at Fort Berens Estate Winery, all indicators point to another banner year in 2015.

Fort Berens Estate Winery is a culmination of the dreams, vision and pioneering spirit of several entrepreneurs – Heleen Pannekoek, Rolf de Bruin, Hugh Agro, Sean Harvey, Jason Neal, John McConnell, Dan Barnholden and Patrick Downey. The eight owners of Fort Berens share a common belief in the incredible winemaking potential of the area and a shared vision to make Fort Berens into one of Canada’s leading producers of fine wine. With its vineyards on sagebrush-covered benchland along the Fraser River at the base of towering mountains, Fort Berens embraces the spirit of Lillooet. Alpine breezes, lingering summer sunlight and moderate winters provide a unique terroir ideal for growing premium grapes. Discover Fort Berens Estate Winery, Lillooet’s first winery, in BC’s newest wine region and explore 150 years of pioneering spirit. For more information, call 1.877.956.7768, visit www.FortBerens.ca, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

[mywinepal]

Hart House Winery Dinner Celebrates BC’s Fort Berens Estate Winery

.@HartHouseRest Winery #Dinner Celebrates BC’s @FortBerens Estate Winery. Get your tickets. #bcwine #bcvqa #604foodie #somm

If you have not had a chance to try the wines from Fort Berens Estate Winery in Lillooet, now is your chance.  Did you know that the climate in Lillooet is very similar to Oliver, in the south Okanagan?  You get ripe grapes with excellent flavour for wine.  You can try their wines at a winery dinner at Burnaby’s Hart House Restaurant, a top restaurant in the lower mainland.  Here is the press…

[mywinepal]

BC Wine Makers Harvest 2022 Interview

BC Wine Makers #Harvest 2022 #Interview #bcwine #bcvqa @bluegrousewines @goldhillwinery @winebcdotcom @forberens

The 2022 harvest is the first after COVID restrictions have been lifted.  I am sure that lifting COVID restrictions was appreciated by BC wineries.  We had a cool start to the growing season, followed by mere mm of rain between July and mid-October so I’d guess the weather has had an impact on harvest and fermentation, but we shall see with my interview questions below.  Overall, how did the BC…

[mywinepal]

How You Can Enjoy Wine, Beer, or Spirits and Support the BC Hospitality Foundation

How You Can Enjoy #Wine, #Beer, or Spirits and Support the BC Hospitality Foundation @BCHospitality #BCHF #charity @jaksliquor @ChurchStateWine @SteelAndOak @corcelettes @summerhillwine #bcwine

As you may know hospitality workers in BC have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  They can fortunately get CERB money from the Federal government.  But there are also hospitality workers that suffer from severe illness and need more support.  This is where the BC Hospitality Foundationcomes in.  Donations to the BCHF go towards hospitality workers facing financial crisis due to a…

[mywinepal]

Top Drops from BC VQA Fall COLOUR Tasting

Top Drops from BC #VQA Fall COLOUR Tasting 2019 @winebcdotcom @IndigenousWine @goxwine @LarianaCellars @LakeBreezeWines #Chardonnay #Riesling #PinotGris

Colour VQA Fall tasting 2019

Every Fall we have the Colours Fall Release of BC VQA wines.  Over the last year, what changes has there been to our vineyards, grape varieties, and the number of wineries? Comparing the tasting booklet from both years by the BC Wine Institute we know:

there are 10 more wineries,

and 299 more acres of vineyards.

that Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignonare still…

[mywinepal]

Do You Know About BC's Emerging Wine Regions?

Do You Know About BC's Emerging Wine Regions? @winebcdotcom @kamWineTrail @TourismKamloops

Everyone knows about the Okanagan Valley as a wine region, and some may also know about the Similkameen which is on the southwestern edge of the Okanagan, but what about BC’s emerging wine regions, covering the Kootenays, Lillooet and Thompson Shuswap?  I had a chance to go on a trip hosted by the Wines of BCto visit Lillooet and the Thompson Shuswap.  If you haven’t a clue where these areas are,…

[quenchmagazine]

Is Pinot Noir getting a bad rap? If not, then how come people the world over still refer to it as the “heartbreak grape”? It’s a reflection of the belief that, even in a good vintage, and for the most seasoned of vintners, Pinot can pose significant challenges. But that may not be so much the case in BC, where Pinot Noir has been flying under the radar for some time now.

If the variety truly is as soul crushing as its reputation suggests, then how come there aren’t a whole bunch of broken-hearted BC winemakers lying around lamenting their failures? If anything, the opposite is true.

All around BC, Pinot appears to be coming into its own — even if it’s still somewhat overshadowed by Syrah. Indeed, you could be excused for thinking it’s the latter that has emerged as BC’s red grape of choice. Following a string of good vintages, the Rhône variety has rightly gained plenty of attention, scooping up medals like nobody’s business.

But the numbers speak for themselves.

Syrah, which is actually planted mainly in the South Okanagan, on Skaha Bluffs and the Naramata Bench, actually accounts for only 4.1 percent of the province’s production and ranks seventh in production (2015). By comparison, Pinot Noir continues to make gains, especially in areas once considered outliers or “borderline ripening” wine regions. In fact, it now accounts for 7.83 percent of the province’s total production and ranks fourth overall, after Merlot, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay.

As overall plantings in BC have increased dramatically in the last few years, Pinot Noir has more than kept pace, recently eclipsing Cabernet Sauvignon. Yields have almost doubled in five years, which seems to have come about for a number of reasons.

In the last two decades, a changing climate has had many implications. For instance, plantings of Pinot Noir in the south Okanagan, once quite common, are now a rarity. Only a few remain, as wineries explore with other more heat-tolerant varieties — such as Syrah. Elsewhere, however, the reverse is true.

There are also less tangible reasons as to why Pinot Noir is on the rise. As the BC industry matures, and winemakers seek out a more sophisticated customer, there’s a need to fill a niche that maybe wasn’t there before, in a post-Parker world that heralds a return to elegance and subtlety long overlooked. Plus, as BC’s food and wine culture matures, Pinot Noir is emerging as the more flexible red that works with everything from wild salmon to mushrooms, duck and more, as well as many local cheeses.

In any case, the number of BC wineries choosing to concentrate on Pinot is steadily growing, from a short list including the likes of pioneering Blue Mountain (the first BC winery to focus on Pinot Noir), Cedar Creek and Quails’ Gate, to well over a dozen very Pinot-driven purveyors, such as Spierhead, Meyer, Tantalus, Howling Bluff and more.

What’s also changed is that BC Pinot Noir is no longer an “also ran” varietal but has emerged as a serious, terroir-driven contender that can hold its own beside wines from Pinot-centric regions around the world.

Fuelling that image is the realization that Pinot Noir offers a more precise expression of the terroir than most other varieties. What this means is that Pinot is very much part of the movement that’s drilling down which grapes do best in specific pockets of the Okanagan and elsewhere.

Moreover, a by-product of the warming climate, regions once considered inhospitable to red vinifera have stepped forward. On Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, in particular, Pinot Noir has become increasingly successful, with some formidable proponents, such as Averill Creek owner Andy Johnston.

Johnston has been leading the Pinot charge on the Island for well over a decade now. He was among the first to grasp the true potential for the variety, convinced early on that, handled properly, Pinot could produce a wine comparable on a world scale.

Averill Creek also helped sow the seed for others. At nearby Unsworth Vineyards, which was established less than a decade ago, Pinot Noir is emerging as the flagship wine. In fact, Unsworth’s 2014 Pinot Noir was selected as this year’s Canadian Culinary Championships Gold Medal Plates Mystery Wine. Another Island winery making a name for itself, Blue Grouse Estate Winery, is also highly committed to its program, now producing a single-vineyard Cowichan Valley Pinot under its Quill label, as well as a fuller bodied, more firmly oaked, estate-grown wine.

Other outliers beyond the Okanagan now coming on stream include Fort Berens in Lillooet, 250 km northeast of Vancouver, and Baillie-Grohman, in the Creston Valley. While by no means as Pinot focused, both of these producers have shown they have no problem in growing satisfactory Pinot Noir, with plenty of potential.

The drive for perfection

Given that BC at large, and the Okanagan in particular, are such young growing regions, most people when they jump into winemaking don’t have their minds set on making Pinot Noir, says Howling Bluff’s Luke Smith.

It may not have been his original intention but the Naramata Bench winery owner is among a handful of winemakers taking Pinot to the next level. His wines consistently win medals at important competitions, including no fewer than four notoriously challenging BC Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in BC Wine, which recognize only a dozen out of some 400 entries each year.

Smith who, along with his son Daniel, turned a former peach and experimental apple orchard into an award-winning vineyard, believes some of the Pinots being grown around him are already “world class.”

He admits it’s purely subjective but bases his opinion on comments made by visitors to his wine shop from all over the world, whom he always asks what they think. He’s noticed a real change in the typical tasting room visitor compared to five or seven years ago.

“Then, the average person was learning about wine and would say ‘what have you got?’ Those people still come. But now, a significant number will say, specifically, ‘I’ve heard about your Pinot Noir.’”

He says many travel from south to north, starting in Russian River, through Willamette and ending up in the Okanagan, tasting Pinot all the way.

While he’s happy to offer accolades for peers elsewhere — citing more northern 50th Parallel as an example — he feels the Naramata Bench, in particular, offers a unique series of varied terroirs.

Smith feels that the Naramata Bench is unique in that there are three observable differences. “All you have to do is drive a convertible [in the] early evening in late summer along Naramata Road. What you’ll notice is significant temperature variations. What you feel is the cold air being channelled down the chutes and streams. It’s important, because it shows the presence of cooler air so beneficial to Pinot Noir,” says Smith.

“On average, everything on the east side of Naramata Road was never underwater. The soil is glacial till, gravel boulders, rocks and so on. By comparison, everything on the west side is ‘stardust’ from millions of years ago, where it hit Okanagan Lake and created hundreds of feet of silt. Literally, in a space of just 15 metres, you get wildly diverging soil types. Add to that where these cuts are, where a stream has occurred. Over time, as it carved its way through, it brought materials down from the east side of the road to the west.”

For Howling Bluff, says Smith, that results in three distinct terroirs: “very mixed material, rocks of all sizes, from what used to be the bottom of Three Mile Creek; 10 metres away, nothing but silt; and then, on the other side of the road, just rock, gravel and dirt.”

“All that, combined with the microclimates caused by the cuts, as well as the warming effect of the lake in winter, and cooling in the summer, results in a narrow band that’s ideal for Pinot Noir,” he suggests.

A plethora of Pinots

No better proof exists of Pinot Noir’s newfound popularity than the annual BC Pinot Noir Experience, which attracts more than 300 enthusiasts to Kaleden’s Linden Gardens. The 2017 edition featured 34 producers grouped among the rose bushes and leafy walks, along with canapés from prominent chefs, a break-out session on clones and a wrap-up live band and dancing. On hand to offer his comments on was Richard Hemming MW, who writes for jancisrobinson.com, as well as many others. (At the inaugural BC Pinot Noir Experience in 2015, keynote speaker Steven Spurrier suggested BC’s potential might one day rival Burgundy.)

As fully intended, the event is anything but a typical, formal wine tasting. Rather it’s more a down-home celebration of the variety, with a chance for everyone to connect with the people behind the wines. And it’s all and only about Pinot, with a range of styles and vintages poured from across the province.

Now in its third year, the festival was the brainchild of Meyer Family Vineyards winemaker Chris Carlson, who brought it to fruition with JAK Meyer and Luke Smith. Another key organizer, Tantalus winemaker David Paterson, makes no bones about his love for the variety.

“We believe that Pinot Noir is the number one red grape in the Okanagan,” says Paterson, who also happily embraces the opportunity that BC enjoys as a still emerging region.

“I think one of the best things about BC Pinot right now… is that everyone is only now learning their terroir. Every year it seems to get better. Most of the best sites are only 10 to 15 years old.”

Paterson suggests the more northern, granite-based soils (such as at 50th Parallel) “yield ethereal, lifted wines.” Further south, the more full-bodied wines reflect their more dense, silty soils. He reckons the variation in terroirs “is what makes BC Pinot special” — and reminds us that globetrotting viticulturist and soils specialist Pedro Parra likes to compliment the Okanagan for its “glacial barf”!

In the absence, so far, of an Okanagan flagship grape, says JAK Meyer, “We feel that Pinot Noir is one of the few that should be a signature varietal — and that it’s starting to emerge that way.”

Howling Bluff’s Luke Smith is even more bullish. He says, “We’re maybe just a vintage away from the world taking notice of BC Pinot Noir.”

And as for that “heartbreak grape” thing? Not exactly true, says Smith.

“It’s more like the ‘hard-work grape,’” he says. “Because not once — from spring, through bud-break, harvest, crush from barrel to bottle — can you turn your back on it. While every other variety just behaves, the instant you finish whatever you’re doing, Pinot Noir does not. The heartbreak happens if — at any one of those stages — you don’t keep your eye on it.”

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Averill Creek Pinot Noir 2014, Cowichan Valley ($27)

From higher elevation, 200 m, south-facing vineyards, a mix of glacial sand and gravel. Forward dark cherry, floral, perfume and leather hints precede a well-balanced cherry and plum palate wrapped in silky tannins, with some spice and savoury notes before a smooth finish.

Baillie-Grohman Pinot Noir Estate 2014, Creston Valley ($25)

From a high-elevation site at 650 m by Kootenay Lake. Single vineyard, sustainably grown and handpicked and aged in French Oak (15% new) for 12 months. Vibrant wild berry and floral notes with spicy hints before a well-textured plate with black fruit, savoury, mushroom and plum notes through an elegant finish.

Cedar Creek Platinum Block 4 Pinot Noir 2014, Kelowna Mission ($54)

From a select block on the east side of Okanagan Lake, using 25% whole clusters. A powerful expression of the variety yields intense dark fruit and floral notes on the nose followed by a robust and well-structured palate with black cherry, plum and a mineral hint wrapped in firm but well integrated tannins through a smooth finish.

Howling Bluff Summa Quies Pinot Noir 2014, Naramata Bench ($35)

From the oldest planting and consisting mainly of silty deposits. Vibrant, lifted plum and red berry notes, followed by elegant layers of cherry and strawberry on a light to medium palate with some earthy undertones and well-integrated tannins.

La Frenz Desperation Hill Pinot Noir 2015, Naramata Bench ($30)

From a steep, west-facing slope with sandy loam and clay soils, high above the lake at 450 m. Five clones, hand-harvested and fermented separately. This elegant and delicate wine has a red colour especially deep for the variety. Lifted notes of black fruit with earthy tones precede a plush palate with well-integrated tannins, vanilla and dark cherry alongside a pleasing savoury edge.

Laughing Stock Pinot Noir 2014, Naramata Bench ($32)

From heavier, silty soils on a high Naramata bluff. Handpicked, destemmed and whole-berry fermented, then aged 16 months in a mix of new and used French oak. Forward notes of ripe cherry and strawberry with earthy undertones on a well-rounded, supple palate with excellent balance and structure.

Maverick Estate Pinot Noir 2014, Golden Mile Bench, Oliver ($29)

From one of the valley’s southernmost Pinot plantings, south of Oliver, on an east-facing slope. Hand-harvested and whole-bunch fermented in a large wooden vat, then aged in mainly used French oak. Forward cherry and raspberry notes with layers of red and black fruit and good acidity, on a gently spicy palate with lingering mineral and spice in the close.

Meyer Family Vineyards McLean Creek Pinot Noir 2015, Okanagan Falls ($40)

From the steep, south-facing home vineyard, established in 1994, on alluvial and glacial deposits, gravel and sandy loam. Black cherry and violet up front with some earthy undertones before a well-structured balance of fruit and acidity. Medium-bodied with expressive fruit flavours, some forest-floor notes, well-integrated tannins and a pleasing savoury edge through a firm finish.

Quails’ Gate Pinot Noir Clone 828 2014, West Kelowna ($60)

From above the west side of Okanagan Lake, this clone is usually blended but bottled alone in exceptional vintages such as this one. Aged in French oak for 10 months. Lifted strawberry and red berry notes precede a well-balanced palate shaped by elegant acidity, with cherry, spice and earthy notes for a pure expression of the variety — which winemaker Nikki Callaway dubs her “Audrey Hepburn” Pinot.

Stag’s Hollow Renaissance Pinot Noir 2011, Okanagan Falls ($40)

Cherry, earthy mushroom blend of Dijon clones that uses entirely estate-grown fruit aged 15 months in 100% 2nd fill French oak barrels. From a challenging vintage, now benefitting from a few years in the bottle and showing lifted dark cherry, earthy and spice notes with fine tannins and still fresh fruit.

Summerhill Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013, Chandra Vineyard, Oliver ($35)

100% organic. Crushed dark berries on the nose with hints of strawberry, plum and raisin before a complex and layered palate of plum and cedar notes underpinned by earthy and savoury elements, with hints of clove and five spice, black fruit and spice supported by firm tannins through the close.

Tantalus Pinot Noir 2014, East Kelowna Bench ($28)

From glacial, silty soils over gravel, aged 11 months in new and used French oak. Up front herb, spice and black fruit, followed by a perfectly balanced palate of floral, cherry and raspberry wrapped in a mineral streak, with elegant mouthfeel, well integrated, structured tannins and a lingering, gently stony finish. “A classic BC Pinot Noir vintage. If you couldn’t make a good Pinot in that year, you probably shouldn’t have,” says winemaker David Paterson.

Tightrope Pinot Noir 2015, Naramata Bench ($30)

Grown on a less heated, north-facing slope, on silt clay soils. Vibrant black fruit and floral perfume notes invite before a dark-fruited palate emphasized by dark cherry and cassis, with spice, herb and mocha notes, supported by approachable, silky tannins.

Unsworth Vineyards Pinot Noir 2015, Cowichan Valley ($27)

From clay and gravel soils over an alluvial base and aged 15 months in French oak. Forward red berries with layers of raspberry, cherry, vanilla and spice notes. Medium-bodied, with juicy acidity, earthy undertones and an elegant mouthfeel through a gently spicy close.

Pinot Noir is the bad boy of the BC wine scene Is Pinot Noir getting a bad rap? If not, then how come people the world over still refer to it as the “heartbreak grape”?

[mywinepal]

BC Riesling Review - The Tasting Notes

BC #Riesling Review - The Tasting Notes #BCRieslingReview covering the #Okanagan and more. cc @winebcdotcom @WineAlign

The hard part of the BC Riesling Reviewis done.  I tasted through 35 wines over a period of 3 months.  I can say that it has been a very interesting experience.  Below are the notes.  I tasted each wine two times.  The first time was as soon as I poured the wine in my glass.  The second time was the next day.  I kept the cork or screw cap on the wine, and kept the wine cool, but this time allowed…

[mywinepal]

My BC Riesling Review Update

My BC Riesling Review Update #BCRieslingReview cc @CedarCreekWine @TantalusWine @FortBerens

A trio of Harpers Trail Rieslings

With summer holidays and then the extended power outage due to the wind storm this past weekend, I have finally finished tasting through all the 2013-14 vintages of BC Rieslingthat I received from BC wineries.  Thank you all.  My next step is to enter all my tasting notes into a database.  The database will be broken down by primary and secondary aromas and…

[myvancityca]

Summer skies: Black Cloud Moving by Roslyne Buchanan posted on My VanCity

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Summer skies: Black Cloud Moving

Black Cloud Altostratus

  On “those lazy, hazy days of summer” as we watch the clouds sail across the skies so, too, in the Okanagan Valley you’ll find Black Cloud Pinot Noir on the move.

After nine vintages with Township 7 Vineyards and Winery, Okanagan winemaker Bradley Cooper is making a move down the Naramata bench and bringing his “garagiste” wines with him to Serendipity Winery. Garagiste wines are those small lot wines that are a labour of love for the winemaker which address a commitment to the wine connoisseur and are truly limited production. Says Cooper, “We started Black Cloud six years ago with less than 500 cases and it’ll continue to be a small production, exclusively Pinot Noir. I’m excited that it will have a new home with me at Serendipity.”

Winemaker Bradley Cooper

Full disclosure here: Cooper, along with his partner Audralee Daum, have become friends of mine since I moved to the Okanagan. I have been a huge fan of his winemaking at Township 7 and Black Cloud and think he is a bit of an unsung artisan. He has a great sense of humour and self-deprecating style so while he’s quick to comment on a number of things, he rarely draws attention to his tremendous skill. While it is well-known that he spent the last decade producing critically-acclaimed red and white BC wines at Township 7, his consulting role is less publicized. He has provided winemaking expertise to Fort Berens Estate Winery in Lillooet, The McWatters Collection, Time Estate Winery and Bonitas Winery to name a few. His winemaking career began in the 1990s with Hawthorne Mountain, now See Ya Later Ranch.

Bradley Cooper and Audralee Daum at the Osoyoos Oyster Festival

He is looking forward to a fresh chapter in his career and delighted to be joining the Serendipity team. Still he remains committed to advising Township 7 through the upcoming harvest. As for me, I look forward to tasting the impact he has at Serendipity in future vintages as its winemaker working closely with its dynamic owner Judy Kingston and gregarious second-in-command Katie O’Kell.

Black Cloud is also putting sweat equity into renovating an administration space in Penticton’s historic Cannery Trade Centre. Black Cloud wines are available through the Cloudy Day (www.blackcloud.ca) Wine Club. You can access the 2008, 2009 and 2010 vintages of Black Cloud Altostratus, my personal favourite which is an elegant new world Pinot Noir along with the 2012 Fleuvage, a light-bodied Pinto from an exceptional growing season. Sorry though, you’ll have to wait for the newly launched rosé Red Sky because two vintages were snapped up immediately. Cloudy Day Wine Club members have first access to Black Cloud releases, with limited bottles available in select private wine stores and restaurants.

As a small producer, Black Cloud joins a number of other smaller wineries and wine clubs at Garagiste North: Small Guys Wine Festival on September 14, a new event on the BC wine circuit, focussed on “garagiste” style wines, a phrase coined in France for small, risk-taking producers.

For more information, talk to Cooper directly at Black Cloud/Daum Cooper Winery Services Ltd. at 250-490-7314 or by email bradley@blackcloud.ca

Save some Altostratus for me!

Note: I remain a big fan of Township 7 Winery and look forward to how the story unfolds there as well. After all it is the first winery I hit from my home when I head to town!

-          Roslyne Buchanan