Ambassador Program Level Two Booklet : simplebooklet.com

DISCOVER WHAT YOU LOVE DOWNLOAD THE AWARD WINNING WINES OF BC EXPLORER APP Every BC Wine Ambassador should have a BC Wine Expert in their pocket The Wines of BC Explorer App is an essential companion to the Ambassador Course Use the app to explore the wine regions of BC Take the Taste Test for personal BC wine recommendations Assess BC wines and record your tasting notes Find educational wine events in your area track your cellar and more IV INTRODUCTION Welcome to Level 2 of the Wines of British Columbia Ambassador Program This program is designed for everyone those making growing selling or just drinking BC wine Level 2 of this course will expand upon Level 1 learnings offering greater depth of knowledge on the BC wine industry BRITISH COLUMBIA WINE British Columbia s wine regions much like the province itself are pristine beautiful and extreme It is from the extremities of the wine world where some of the most compelling wines come The unique climate on the world s most northerly threshold of where wine can be produced makes wines of intensity purity and natural freshness With nine distinct regions and more than 80 different grape varieties British Columbian wine is getting the world s attention WHAT WE WILL COVER IN LEVEL 2 1 A refresher on the key messages from Level 1 2 The past present and future of BC wine 3 The wine laws and key organizations of the BC wine industry 4 A deeper understanding of the climate and soils of BC s regions and sub regions 5 Where BC sits in the world of wine in terms of wine styles grape varieties and sizes 6 Innovation and sustainability in BC wine 1

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HISTORY OF THE WINES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 1859 1907 1912 22 Father Charles Pandosy plants vines at the Oblate Mission in Kelowna Earliest record of a serious attempt at grape production in Salmon Arm by W J Wilcox Canadian Prohibition 1994 Mission Hill Family Estate s Grand Reserve Chardonnay 1992 wins the Avery Trophy for Best Chardonnay Worldwide at the International Wine and Spirit Competition 1990 VQA Vintners Quality Alliance standards are put into place in BC 1988 1984 The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade GATT opens the market and puts pressure to focus on quality 13 wineries in operation in BC 1995 An estimated 30 wineries are in operation in BC 2003 Sales of BC VQA Wine in BC top 63 million CAD An estimated 81 wineries in operation 2004 Awards and medals continue with Jackson Triggs Okanagan Estate s winemaker Bruce Nicholson being named Winemaker of the Year at the prestigious San Francisco International Wine Competition 2005 BC VQA Wine sales in BC top 120 million CAD BC VQA Wine becomes the number one selling premium wine category in the province for the first time ahead of all other wine importing countries Estimated 81 wineries in operation 2020 BC VQA celebrates 30 years of beautifully crafted wine 2019 Provincial Government announces two new sub appellations Naramata Bench and Skaha Bench 2018 Provincial Government announces four new appellations Thompson Valley Shuswap Lillooet Kootenays Okanagan Falls named BC s second sub appellation 2017 Canadian wine and grape industry research study shows the BC Wine industry contributes 2 8 billion annually to BC s economy and draws one million visitors generating 600 million 2 With the signing of the North America Free Trade Agreement NAFTA the modern BC wine industry was born bringing with it vast improvements in understanding the unique BC terroir and rapidly improved quality wines 1921 Growers Wine Company of Victoria uses loganberries and then labrusca grapes for wine production 1927 J W Hughes planted vineyards in the Kelowna area at what is now Tantalus Vineyards 1930 1960 Extensive planting of labrusca varietals 1932 Calona opens as the first commercial winery in the Okanagan 1977 1982 Becker project 33 vinifera varieties proven to ripen and produce premium quality wines in the Okanagan a turning point for the industry 1974 The federal government brings in 4 000 vinifera vines to experiment with new varieties at 18 different sites 1966 Total BC vineyard plantings reach 2 000 acres 1962 The first French hybrids are planted by Stewart and Capozzi families 2006 Jackson Triggs Okanagan Estate s Grand Reserve Shiraz wins Shiraz Syrah of the Year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London a first ever for a North American winery 2010 Summerhill Pyramid Winery recieves the trophy for Best Bottle Fermented Sparkling Wine at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London a first for a Canadian winery 2011 There are now over 200 grape wineries in British Columbia BC VQA Wine sales exceed 196 million CAD 2012 Summerhill Pyramid Winery becomes the first vineyard in BC to receive their Biodynamic Demeter Certification 2016 Provincial Government announces new regulations for creating sub appellations in BC 2015 Golden Mile Bench named as BC s first sub appellation BC VQA celebrates 25 years of excellence 2014 2013 BC now boasts over 230 grape wineries and sales of BC VQA Wine exceed 220 million CAD Mission Hill Family Estate Winery receives an International Trophy for Best Pinot Noir under 15 at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards This is the first time a Canadian winery has won an international trophy at these awards 3

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LEVEL 1 REFRESHER Level 2 builds on the topics covered in Level 1 so we will start with a brief refresher on some of the key messages from Ambassador course level 1 KEY MESSAGES FROM LEVEL 1 Wine is about place The unique climate of BC makes for unique wines BC is at the northern extremes of where grapes can grow Interior of BC is not the cool climate wine growing regions you might expect BC wine is about quality not quantity a small quality focused wine industry no cheap bulk wine production Long sunlight hours during growing season Very dry desert like conditions from rain shadow of the Coastal Mountain Range Extremes of temperature both heat and cold Hot days ripening the fruit while cool nights preserve fresh acidity Nine quite diverse Geographical Indications GIs and 12 sub GIs A wide range of wine styles focused on freshness vibrancy and intensity A wide and diverse range of grape varieties planted Wines that have intense flavour high tannins and fresh acidity Wines with all the elements to age and develop in the cellar Wines that pair well with food BC is a producer of Canada s world famous Icewine Now that we are up to date and refreshed we can move on to expanding our knowledge and understanding of why and how the above key attributes are achieved 4 PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE OF BC WINE THE PAST Even with a history of growing grapes for more than 100 years the modern BC wine industry we see today is quite new really only beginning in the early 1990s Before this time with the exception of a few industry pioneers most of the grapes were hybrids and the focus was on quantity rather than quality In the 1990s everything changed with the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement NAFTA between Canada and the United States From this point the only way to compete was on quality and the subsequent planting of quality vinifera varieties saw the beginning of the modern industry With the onset of free trade the government gave the option for growers to remove their vines and plant a different crop Two thirds of the grape acreage was removed leaving only 1 134 acres of grapes in 1990 only half of which was estimated to be quality vinifera grapes It was from this small beginning that the exciting industry we see today was built THE PRESENT Initially the BC wine industry looked to the rest of the wine world for inspiration and the wines attempted to mimic some of the tried and true styles and techniques from other more established regions While some very good wines were produced it was realized that one cannot simply apply the recipe of one area to the unique conditions of BC s wine regions Now with more than 30 years of experience testing different theories and figuring out the right place for the right grape a true BC style of wine is being established The exciting potential of BC wine has attracted talented winemakers and grapegrowers from around the world Plantings boomed in the late 2000s and have continued to grow steadily to the 12 681 acres we see today 2022 BC Wine Grape Acreage Report With many grapegrowers and winemakers having been involved in 10 20 or more vintages there is starting to be a great understanding of the unique British Columbian terroir Now established as a quality wine region the wines continue to gain in complexity and excellence as experience ambition and vine age combine to make ever better wine THE FUTURE With a focus on terroir driven wines the industry is looking towards creating more subGIs In 2015 the Golden Mile Bench became the first subGI in BC Okanagan Falls sub GI was created in 2018 followed by Skaha Bench and Naramata Bench in 2019 Cowichan Valley in 2020 Golden Mile Slopes sub GI in 2021 and most recently in 2022 six new Sub GIs were named in the Okanagan Valley There are many more diverse and interesting sub regions wanting to follow in their footsteps 5

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Quality levels are expected to continue to rise as growers hone in their practice matching the best grapes to the most suitable sites and using their experience to harness the unique climate As average vine age increases the wines will show greater flavour intensity and make wines that have the staying power to age and develop in the cellar This ageability is something BC wine can become known for The powerful flavours crisp acidity and bold tannins that the climate delivers are the perfect building blocks for wines to enjoy long cellaring With a building reputation for quality wines there has been increased demand for exporting the wines of British Columbia and we are expecting to see further growth in key markets including the UK Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Denmark the USA and Hong Kong Sustainability is a buzz word of the future for BC wine The long dry sunny days of the BC interior provide the ideal conditions for organic and sustainable grapegrowing and more and more growers are certifying their sustainable practices both in the vineyard and the winery through BC s new Sustainable Winegrowing BC SWBC Certification program THE PIONEERS With the large number of wineries existing today it is easy to focus on just the exciting developments happening now forgetting how British Columbian wine got to this point There are many fascinating stories along the way Dick Stewart of the Stewart family owners of Quails Gate Winery started planting grapes before there was a bridge between Kelowna and the west side of Okanagan Lake Most of it was hybrid varieties but one mis order turned out to be the vinifera variety Chasselas which he planted in 1961 and continues to be one of Quails Gate Winery s best sellers Earlier unsuccessful attempts with vinifera had been made close to Kelowna International Airport by the Rittich family The problem early on was that the vine spacing was too wide with too much crop expected from each plant something that made them weak when the winter freeze hit More grapes were planted in the 1960s by the likes of George and Trudy Heiss of Gray Monk Estate Winery while Andrew Peller had already planted a vineyard in the Similkameen in 1959 before going on to plant the renowned Inkameep Vineyard in Oliver in the early 1970s The 1970s was the first time vinifera grapes started to take hold Riesling vines in Kelowna at what are now Tantalus Vineyards and Sperling Vineyards were planted in 1978 In the 1980s Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Gray Monk Estate Winery and what is now CedarCreek Estate Winery were some of the first on the scene followed by Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery and what is now See Ya Later Ranch All these pioneers have sacrificed with many trials and many errors to figure out what works in the vineyard shaping the industry we see today 6 THE STATS The industry has grown rapidly since the initiation of VQA back in 1990 and it is becoming evident that British Columbia can produce top quality wine Vineyard plantings have expanded in all regions and more wineries continue to open their doors VINEYARD ACREAGE 15000 12500 10000 12 681 9 100 9 866 11 086 10 260 10 499 7500 6 632 5 462 5000 4 200 2500 1 476 2 146 0 1990 1994 1999 2004 2006 2008 2011 2014 2017 2019 2022 GROWTH IN GRAPE WINERIES 300 335 280 284 250 232 201 200 154 150 131 102 100 60 50 32 17 0 1990 1995 2000 2004 2006 2008 2011 2014 2018 2021 2022 7

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BC WINE LAWS KEY ORGANIZATIONS KEY ORGANIZATIONS OF BC WINE There are a number of key organizations that play roles in BC wine Wine Growers British Columbia WGBC British Columbia Wine Authority BCWA British Columbia Wine Grape Council BCWGC British Columbia Grapegrowers Association BCGA Prior to 2006 only the WGBC existed until the organization was split to create the BCWA dividing roles to avoid any potential conflict of interest Wine Growers British Columbia WGBC formerly the British Columbia Wine Institute BCWI was created by an act of the Provincial Legislature the BC Wine Act in 1990 It was conceived as a component of a strategic plan of industry and government to create an internationally competitive wine industry The strategy included the removal of labrusca and hybrid grape varieties and replanting vineyards to vinifera varietals establishing an industry based on premium wine production Until the introduction of the BCWA WGBC oversaw the development of the BC VQA program and conducted research and development on behalf of the industry In 2006 WGBC members voted to become a voluntary nonprofit trade association with member fees based on BC wine sales and with the mandate to establish the Wines of British Columbia BC VQA as the preferred premium wine brand create a business climate that encourages investment in the quality of BC wines and assist members to realize their full potential and provide leadership on key industry issues WGBC markets the wine and regions of BC delivers quality trade media and consumer tastings and acts as the voice of BC s wine industry by advocating to government on behalf of industry that contributes 2 8 billion in provincial economic growth annually WGBC represents all wineries in British Columbia to grow the premium market share for the Wines of British Columbia while driving awareness of our world class wines and tourism product currently drawing 1 191 500 visitors with 609 million in tourism and tourism employment related economic impact every year The BC VQA program and the regulatory oversight was transferred to the BC Wine Authority BCWA and the Research and Development and Health and Safety committees moved to the BC Wine Grape Council BCWGC a nonprofit industry body with the mandate to conduct research to advance the local wine industry 8 The British Columbia Wine Authority BCWA is the body that oversees the standards set out in the Wines of Marked Quality Regulation The BCWA enforces the standards and also authorizes qualifying wines to use certain prescribed terms on their labels The BCWA operates a series of taste assessment panels to assess submitted wines and determine if they qualify for BC VQA status The BCWA brings all British Columbia wineries under a single set of regulations and creates a single body charged with enforcing those regulations All wineries have to register and meet a core set of standards regarding winemaking and labelling There is a mandatory level of Wines of Marked Quality for all wineries Wineries that choose not to participate are not allowed to use certain prescribed terms trademarked by BC VQA and cannot use the geographical indications The purpose of the British Columbia Wine Grape Council is to coordinate facilitate and fund research and education on viticulture and enology to broadly benefit the British Columbia wine grape industry and to represent growers on a variety of agriculture related issues The British Columbia Grapegrowers Association is a non profit organization that represents all commercial wine grape producers in British Columbia on agricultural issues and concerns BC WINE LAWS BC VQA The laws concerning the production of BC wine are based on the Wines of Marked Quality Regulation WINES OF MARKED QUALITY REGULATION This is the provincial regulation that outlines the standards for making wine in British Columbia covering winemaking and labelling of BC wines It is administered by the British Columbia Wine Authority BC VQA WINE OF DISTINCTION British Columbia s Vintners Quality Alliance BC VQA is the appellation of origin system developed in 1990 Similar to other appellation systems around the world the BC VQA 9

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designation is a guarantee that you are purchasing 100 BC grape wine BC VQA certified wines are tasted by a qualified panel to ensure that they are fault free prior to being able to use BC VQA on their labels Under the current laws there are two types of wine that can be made from 100 British Columbia grapes 1 BC Wine of Distinction 2 BC VQA Wine A BC Wine of Distinction must meet the requirements of the Wines of Marked Quality Regulation and can be produced from any grape variety except Vitis labrusca as long as it is grown and made completely in BC It must also comply with the regulations of the Food and Drugs Act Canada The term BC Wine of Distinction does not often appear on label as this category is rarely used Most of the wines produced in BC go under the stricter category of BC VQA A BC VQA Wine must meet the standards of a BC Wine of Distinction but is subject to further scrutiny including Be produced only from a list of approved grape varieties Pass a taste test assessment to ensure it is free of faults volatile acidity sulphur dioxide refermentation sulphur defects oxidation brettanomyces corked foxy geranium mousiness butyric lactic sour medicinal muddy musty pedioccus spoilage bitter from bacterial spoilage Wines that fail the taste test assessment can be re submitted but only those that pass can qualify to use the term BC VQA The words BC VQA will appear on the label CONTROLS ON WINEMAKING TECHNIQUES The Regulation also controls some of the winemaking techniques by imposing legal limits on the amount and use of Chaptalization allows up to 2 5 alcohol for wines from a registered GI or 3 5 for BC wine Use of sweet reserve Addition of water Acidification maximum 4 g l Deacidification Levels of volatile acidity LABELLING LAWS Like most wine regions in the world there are controls on what can and can t appear on a label The Wines of Marked Quality Regulation also controls labelling of wines including things such as grape varieties vintages and the use of the Geographical Indications GIs 10 HOW TO READ A BC VQA WINE LABEL 1 Name of winery 2 Vintage 3 Name of wine or varietal 4 Assurance of quality and where grapes are grown 1 3 2 4 11

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BC S WINE REGIONS SUB REGIONS In most wine producing countries of the world there is a set of regulations to protect the use of regional names The most famous are the Appellation d Origine Contr l e Prot g e AOC AOP of France or the Denominazione di Origine Controllata DOC and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita DOCG in Italy In some countries the production methods grape varieties planted viticulture methods and ageing are controlled where in others it is just the geographical location that is legally defined leaving the choices of what to grow and how up to the producer In BC like most of the New World the choice of what and where to grow and how to make it is left up to the winery However there are legally defined boundaries for geographic regions known as Geographical Indications GIs of which there are currently nine There are also 12 sub GIs with more under development The sub GIs and single vineyard wines are coming about from the increasing interest in exploring the complexities of BC s wine regions As a wine industry there is a feeling that we are entering the next phase a phase that involves exploring terroir in more depth and making top quality wines that express the subtleties of the unique terroir in the different areas of the province With smaller subregions this would allow over time for a specific grape variety to build a reputation within that terroir If for example Syrah on the East Bench of Osoyoos Lake consistently makes top quality award winning wines then the reputation and price of both the grapes and the wines will grow More people will plant Syrah in the sub region and a clear picture linking terroir and grape will start to emerge What is currently a mixed bag of grape varieties throughout the Okanagan could start to form into neat patterns based only on quality This would help build international interest and reputation as more grapes would be planted in the best sites possible and therefore make the best wines CLIMATE TERROIR The small details of difference in a region s climate and terroir can have a big impact on the taste of wine Winemakers can have only so much influence on how a wine tastes They choose which grape varieties to plant and where and then have an effect on the wine s flavour through the choice of farming and winemaking techniques used from vineyard to cellar But certain things can t be changed The climate annual weather conditions soil wind rain slope and aspect are out of our control once the vineyard has been planted The GIs of BC can vary considerably in terms of climate and terroir even within a small area For example two different sides of the Okanagan Valley with the same grape variety and the same farming techniques just a kilometre away from one another may ripen up to two or more weeks apart purely due to the unique influences of terroir 12 Similarly soil differences within a vineyard can make grapes ripen faster or slower For example there are some vineyards in Naramata where the soils are primarily cooler damp silty clay but with old dry gravel streambeds running through the middle These drier free draining soils make the grapes require much more irrigation water and the grapes ripen much quicker We all know how much the annual weather can vary Things such as the timing and intensity of rainfall wind heat and cold all have a big impact on the annual cycle of the grape vine Risks such as frost cold winter temperatures and hail can also change everything in the vineyard and the wine It takes many harvests for grapegrowers to understand what the unique elements of their vineyards are and no two vineyards are the same As the vines of BC develop some age and growers have more experience and understanding of the idiosyncrasies of each vineyard they are able to better manage vintage variation and make better wine Older vines also tend to produce more intensely flavoured grapes These elements and the understanding of terroir are contributing to BC producing better and better wine every year To try to understand what makes each of the BC regions unique means that we have to make some generalizations about climate even though the reality is that each individual vineyard can be different For this reason it is always advisable to keep an open mind when learning about specific wines and to think about what makes each unique Some of the unique elements of the BC GIs are discussed below SOILS One of the key elements of nature that impacts the taste and style of a wine is the soil and there is a wide range of soils in BC s wine regions Talking about soils can get complex and you will hear a lot of different soil talk mentioned surrounding wine Sometimes people are talking about the soil texture e g sandy loam sometimes the parent material e g granite part of the soil composition e g calcium carbonate or how the soil has formed e g glacial till All of these different elements to soil can influence how a vine grows and therefore the taste and style of the wine Check out the Soil Talk 101 info box to get your soil speak straight The soils have an impact on the style of wine by helping grapes to ripen faster or slower Dark coloured soils and those with lots of rocks or gravel near the surface are quick to heat up and generally make a vineyard warmer therefore speeding up the ripening process Clay soils are often damp and cool and slow the entire process down Most quality vineyard soils have good drainage and encourage fruit ripening rather than the production of lots of shoots and leaves that can happen in a vineyard with excessive organic matter Certain soils are also thought to have an impact on the taste of the wine although this is something that hasn t been proven scientifically The calcium carbonate rich soils of much of the Similkameen and on an area below Black Sage Road between Oliver and Osoyoos commonly give a strong wet stone chalky minerality that many tasters can identify in the wines 13

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Soils of the Okanagan Valley and Similkameen Valley along with the other interior regions were formed by a mixture of glacial and non glacial events The glacial events occurred between 12 000 to 19 000 years ago This has resulted in glacial deposits of a wide range of soil parent materials Whereas many wine regions in the world refer to their bedrock as the main defining soil component in BC the glaciers have mixed lots of different parent materials together Formation of parent materials in the Okanagan Glaciolacustrine materials derived from glacial lake temporary lakes formed during deglaciation sediments composed primarily of silts fine sands and some clay and are generally without gravel Glaciofluvial materials derived from glacial meltwater flows dominated by sand and often but not always with a high proportion 50 or more of rounded gravel Glacial till materials deposited directly by glacier ice In the Okanagan Valley till deposits are composed of gravelly sandy loam materials often with semi rounded boulders and cobbles Fluvial sometimes also referred to as alluvial fans stream flood materials of non glacial origin found at the mouth of gully systems often at the base of mountain slopes that are composed of angular gravels and cobbles Soils that were former lake bottom deposits from streams flowing into the lakes mixed soils formed as glaciers ripped off and dropped different types of parent material rocks windblown sands and silts and soils formed by volcanic action all occur in the interior The terraces or benches you see around Naramata and above Skaha lake are partially eroded deposits creating a steep face In the south Okanagan the majority of the soils are deep coarse sands that were deposited as glacial outwash Vineyards sited north of Okanagan Falls on benches adjacent to Okanagan and Skaha lakes have finer silty soils that formed from materials deposited at the bottom of the glacier lake Stony and gravelly vineyard soils formed from glacial outwash or from gravelly streambed materials Some vineyards are sited on alluvial soils formed from materials eroded from mountains or volcanic rock outcroppings Vineyards generally lie on the mid level slopes away from the frosts of the valley floor at elevations between 300 600 metres Soils in the coastal vineyard regions are also varied Some in the Fraser Valley are fertile flood plain soils On the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island soils vary considerably from site to site with everything from marine sediments to glacial and volcanic soils The best soils for growing grapes drain quickly and are not too fertile Such soils prevent excess vine vigour which can limit fruit exposure and impair optimal maturation and the creation of quality tannins and aromatics 14 SOIL TALK 101 TEXTURE Soil is often discussed by texture Most soils are a mixture of the following particle sizes Gravel 2 mm to 80 mm Sand 0 05 mm to 2 mm Silt 0 002 mm to 0 05 mm Clay

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THE DRAMATIC ICE DAM One of the key geological events occurred with the formation of an ice dam at McIntyre Bluff between Oliver and Okanagan Falls This dam held back the waters of the melting glacier creating Glacial Lake Penticton whose water levels were around the level of Naramata Road Eventually about 8 000 to 12 000 years ago the dam melted creating a spectacular event of water and soils spilling far to the south and forming many of the diverse soil types of the Okanagan GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS GIs SUB GIs There are nine GIs in the province and currently twelve sub GIs with more expected to be announced As we discussed under labelling earlier to use a GI on the label the wine must be BC VQA and 95 of the grapes must come from that GI If a wine is blended between more than one GI it is labelled as British Columbia BC VQA Geographical Indications sub GIs of BC Okanagan Valley Golden Mile Bench Golden Mile Slopes Okanagan Falls Skaha Bench Naramata Bench Similkameen Valley Fraser Valley Vancouver Island Cowichan Valley Gulf Islands Thompson Valley Shuswap Lillooet Kootenays Summerland Valleys Summerland Bench Summerland Lakefront East Kelowna Slopes South Kelowna Slopes Lake Country 16 GROWING DEGREE DAYS 10 YEAR AVERAGE Geographical Indication GI Okanagan Valley Okanagan Valley Okanagan Valley Okanagan Valley Okanagan Valley Okanagan Valley Simlikameen Valley Lillooet Thompson Valley Shuswap Kootenays Vancouver Island Gulf Islands Fraser Valley BC ACREAGE BY GI Geographical Indication GI Okanagan Valley Similkameen Valley Vancouver Island Fraser Valley Kootenays Gulf Islands Shuswap Thompson Valley Lillooet Weather Station Osoyoos EC Oliver Central Penticton Airport Summerland EC West Kelowna GS Kelowna East Cawston Lillooet Kamloops Salmon Arm Creston North Cowichan Saturna Island Langly Central Acreage 10 920 768 321 194 117 110 107 93 51 GDD 10 yr avg 1641 1448 1309 1397 1448 1370 1561 1600 1407 1146 1312 1097 963 1017 86 6 1 2 5 1 5 1 0 9 0 9 0 7 0 4 17

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SINGLE VINEYARD WINES Some wines go a step further than GI or sub GI and are labelled with a single vineyard As growers and wineries gain more experience with the different vineyard sites they own or operate the nuances and qualities of each starts to become apparent In order to highlight these qualities and differences more wineries are bottling single vineyard wines These wines must be 100 sourced from the named vineyard and provide a true expression of a site Consumers are often interested to taste the different flavours that can occur from one single vineyard wine versus another given similar grape varieties and winemaking techniques This is the foundation for making single vineyard wines They are not necessarily better than wines blended from a number of vineyards but what they do allow is for a sense of place to show in the wines A wine labelled just by grape variety and with a large region GI tells the consumer little about the specific area in which it is grown and what characteristics that gives to the wine Globally many of the world s top wines are from a specific single vineyard Even though a young industry many vineyards are now decades old and over a third of all vineyards were planted last century Because winemakers and grapegrowers now have more experience with specific sites they can identify which vineyards naturally produce superior quality wine When a site naturally shows promise for quality grapegrowers can then give it extra special treatment to allow its full potential to be realized Using the vineyard name allows the producer to communicate a specific link to a terroir to the consumer As a result there is an increasing number of wines being marketed with a single vineyard name on the label Just like it will for sub regions it takes time to build the reputation of a single vineyard In some parts of the world the fruit from one vineyard will be made into wine by many producers In BC most but not all of the vineyards are owned by a single producer With only one producer making wine from a vineyard they become responsible for building its reputation on their own something that can be a slow process without the vineyard name being seen under a number of different brands 18 BC Wine is about place A unique climate makes for a unique place

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OKANAGAN VALLEY GI The Okanagan Valley is synonymous with BC wine as it is by far the largest region comprising 86 of BC s vineyards and is home to the majority of its wineries The climate is one of extremes with temperatures as low as 20 C 4 F in the winter and as high as 40 C 104 F in the summer The growing season is typically short and hot with lots of sunshine long days and low rainfall thanks to the moisture stripping Coastal Mountain Range The vineyards are mostly planted on the low slopes of the sometimes steep valley walls The north south direction of the Okanagan Valley results in vineyards on both the east and west sides of the valley The east side is much warmer than the west side of the valley as it receives the hot afternoon sun long into the evening There can be ripening differences of as much as two weeks for the same variety at the same latitude depending on which side of the valley it is planted The dry conditions have benefits and challenges Because of low rainfall and snowfall irrigation is essential Pest and disease pressure is low due to the low levels of humidity and because of this sustainable and organic viticulture is becoming increasingly popular The big challenge is when dry winter conditions combine with clear nights losing the effect of clouds holding in heat and cold arctic air flows in from the north that can send temperatures plunging and kill buds or even entire vines The series of lakes beginning at Osoyoos Lake at the USA border through most areas of the Okanagan Valley provides some natural moderation of the harsh climate protecting vineyards from spring and fall frosts and extremes of winter cold Some areas such as most of the vineyards around Oliver do not have the protection of the lakes and can be more prone to temperature extremes both hot and cold Because of the large size of the Okanagan Valley with many different terroirs new smaller subGIs are being created to reflect the varying climate and grape varieties that are successful in the different parts of the valley The region varies in climate and soils from both north to south from latitude and also east to west as the aspect has a big impact on sunlight and warmth To explain how the climate and terroir changes we have broken the Okanagan Valley up into five larger areas for discussion these areas were identified based on climate studies by scientists at the Summerland Research and Development Centre Running from south to north these are Osoyoos and the Black Sage Bench Golden Mile Vaseux Oliver Penticton and Kelowna 20 21

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OSOYOOS THE BLACK SAGE BENCH The vineyards closest to the USA border tend to be the warmest The vineyards in this sub region are mostly planted on the east side of Osoyoos Lake and up along the Black Sage Bench to the south end of Oliver This area benefits from long evening sunlight hours while the Osoyoos vineyards also benefit from the protective moderating effect of the lake that sits at 276 metres above sea level This warm climate makes this area is ideal for later ripening red grapes such as Merlot Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah Shiraz The desert influence is obvious with few trees on the hillsides which are dominated by wild sagebrush and other native desert plants The vineyards are nearly all situated on deep stone free sandy glaciofluvial parent materials overlying granite bedrock The soils are rapidly drained and have very low moisture holding capacity and are well suited to grape production Sub GIs No sub GI yet in this area Key Varieties Merlot Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah Shiraz and Chardonnay Growing Degree Days 1641 Osoyoos GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2022 Key Fact Typically the hottest wine growing area in Canada 22 GOLDEN MILE BENCH GOLDEN MILE BENCH GOLDEN MILE SLOPES SUB GIS The area historically known as the Golden Mile is located on the west side of the Okanagan Valley south of the town of Oliver and almost directly opposite the vineyards of the Black Sage Bench Within this area is BC s first official subGI named Golden Mile Bench Its southerly latitude makes it a warm region but its location on the west side of the Valley means it gets morning rather than afternoon sunshine making it a cooler region than its eastern neighbour The vineyards of the Golden Mile Bench sub GI are located on the bench 40 to 100 metres above the valley floor giving enough altitude to ensure good air drainage and avoiding the risk of spring and fall frosts Elevation ranges from 325 to 510 metres The area was identified as having a unique combination of landform landscape position mesoclimate air drainage and soil materials justifying its qualification to become a sub GI The soils are welldrained glaciofluvial deposits coarse textured sand and gravel fans all formed from Mount Kobau that follow the boundaries of Testalinden Hester Tinhorn and Reid Creeks A wide range of different grape varieties both red and white are successful depending on the vineyard location Merlot Cabernet Franc Pinot Gris Chardonnay Cabernet Sauvignon Gew rztraminer and Syrah are the most planted varieties Situated just below and then continuing south of the Golden Mile Bench GI the Golden Mile Slopes GI is an area of around 600 hectares on the footslopes of the alluvial fans and above the Okanagan River flood plain to the east The area includes the vineyards around Deadman Lake a kettle lake formed from a large block of ice falling off a retreating glacier Approximately 165 hectares 408 acres of vineyards are planted with around 60 red varieties Located on the west side of the valley the area receives plentiful morning sun with shading from Mount Kobau in the late afternoon The GI shares the typically warm climate of the South Okanagan with cooling night time breezes descending from Mount Kobau helping to retain fresh acidity Away from any moderating effects of the valley lakes the area of the Golden Mile can be prone to extremes of both heat in summer and potentially cold in the winter months The landscape was formed from deposits of glacial meltwater and is predominantly made up of glaciofluvial sands and gravels along with alluvial fan deposits The Golden Mile Slopes GI excludes the floodplain of the Okanagan River which is poorly suited to viticultural production due to high water table and shoulder season frosts The vineyards are situated on coarse textured stony soils 23

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The range of grape varieties includes Merlot Cabernet Franc and Syrah for reds with Pinot Gris and smaller plantings of Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer Merlot and Cabernet Franc make up 45 of the acreage with Pinot Gris 13 being the other main variety Sub GI Golden Mile Bench 791 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Merlot Cabernet Franc Pinot Gris Chardonnay Cabernet Sauvignon Gew rztraminer and Syrah Sub GI Golden Mile Slopes 408 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Merlot Cabernet Franc Syrah Pinot Gris Growing Degree Days 1448 Oliver Central GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2022 Key Fact Golden Mile Bench was the first sub GI in British Columbia VASEUX OLIVER OKANAGAN FALLS SUB GI The Vaseux Oliver area marks the transition between the hotter south Okanagan to the more moderate northerly latitudes It is in this area where the famous ice dam had formed that was so important in shaping the terroir of the Okanagan Valley The terroir can vary considerably making for a diverse range of grapes Chardonnay Pinot Gris Merlot Gew rztraminer Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Noir and Riesling are the most planted varieties The Okanagan Falls sub GI is a small area of 370 acres located immediately south of the village of Okanagan Falls on the east side of the valley Most vineyards are between 400 500 metres elevation Within the sub GI Chardonnay Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris make up 75 of the acreage Cool air from higher elevations flows into the region at night keeping temperatures low and retaining acidity in the grapes Most of the area is covered by glaciofluvial deposits coarse welldrained sands and gravels that were deposited by glacial meltwater around 12 000 years ago A signature geological landform of the sub GI is what are known as kettles Kettles occur when blocks of ice fall off a glacier and become partially or entirely buried later to melt leaving kettle holes behind This gives a jumbled array of ridges and mounds Sub GIs Okanagan Falls 370 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Chardonnay Pinot Gris Merlot Gew rztraminer Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Noir and Riesling Growing Degree Days 1400 estimated Key Fact McIntyre Bluff location of famous Ice Dam 8 000 10 000 years ago 75 of grapes in Okanagan Falls sub GI are Chardonnay Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris 24 PENTICTON NARAMATA BENCH SKAHA BENCH SUB GIS The Penticton area covers the vineyards around Skaha Lake and Naramata at the southern end of Okanagan Lake The area includes two sub GIs Naramata Bench and Skaha Bench As we head further north up the Okanagan Valley the climate is more moderate with Skaha and Okanagan Lakes having a big moderating influence Vineyards are located on both the east and west sides of the valley with the cooler earlier shaded east facing vineyards well suited to many white and earlier ripening red grapes The west facing vineyards of Naramata Bench and Skaha Bench can ripen later ripening varieties in the warmer sites Merlot Pinot Gris Pinot Noir Chardonnay and Gew rztraminer are the most planted varieties Much of the western side of the valley is volcanic soils while the eastern side is older bedrock with Naramata having many pockets of silt and clay The vineyards are generally situated on gentle slopes with excellent air drainage and are close enough to the lakes to enjoy their moderating effects The Naramata Bench sub GI covers an area of 9019 acres 3 650 hectares along the east side of Okanagan Lake from Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park in the north to Penticton Creek in the south Approximately 617 acres 250 hectares are planted with 50 wineries in the area Elevation ranges from around 400 to 700 metres The west facing aspect getting late afternoon and evening sun the strong moderating influence of Lake Okanagan and the excellent air drainage from the benches towards the lake give a long moderately warm growing season with low frost risk Merlot Pinot Gris Chardonnay and Pinot Noir together account for 62 of the acreage The Skaha Bench sub GI is 901 acres 365 hectares in size with 185 acres 75 hectares of vineyards The area covers the eastern side of Skaha Lake with vineyards situated on benches between 380 to 470 metres elevation The rocky bedrock that borders the eastern side of the sub GI absorbs and re radiates heat back into the vineyards at night The key elements are the west facing aspect giving long afternoon and evening sunlight and the moderating influence of Skaha Lake as well as the air drainage off the bench to the lake below A number of different grape varieties are planted including in descending order Chardonnay Merlot Pinot Gris Pinot Noir Pinot Blanc Syrah Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon Together they make up 81 of the acreage Sub GI Naramata Bench 617 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Merlot Pinot Gris Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Sub GI Skaha Bench 185 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Chardonnay Merlot Pinot Gris Pinot Noir Pinot Blanc Syrah Cabernet Franc Growing Degree Days 1397 Summerland 1309 Penticton No long term weather station for Naramata Bench or Skaha Bench Key Fact Climate moderated by Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake Complex soils from volcanic to former lake bottom sediments 25

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SUMMERLAND SUMMERLAND VALLEYS SUMMERLAND BENCH SUMMERLAND LAKEFRONT SUB GIS The complexity of the terroir around the Summerland area means one simple sub GI would not cover the diversity of soils lake and altitude influence Three sub GIs were officially approved July 2022 The Summerland Valleys Sub GI is an area of approximately 3336 acres in the higher elevation and cool climates of Prairie Valley and Garnet Valley above Summerland The south eastern portion of the sub GI near Prairie Valley shares a border with the Summerland Bench sub GI Elevation ranges from 500 to 700 metres making this area home to some of the highest vineyards in the Okanagan Approximately 85 acres is currently planted with two thirds in the Garnet Valley and one third in Prairie Valley East of the southern portion of Summerland Valleys sub GI is the Summerland Bench Sub GI At mid levels 420 600 metres of elevation this sub GI covers the mostly glaciofluvial glacial meltwater terraces around Giant s Head Mountain The soils are generally coarse textured sandy silty or gravelly and with good drainage to help control vigour and yields The Summerland Lakefront Sub GI hugs the western shore of Okanagan Lake The former lake bottom soils glaciolacustrine are mostly stone free silty soils on benches above the lake Most of the vineyards have east or south easterly aspects making for good sunny conditions and benefitting from the moderating effects of the nearby lake These vineyards mirror the Naramata Bench sub GI across the lake The southern portion at the Trout Creek delta is just above lake level with more gravelly subsoils Summerland Lakefront Sub GI spans 12km of lakefront from the Trout Creek delta to the elevated benches to the north Sub GI Summerland Valleys 85 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Pinot Noir Chardonnay Kerner Gew rztraminer and Riesling Growing Degree Days 1135 Garnet Valley Summerland GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2022 Key Fact Some of the highest elevation vineyards in BC Sub GI Summerland Bench 148 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Gew rztraminer Pinot Noir Pinot Gris Chardonnay Riesling and Merlot Growing Degree Days 1296 600m elevation to 1382 GDD 430m elevation GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2022 Key Fact Giants Head Mountain within this sub GI is part of an extinct volcano Sub GI Summerland Lakefront 161 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Gew rztraminer Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir Growing Degree Days 1397 Summerland Research Development Centre GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2022 Key Fact Gewurztraminer Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris account for 77 of the vineyard acreage in this sub GI 26 27

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KELOWNA EAST KELOWNA SLOPES SOUTH KELOWNA SLOPES SUB GIS The area stretching from Peachland to the north end of the Okanagan Valley has the coolest climate of the Okanagan This makes it an area well suited to earlier ripening varieties Pinot Noir dominates with 23 of the acreage while Gew rztraminer Pinot Gris Riesling and Chardonnay together cover another 45 The proximity to Okanagan Lake and Kalamalka Lake strongly moderates these regions keeping them cool The area contains some of the oldest vineyards in the Okanagan dating back to the 1860s Good air drainage from the benches keeps the vineyards largely frost free The vineyards are located between 350 660 metres elevation Soils in the area vary considerably ranging from gravelly sandy loam on glaciofluvial terraces in the area south of Kelowna on the east side of the lake to silty clay loams on glaciolacustrine deposits north of Kelowna and around the old volcano Mt Boucherie in West Kelowna Sub GI East Kelowna Slopes 203 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Pinot Noir Gew rztraminer Riesling Chardonnay and Pinot Gris Growing Degree Days 1340 GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2019 Key Fact Old vines Riesling planted in 1978 First vineyard planted in 1860s Sub GI South Kelowna Slopes 297 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Pinot Noir Riesling Chardonnay Pinot Gris Gamay and Gew rztraminer Growing Degree Days 1324 CedarCreek Estate Winery GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2019 Key Fact Home to the first winery to have a BC vineyard certified biodynamic LAKE COUNTRY LAKE COUNTRY SUB GI The Lake Country sub GI the Okanagan Valley s most northern sub region encompasses an area of around 6178 acres of the west facing slopes and benches above Okanagan Lake There are approximately 247 acres of vineyards planted in the sub GI The soils in the region are a mixture of glaciolacustrine lake bottom in the lower areas below 425 metres and coarser gravelly or sandy glacial till at higher elevations The subGI boundary goes up to 600 650 metres elevation Some areas of Lake Country uniquely have pre glacial soils that pre date the last glaciation that dominates soil formation throughout the Okanagan Valley Key elements of the region are the northerly latitude some vineyards are above 50 giving a cool climate westerly aspect getting late afternoon sunshine and warmth proximity to the lake moderating temperatures and gentle slopes providing good air drainage helping to create a long growing season GDD can range from about 1245 in the higher elevation vineyards to 1445 in west facing warmer sites closer to the lake Pinot Noir is the most planted grape making up 27 of the 247 acres even though white varieties dominate with 65 of plantings Pinot Gris 23 Riesling 12 and Chardonnay 12 are the other major varieties Sub GI Lake Country 247 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Pinot Noir Pinot Gris Riesling and Chardonnay Growing Degree Days 1445 Lake Side Sites GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2019 Key Fact Some vineyards are above 50 degrees latitude often considered the limit of viticulture 28 29

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SIMILKAMEEN VALLEY GI The Similkameen Valley GI lies just west of Osoyoos in southern British Columbia with the majority of the vineyards around Cawston and Keremeos It has a similar climate to the South Okanagan with hot dry semi desert conditions The Similkameen Valley has 6 1 of BC s vineyard acreage Running mostly west to east rather than the north to south orientation of the Okanagan the Similkameen Valley is quite varied in its terroir Around the town of Keremeos there are some hotter bench land vineyards but due to the steep and sudden mountains rising above the grapes many areas get shaded early in the day and in the dead of winter see almost no sunlight Moving east to the town of Cawston there is a long exposed south to west facing bench stretching from Keremeos through Cawston that is ideal for growing later ripening grapes Sunlight hours on this bench rival the best sites of the South Okanagan In many parts of the world this would be considered high altitude viticulture with vineyards ranging from 400 480 metres above sea level The soils are often gravelly fluvial fan based and in many areas there are lots of stones on the surface Many vineyard soils are high in calcium carbonate giving mineral flavours to many of the wines With no lake in the Similkameen the region is subject to extremes of both heat and cold but the Similkameen River and a persistent and often powerful wind can help reduce temperature extremes The wind is also significant in keeping the vineyards free of pests and diseases and partially contributes to the fact that the Similkameen has the highest density of certified organic fruits and vegetables in all of Canada Because of the varied climate a wide range of grapes can be successful from Merlot Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah through to earlier ripening Gamay Noir and Pinot Noir and white varieties Chardonnay Riesling and Pinot Gris Sub GIs No sub GI yet in this area 768 acres planted Key Varieties Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah Cabernet Franc Chardonnay Gamay Noir Pinot Noir Pinot Gris and Riesling Growing Degree Days 1561 Cawston GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2022 Key Fact Strong and persistent winds Highest percentage of organic farms in all of Canada First vineyard planted in Similkameen in 1959 30 31

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VANCOUVER ISLAND GI The vineyards of Vancouver Island are mostly located on the southeastern side of the Island that has a Mediterranean like climate with cool wet winters and warm dry summers A strong maritime influence moderates seasonal temperature variation High mountain ranges on Vancouver Island strip moisture leaving the eastern side of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands much drier than the Fraser Valley While being generally cool regions the lower rainfall and long frost free season allows enough growing degree days for a wide range of potential cool climate grape varieties including Pinot Noir Pinot Gris Marechal Foch Ortega Chardonnay Gew rztraminer and many others Vineyards on Vancouver Island are centered on the Cowichan Valley a sub GI created in 2020 close to the town of Duncan There are also producers close to Nanaimo as well as on the Saanich Peninsula with some close to the city of Victoria A total of 321 acres are planted to grapes The soils are a mixture with the retreating glaciers and the uplifting of the ocean floor of up to 100 metres above sea level leaving behind Marine sediments glaciofluvial sediments and glacial till Sub GI Cowichan Valley Sub GI 321 acres planted Key Varieties Pinot Noir Pinot Gris Marechal Foch Ortega Chardonnay and Gew rztraminer Growing Degree Days 1097 Cowichan GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2022 Key Fact 21 of acreage is Pinot Noir 34 COWICHAN VALLEY SUB GI On July 10 2020 the Cowichan Valley was officially recognized as the first subgeographical indication outside of the Okanagan Valley The Cowichan Valley sub GI is roughly defined as the area between the Cowichan watershed the eastern coastline from Mill Bay to Maple Bay and the western area of Cowichan Lake The vineyards of the Cowichan Valley boast ideal conditions for popular grape varieties that include Ortega Bacchus Gew rztraminer Pinot Gris Marechal Foch and Pinot Noir Wineries in the Cowichan Valley are generally shielded from Pacific Ocean storms by nearby mountains and have a long growing season with low frost risk Sub GI Cowichan Valley 175 acres planted at time of designation Key Varieties Pinot Noir Pinot Gris Marechal Foch Ortega Chardonnay and Gew rztraminer 35

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THOMPSON VALLEY GI Located 50 6 degrees north latitude this interior wine region with an extreme continental climate roughly follows the outline of the Thompson Basin ecosection capturing the lowland along the Thompson River and up to include the watersheds that drain into the Thompson River Approximately 130 km east to west the GI includes Kamloops Cache Creek and Ashcroft cutting off at Chase in the northeast The easternmost boundary is the watershed boundary shared with Shuswap GI To date vineyard and winery activity is centred around the city of Kamloops Carved out by glacier activity pushing south thousands of years ago the soils are often deep layers of silt sand and clay Many vineyard soils are rich in calcium carbonate giving mineral flavours to many of the wines Sheltered within a rain shadow of the high Coastal mountains the Thompson Valley is classified semi arid with dry desert like conditions with hot summers and cold winters The constant movement of the North and South Thompson Rivers creates air flow to help moderate temperatures The jet stream along with the east west direction of the valley contribute to a persistent wind that flows through the valley and helps regulate temperatures and humidity in the vineyards providing many options for winemakers to shine with winter hardy hybrids and vinifera varieties like Riesling Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Sub GIs No sub GI yet in this area 93 acres planted Key Varieties Riesling Marquette Frontenac Noir LaCrescent Frontenac Blanc Frontenac Gris Marechal Foch Chardonnay Pinot Noir Growing Degree Days 1407 Kamloops GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2022 Key Fact New GI in 2019 Chalky soils giving intense minerality in the wines First commercial vineyard planted in 2005 38 39

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SHUSWAP GI The Shuswap region is located north of the Okanagan Valley and east of the Thompson Valley It is a diverse area that includes several major rivers that flow into Shuswap Lake the dominant feature in the region The GI boundary follows the Shuswap basin watershed and is designed to capture areas that have landscape and climatic conditions that have suitability for agriculture Much of the Shuswap watershed is composed of rugged high elevation ranges of the Columbia Mountains where viticulture would not be possible The GI has an upper elevation limit of approximately 1000 metres well above the elevation currently climatically suitable for agriculture but included for potential future expansion Wines have been produced here since 1997 predominately from cool climate varieties which is understandable as it is one of the most northerly grapegrowing regions in North America and the coolest of BC s interior wine regions The approximately 107 acres of vineyard are spread out through the region each with its own microclimate Sub GIs No sub GI yet in this area 107 acres planted Key Varieties Marechal Foch Ortega Siegerrebe Gew rztraminer Kerner Zweigelt Madeleine Angevine Bacchus Pinot Noir and Madeleine Sylvaner Growing Degree Days 1146 Salmon Arm GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2022 Key Fact Has produced wine since 1997 Coolest of BC s interior regions 40 41

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LILLOOET GI The Lillooet GI covers a 100 kilometre stretch of the interior Fraser River valley from Pavilion in the north to Kanaka Bar in the south The GI incorporates a mountainous landscape of deep canyons and valley floor terraces benches surrounded by steep valley walls The GI has an upper elevation of approximately 1 000 metres however due to the steepness of the valley walls viticultural production is currently climatically suited to elevations below 500 metres and the largest vineyards are at 230 metres much lower than most interior vineyards This contributes to high growing degree days even at the northerly latitude of 50 68 The mountain range to the west gives a rain shadow effect making for a climate similar to the traditional grapegrowing regions in the south Okanagan Valley with long hot dry summers However nights can be cool preserving fresh crisp acidity in the wines Successful varieties include Riesling Pinot Noir Cabernet Franc Chardonnay and Pinot Gris Sub GIs No sub GI yet in this area 51 acres planted Key Varieties Riesling Pinot Noir Cabernet Franc Chardonnay and Pinot Gris Growing Degree Days 1600 Lillooet GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2022 Key Facts One of the most northerly grapegrowing regions in North America The fastest growing region in terms of vineyard acreage from 29 acres in 2017 to 51 in 2019 42 43

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KOOTENAYS GI The Kootenays GI is a large mountainous area of more than 2 million hectares 4 9 million acres however only a small fraction of this is currently suited for viticultural production The boundaries of the GI are primarily defined by watershed boundaries specifically the Kootenay River watershed from the US border to Balfour and then along the Kootenay River to Castlegar the Slocan watershed the Columbia River drainage from Lower Arrow Lake and the Columbia River to the US border the watershed of the Granby River and of the lower reaches of the Kettle River from the Okanagan Basin divide east of Osoyoos including the areas around Rock Creek and Grand Forks There is departure from the water drainage based boundaries in the northern portion of the GI where the area surrounding Nakusp has been included in the GI Much of the area within the GI is high elevation and climatically unsuited for agriculture Viticulture occurs along valley floors in the region in the warmest portions of the GI specifically the Creston Valley the Grand Forks area and with potential in the Rock Creek area The most planted grape variety in the GI is Pinot Noir followed by other vinifera varieties including Gew rztraminer Pinot Gris Chardonnay and Riesling Sub GIs No sub GI yet in this area 117 acres planted Key Varieties Pinot Noir Gew rztraminer Pinot Gris Marechal Foch Chardonnay Riesling and Gamay Noir Growing Degree Days 1312 Creston GDD Base 10C April 1 to Oct 31 average over last 10 years farmwest com 2022 Key Fact Pinot Noir makes up 29 of acreage 44 45

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BC IN THE WINE WORLD When it comes to the world of wine BC is a small player making up just 0 06 of the world vineyard acreage Even within the province of British Columbia BC VQA Wine represents less than 20 of the wine consumed Being small is good as scarcity allows producers to focus on quality The climate being on the edge of the wine world will never be suited to large yields and mass production wine but is ideal for making small quantities of high quality intensely flavoured naturally balanced wines That is what BC does make great value high quality interesting wine that is unique in the world The number of international awards stacking up the global media attention and the increased demand for export shows that the world is starting to take notice There are many words that regularly come up when describing BC wine 46 BC s MOST PLANTED GRAPES MOST PLANTED GRAPES IN BC 2022 Merlot Pinot Noir Pinot Gris Chardonnay Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Riesling Gew rztraminer Syrah Sauvignon Blanc Gamay Noir Pinot Blanc Viognier Malbec Marechal Foch Petit Verdot 256 242 235 150 126 106 665 659 655 440 973 940 1 306 1 247 1 861 1 656 0 500 1000 1500 2000 WHITE WINES PINOT GRIS Not immune to the world love affair for the grape Pinot Gris is BC s most planted white variety Pinot Gris is one of the many mutations of Pinot Noir from the Burgundy region of France the Gris referring to the gray or often bronze pink colour of the skins The style of Pinot Gris in BC has been and in many cases still is quite varied following both the crisper lighter fresher style of Pinot Grigio in northern Italy as well as towards the richer honeyed off dry and more tropical style of Alsace Both the French and Italian names are used often varying based on the perceived style characteristics Many of the early Pinot Gris wines from BC were treated more like Chardonnay and fermented and aged in oak a style that still exists today amongst a few producers Other producers have created a niche by utilizing the bronze skin colour of the grape and making copper or salmon coloured versions that are borderline ros The majority of BC Pinot Gris though could best be described as something fruitier and fuller bodied than the Pinot Grigio of Italy yet lighter and fresher than the wines of Alsace 47

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TASTE PROFILE Typically dry or off dry with a medium body and flavours and aromas of pear honeydew or cantaloupe melon lemon and sometimes a little honey minerality and baking spice Because of its popularity Pinot Gris is grown in many other countries outside of France and Italy Oregon USA makes Pinot Gris similar in style to that of BC New Zealand versions are similar in weight and flavour but often with higher residual sugar while Australian versions are usually dry and crisp in the Italian mould It is also grown in Argentina Hungary and more recently South Africa as the Pinot Gris trend grips the wine world PINOT GRIS ACRES BY MAIN GROWING REGIONS 1200 1129 7 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Okanagan Valley 12 7 Fraser Valley 27 6 5 9 4 61 2 53 7 3 7 3 3 Gulf Thompson Kootenays Lillooet Vancouver Similkameen Shuswap Islands Valley Island Valley Key Fact BC s most planted white grape CHARDONNAY Chardonnay is one of the true global white grape varieties with quality examples made in virtually every wine producing region of the world Although recently overtaken by Pinot Gris as the most planted white grape variety in BC plantings of Chardonnay are still increasing The style of Chardonnay produced in BC varies from a few unoaked versions with crisp acidity and often apple flavours to world class barrel fermented wines with complex lees oak and fruit flavours The naturally high acidity achieved in BC and the peach lemon and nectarine flavours when combined with quality barrel fermentation and aging 48 on lees can make for very highly regarded wines It is also a key component in many of the growing number of BC sparkling wines TASTE PROFILE Modern styles show lemon peach and nectarine with crisp acidity and subtle lees nut and oak Of the major Chardonnay wines produced around the world California is renowned for producing very lush full bodied and heavily oaked versions with lots of tropical fruit BC wines are generally lighter and fresher than these with a little more elegance and higher acidity Australia makes both inexpensive as well as top quality wines from cool climate regions such as Adelaide Hills Tasmania and Western Australia The Australian wines tend to be a little richer than BC Chardonnay falling somewhere in style between BC and California Burgundy the home of Chardonnay produces more mineral driven wines with flavours often quite similar to those of BC although with centuries of practice makes wines with a seamless elegance that is hard to rival The best single vineyard BC Chardonnay seems to be able to come close to some of the quality wines of Burgundy with slightly more fruit ripeness Chardonnay is one of the grapes where BC has the potential to excel on a global level CHARDONNAY ACRES BY MAIN GROWING REGIONS 1200 1104 9 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Okanagan Valley 10 9 Fraser Valley 69 3 13 3 10 7 10 7 6 4 19 8 1 Gulf Thompson Kootenays Lillooet Vancouver Similkameen Shuswap Islands Valley Island Valley Key Fact Successful in many styles and regions in BC 49

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GEW RZTRAMINER Gew rztraminer is another Alsatian variety that grows well in BC The variety has been planted in the province for many years and continues to gain popularity The grape is pink skinned often adding a tinge of colour to the wines Known for its intense aromatics the BC climate with its natural fruitiness is an ideal location for such a pronounced floral variety Ripening to high alcohol levels often around 14 the variety can lose acidity quickly and become a touch flabby In BC the natural high acidity that remains from the cool nights means this is rarely an issue Wines from Alsace in France ripen to a high level and are often rich and full bodied with an oily palate and strong baking spice flavours In BC the wines tend to be not as fat and oily but retain more freshness something that has made them very popular in the province The variety is also quite popular in Washington State USA that enjoys similar climate characteristics to the Okanagan Valley TASTE PROFILE Aromas of lychee rose petal and ripe stone fruit are common as is a full body and often a touch of sweetness GEW RZTRAMINER ACRES BY MAIN GROWING AREAS 600 601 8 500 400 300 200 100 0 Okanagan Valley 3 4 Fraser Valley 7 2 2 11 1 0 3 13 8 15 1 4 4 Gulf Thompson Kootenays Lillooet Vancouver Similkameen Shuswap Islands Valley Island Valley Key Fact Many high quality examples from the Summerland area RIESLING Thirty years ago the most planted grape variety Riesling was always present in BC but it took a while for it to be taken seriously Plantings have grown steadily over the 50 last three decades and while for many years the variety made fairly basic yet consistent wines from higher yields it took a change of mentality to make the serious top quality wines we see today Now with lower yields to get increased concentration a number of producers are taking Riesling to the next quality level Many of the Riesling wines have a great ability to age and can cellar for more than a decade While many of the BC Riesling used to be simple off dry and fresh now BC is most often associated with dry high acid intensely apple lime and mineral flavoured wines A few producers are making slightly sweeter low alcohol yet intensely flavoured versions where the fermentation has been stopped leaving some natural sugar to balance high acidity Compared to the rest of the wine world the dry styles of BC Riesling are most similar to those of Australia s Clare and Eden Valleys and the dry wines of Alsace France although both have their differences Alsace is often fuller bodied and sometimes a little earthier while the Australian wines tend to be lighter with more intense lime zest characteristics The sweeter low alcohol versions are most similar to a German Sp tlese style although Germany is increasingly making drier Alsatian styled wines too Washington State USA has large plantings of Riesling and the similar climate means quite similar styles to BC are produced TASTE PROFILE Dry or off dry with zippy acidity intense apple citrus and mineral notes Powerful yet fresh RIESLING ACRES BY MAIN GROWING AREA 600 580 3 500 400 300 200 100 0 Okanagan Valley 3 0 Fraser Valley Key Fact Great ageability 10 1 Thompson Valley 7 4 Lillooet 52 5 Similkameen Valley 6 2 Shuswap 51

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SAUVIGNON BLANC Sauvignon Blanc experienced the same popular explosion in the 1990s that Pinot Gris is experiencing today being planted rapidly all over the world Plantings in BC increased quite rapidly in the middle of the 2000s but have since slowed though it remains the fifth most planted white grape in BC The BC style benefits from the natural high acidity and fruit ripeness To make the greener grassier style of wine though such as those from Marlborough in New Zealand the grapes often need to be harvested early as the climate in BC is better suited to expressing Sauvignon Blanc s more tropical fruit side Because of this both the crisp zingy green bean grass and asparagus version as well as a riper tropical fruit richer version can be made Some of the most successful wines are oak fermented and blended with S millon to make wines along the mould of white Bordeaux The BC climate allows all of these styles to be successful and has resulted in a fairly even distribution amongst the three Benchmark wines that have inspired these styles include the high acid green gooseberry and passionfruit wines of Marlborough in New Zealand and the barrelfermented riper more tropical fruit flavoured wines of Bordeaux France The Sancerre and Pouilly Fum wines of France s Loire Valley tend to be leaner tighter and more mineral driven than anything that has been made in BC For a number of years BC flirted with the Fum Blanc style that was popular in California at the time but the trend for oak aging Sauvignon Blanc on its own seems to have largely passed with just a few producers in BC still successfully producing this style TASTE PROFILE Racy fresh and crisp with green bean passionfruit and tropical notes Sometimes blended with S millon and barrel fermented for a richer style 52 SAUVIGNON BLANC ACRES BY MAIN GROWING REGIONS 400 401 5 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Okanagan Valley 2 1 Fraser Valley 2 2 Kootenays 30 2 3 8 Vancouver Island Similkameen Valley Key Fact Surge of plantings in early 2000s PINOT BLANC While BC has always produced quite characterful Pinot Blanc wines the variety has never taken off in terms of popularity most likely because when the industry was in its growth phase there were not really any benchmark wines from around the world to provide inspiration Because of this it has always been a bit of a workhorse grape making solidly flavoured white wines but rarely having the same amount of passion put behind it Acreage has been decreasing over recent years but this underrated grape still makes many great value crisp refreshing wines Historically confused with Chardonnay many original winemaking attempts with Pinot Blanc in BC followed similar techniques used for the better known grape including fermentation in quite new barrels Probably the best known regions in the world for producing Pinot Blanc are Alsace France and north east Italy where it is known as Pinot Bianco The wines in both areas tend to be crisp and refreshing often with apple skin and lemon notes BC wines are increasingly following the same style the BC climate giving both good fruit intensity while retaining zingy acidity In Germany the grape is the fifth most planted white variety and dry crisp and oaked versions are made particularly in the south TASTE PROFILE Crisp fresh acidity medium body and flavours of citrus and apple peel 53

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PINOT BLANC ACRES BY MAIN GROWING REGIONS 250 218 7 200 150 100 50 0 Okanagan Valley 3 3 Vancouver Island 16 1 Similkameen Valley 2 8 Shuswap Key Fact Once one of the most planted grapes in BC VIOGNIER The growth of Viognier from existing only as a small local curiosity in the northern Rh ne to a worldwide mainstream grape variety has been rapid and the trend has not missed BC With tens of thousands of acres planted around the world BC now has more than 200 acres The variety is often difficult for growers because it ripens late and to make the most of its intense jasmine and stone fruit scented perfume winemakers need nerves of steel to let it ripen properly If picked too early the variety lacks aromatics texture and flavour Hence it is a variety that performs best in warmer sites and vintages In BC Viognier often attains the heady scents but retains freshness from the trademark crisp BC acidity Viognier is increasingly being blended with two other Rh ne varieties Marsanne and Roussanne Marsanne and Roussanne are not as aromatic as Viognier but share the same rich soft texture These blends are proving some of the most successful BC white blends in recent competitions although plantings of these blending partners are still small Viognier is also increasingly being used to add perfume texture and brightness of colour to Syrah when blended prior to fermentation in small amounts something known as co fermentation In other parts of the world the style of Viognier varies considerably The homeland of Viognier Condrieu in the northern Rh ne Valley France combines intense aromatics of apricot honeysuckle and often ginger spice with fresh lemony acidity The largest single region for Viognier in the world is the Languedoc region of France where it produces well priced varietally correct wines The variety hasn t taken off in the rest of Europe 54 but has been particularly successful in the New World California often produces very heavy full bodied scented and often oaked wines with low acidity Australia has roughly the same acreage as France and produces quality wines somewhere in style between those of Condrieu and California and is often blended with Shiraz South Africa makes a style similar to California while Chile New Zealand and Argentina also have significant production TASTE PROFILE Jasmine and honeysuckle aromatics and stone fruit with trademark crisp BC acidity VIOGNIER ACRES BY MAIN GROWING REGIONS 250 214 2 200 150 100 50 0 Okanagan Valley 1 0 Fraser Valley 0 03 Kootenays 19 3 0 7 Vancouver Island Similkameen Valley Key Fact Some top blends involve Viognier with Roussanne and Marsanne 55

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RED WINES MERLOT The rise of red wine consumption in North America and the popularity of Merlot all came about when BC was expanding its acreage in the South Okanagan Because of this Merlot became the grape of choice and has become not only the number one red grape but the number one grape overall in BC In most parts of the world Merlot is renowned as having soft tannins and a lush rich texture In BC for reasons linked to the unique climate the structure of Merlot is different It naturally produces more structured higher tannin wines than in most parts of the world Whereas Merlot is often blended in many wine regions to soften more structured varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon in BC the variety also does well as a standalone because it has both the body and the tannin that a blend might often have BC Merlot will typically have a medium to full body medium to high tannins and flavours that include black cherry black plum chocolate and floral violet notes As in many parts of the world it is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc In BC Syrah is also being very successfully included as a blending partner One of the most widely planted grape varieties in the world it is not surprising that it appears in most wine producing countries As stated above it is often plusher in texture and softer in tannins in most world regions when compared with BC examples France has almost 300 000 acres of Merlot ranging from the highly prized and priced complex plush and age worthy wines of Pomerol and Saint milion to large quantities of fairly basic wine from Bordeaux AC and the Languedoc In Italy Merlot appears in some of the top Super Tuscan wines but mostly makes fairly light and simple wines in the north east of the country There is also a significant amount of Merlot in Spain where it is mostly used as a blending variety It is quite common in Eastern Europe in Bulgaria Romania and Hungary as well as in Ukraine and Russia Slovenia Serbia Croatia Montenegro and the Czech Republic California is perhaps the most synonymous region in the world for Merlot The grape produces soft rich deeply coloured and full bodied wines generally with low tannins combining to give the sensation of sweetness Washington State has large plantings of Merlot and is perhaps the most similar in style to the wines of BC as it shares a similar climate although the tannins tend to be softer In Chile Merlot was confused for many years with another grape variety Carmen re Argentina Uruguay and Brazil also have significant plantings of Merlot In Australia most Merlot is used for low priced international branded wines Merlot in New Zealand is an important grape for red blends as it ripens more consistently in the cool climate than Cabernet Sauvignon South Africa uses its Merlot both in high end blends as well as a branded variety for inexpensive wines 56 TASTE PROFILE Black plum black cherry violet and dark chocolate notes with firm tannins MERLOT ACRES BY MAIN GROWING REGIONS 2000 1709 1 1500 1000 500 0 Okanagan Valley 0 50 Fraser Valley 5 4 Kootenays 8 4 Lillooet 135 9 1 9 Vancover Island Similkameen Valley Key Fact BC s most planted red grape PINOT NOIR Pinot Noir has grown more rapidly in terms of acreage than any other red variety as growers find it to be successful in many climates across BC It is the number one planted red grape in five of the nine BC wine regions Most of the plantings are in the central to north part of the Okanagan the coastal vineyards and the cooler inland regions as the areas around Oliver and Osoyoos and much of the Similkameen Valley are too hot for this early ripening variety Many wine producers have put significant effort into making top quality Pinot Noir and the results are very positive Style wise BC Pinot Noir tends to have both bright intense cherry strawberry and raspberry fruit flavour as well as complex spice notes along with medium tannins and high levels of acidity for structure As a result good quality BC Pinot Noir tends to age very well It is also a key component in many BC sparkling wines The most famous Pinot Noir region of the world is its home of Burgundy in France Here the wines combine complexity of fruit spice and earth flavours with a silky texture and lively freshness While planted in virtually every wine producing country in the world only a few have a strong reputation for quality Germany where the grape is known as Sp tburgunder makes slightly fuller softer and sweeter fruited wines than France 57

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Californian Pinot Noir boosted by the mainstream success of the movie Sideways produces high quality wines mostly in the very cool coastal breeze influenced areas The wines are often soft silky and very ripe Oregon is considered a specialist of Pinot Noir and the wines often have some of the earthy notes of Burgundy combined with some of the richness of California In the southern hemisphere New Zealand has forged the best reputation for the variety with regions such as Central Otago making ripe soft rich wines Australia is producing successful moderate climate Pinot Noir in regions such as Yarra Valley Mornington Peninsula and cool climate versions in Tasmania TASTE PROFILE Bright and fresh cherry strawberry and raspberry with medium body and tannins and crisp acidity PINOT NOIR ACRES BY MAIN GROWING REGIONS 1500 1412 3 1250 1000 750 500 250 0 Okanagan Valley 29 2 Fraser Valley 36 7 11 2 31 8 6 6 55 3 50 6 7 Gulf Thompson Kootenays Lillooet Vancouver Similkameen Shuswap Islands Valley Island Valley Key Fact Good quality BC Pinot Noir tends to age very well CABERNET SAUVIGNON Renowned as one of the kings of all grapes Cabernet Sauvignon is known for producing or contributing in a blend to some of BC s top wines The challenge to growing Cabernet Sauvignon in BC is that it does not respond well to cool vintages Because of this it is best suited to the warmest sites typically on the eastern side of the Okanagan Valley near Osoyoos or on the south facing benches of Cawston in the Similkameen Valley Plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon have not grown as quickly as Pinot Noir in recent years because there are less available sites that have the conditions to consistently ripen the 58 variety Nevertheless Cabernet Sauvignon is the third most planted red grape variety Typical Cabernet Sauvignon in BC has intense cassis and blackberry fruit structured tannins and high acidity with a notable dried sage or tobacco note The wines from ripe vintages can age very well often drinking well for more than a decade There are many classic Cabernet Sauvignon regions around the world Amongst the most famous are the lush plush and rich wines of Napa Valley The climate in Napa gives a softness to Cabernet Sauvignon that few other wine regions can achieve It is also a successful variety in Sonoma Valley and Washington State in the USA The M doc and Graves or Left Bank areas of Bordeaux in France use Cabernet Sauvignon as the dominant variety in the long lived highly prized blends along with smaller amounts of Merlot Cabernet Franc and other varieties The best wines have purity of cassis fruit and cedar along with complex fruit earth and spice They also have structure that allows them to age for decades Cabernet Sauvignon has long been a part of Italy s Super Tuscans and also appears in some of the top Spanish wines in regions such as Ribera del Duero It appears in most other moderate to warm climate European wine producing countries such as Bulgaria Russia Ukraine Hungary and Greece The variety is widely planted in South America with high quality wines from regions such as Maipo Colchagua Maule and Cachapoal Valley s in Chile and in Mendoza in Argentina The Chilean wines achieve intense fruit aromatics but retain some of the unique Chile green herbaceous or tobacco notes Australia s Coonawarra achieves very intense cassis notes and often shows dusty tannins and an herbal eucalyptus note Quality wines are also made in Margaret River in Western Australia These wines fall somewhere in style between the richer Napa and fresher Bordeaux South Africa s Stellenbosch is known for quality ripe full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon while in New Zealand most sites are generally too cool for successful wines TASTE PROFILE Intense cassis plum and blackberry fruit structured tannins and high acidity with a notable dried sage note 59

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CABERNET SAUVIGNON ACRES BY MAIN GROWING REGIONS 1200 1050 900 878 9 750 600 450 300 150 0 Okanagan Valley 1 8 Fraser Valley 1 6 Lillooet 87 6 2 8 Vancouver Island Similkameen Valley Key Fact Often smells like the wild sage growing around the vineyards CABERNET FRANC An ancient and important variety that is one of the parents of the better known Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc in BC is increasingly making expressive quality varietal wines rather than its usual role as a blending grape in most parts of the world The grape seems to have a particular affinity with the climate of the south Okanagan Valley and Similkameen Valley producing wines with bright red fruit ripe tannins intense perfume and just a hint of the herbaceous character that can be overpowering in overly cool climates Cabernet Franc ripens earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon and so is better suited to the wine regions of BC In warm years it can produce a rich structured wine yet in cool years it does not overly suffer from greenness so long as yields are kept under control The cool vintages can produce lighter fresher juicy wines Cabernet Franc is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot and other varieties adding its floral perfumed notes and redcurrant and raspberry character Only a few regions of the world produce single varietal or predominantly Cabernet Franc wines The Loire Valley appellations such as Chinon and Bourgueil produce wines that are medium bodied silky and fresh for the most part In Bordeaux it is mostly used for blending contributing a higher percentage in the Right Bank appellations of Saint milion and Pomerol For similar Bordeaux variety blends it has been planted in small amounts throughout Europe In the New World it is also mostly blended with its Bordeaux relatives but occasionally appears as a single variety in California Washington State and Chile Ontario and BC 60 produce a larger percentage of single vineyard Cabernet Franc wines than most other regions outside the Loire Valley showing that there is the potential for Canada to become a Cabernet Franc specialist TASTE PROFILE Bright berry redcurrant juicy and fresh with a medium body and elegant tannins with floral violet and dried herb notes CABERNET FRANC ACRES BY MAIN GROWING REGIONS 1200 1050 900 839 2 750 600 450 300 150 0 Okanagan Valley 1 9 Fraser Valley 6 3 3 5 Thompson Valley Kootenays 10 5 Lillooet 78 0 5 Vancouver Island Similkameen Valley Key Fact Increasingly made as a quality single varietal wine in BC SYRAH SHIRAZ BC has proven it is well suited to making intensely flavoured cool climate Syrah Producers have realized that there is the potential to make world class moderate climate wines and this pedigree has been shown by it consistently being named amongst the top Canadian red wines in various competitions BC Syrah falls somewhere between the rich ripe almost jammy style of warmer climate Australian wines and the mediumbodied fresher peppery wines of the northern Rh ne Valley in France BC Syrah is intense in fruit gamy floral and retains lots of black pepper notes In the rest of the world Syrah has had mixed success A boom period in the 1980s saw Australian Shiraz become a household tipple that launched a boom period for the grape variety across many countries of the world The variety s spiritual home if not its origin is the northern Rh ne appellations such as C te R tie and Hermitage These wines can be intensely flavoured with blueberry violet and meaty notes with black pepper 61

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The Shiraz wines of Australia have undergone a change going from a style that was rich full and jammy to an increased focus on cooler vineyard sites and trying to maintain some of the grapes peppery and plummy notes Both styles still exist today with richer versions from Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale and cooler climate wines from Victoria New South Wales and Canberra Because of the success of Australian and Rh ne wines Syrah Shiraz has been planted widely around the world South Africa makes richer styles similar to Australia New Zealand makes very cool climate peppery versions with particular success in Hawkes Bay and cooler coastal parts of California try to balance the natural richness of the climate with some freshness Washington State with its similar climate to the Okanagan produces similar styled wines Small amounts of the grape have been planted in much of Europe largely for blending and South America is showing much excitement particularly some of the moderate climate areas of Chile The variety has always been blended in the southern Rh ne Valley with Grenache Mourv dre Cinsaut and Carignan Some of these blends are being replicated around the world and Syrah is increasingly being blended with Bordeaux varieties a trend that is proving quite successful in BC TASTE PROFILE Intense blueberry blackberry and plum gamy meaty floral and silky textured with lots of black pepper SYRAH ACRES BY MAIN GROWING REGIONS 600 594 5 500 400 300 200 100 60 2 0 Okanagan Valley Similkameen Valley Key Fact Increasingly blended to add softness and texture to top BC red blends 62 GAMAY NOIR Gamay Noir has been planted in BC for a long time but plantings haven t grown substantially as it remains a niche grape variety However it seems to be gaining popularity as it consistently produces good quality wines in both cool and warm vintages The momentum towards lighter juicier red wines amongst a growing number of consumers is also helping the Gamay Noir cause A typical BC Gamay Noir will be light in body and tannin with fresh juicy acidity a silky texture and flavours of red berry fruit cinnamon and minerality The most famous Gamay Noir wines come from the Beaujolais region in southern Burgundy These wines range from light simple and bubblegum flavoured to serious intense complex and structured wines from the 10 Cru Beaujolais villages It is also planted in the Loire Valley and Switzerland but barely merits mention from anywhere else in both the old world and the new TASTE PROFILE Light in body and tannin with fresh juicy acidity a silky texture and flavours of red berry fruit cinnamon and minerality GAMAY NOIR ACRES BY MAIN GROWING REGIONS 250 200 187 4 150 100 50 0 Okanagan Valley 9 9 Fraser Valley 2 0 Thompson Valley 4 5 Kootenays Key Fact Gaining in popularity gogamaygo 34 2 15 8 Vancouver Island Similkameen Valley 2 7 Shuswap 63

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INNOVATION SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATION IN VITICULTURE VINIFICATION IN BC GRAPE VARIETIES ON THE RISE Being a young industry there are two interesting trends happening simultaneously when it comes to looking at what grape varieties are planted in BC British Columbian producers are honing in their best wines making them more complex interesting and serious every vintage At the same time the industry is still young so there is experimentation happening and new grape varieties and techniques are being tried out with the hope of finding that next great combination of grape place and style Certain varieties are being seen to be the core of quality wine production in BC and these are the ones that continue to get more refined and better in quality Syrah Pinot Noir Chardonnay Riesling and sparkling wines are the standouts while red blends and Cabernet Franc in certain areas are achieving many plaudits The experimental side has seen plantings of everything from Albari o to Teroldego and nearly everything in between Many of these unique grapes are showing early signs of promise VITICULTURE Most BC grapegrowers do not have the luxury of multiple generations farming the same soil with the same grape varieties to figure out what are the best methods of farming Trial and error since the 1960s showed potential for a grape industry but there were initially more failures than successes with vinifera varieties Since the modern industry started around 1990 there has been rapid learning and growers now have decades of experience handling the nuances of growing grapes in this often extreme and challenging northern climate The resulting quality is evident Even though the timeframe has been short the learning curve has been quick Viticulturists in BC have adopted modern technology and done in depth study on soils climate and plant function to quickly learn how to get the best out of BC vineyards vineyards that are not like anywhere else on the planet The learning process continues but many changes have already taken place in how the vineyards are farmed advancing the quality Sustainability is an industry wide focus Quality single vineyards where the right combination of soil grape variety and climate have come together are starting to be identified and the quality of the wine is improving rapidly as a result SUSTAINABILITY The majority of BC s wine regions are very well suited to sustainable farming thanks to the climate of dry sunny low humidity and low rainfall weather combined with the hot summers and cold winters There are few pests and diseases to worry about and as a result more and more farmers and producers are following organic biodynamic or the Sustainable Winegrowing British Columbia guidelines Sustainability is a natural for BC wine Sustainable Winegrowing BC SWBC is a made in BC program of the BC Wine Grape Council that is the first third party verified sustainability certification program for the BC wine industry The introduction of the Sustainable Winegrowing BC certification program is a significant milestone for the Brtish Columbia wine industry Through certification BC wineries clearly demonstrate their commitment to the safety and wellbeing of their employees the environment biodiversity and climate change initiatives while striving to meet economic growth and development You can look for the SWBC logo on wine labels and websites of certified wineries VINIFICATION Winemakers in BC tend to have access to a lot of equipment and technology The cost of entry to buy land build a winery and start a brand is very high in British Columbia so many of the producers who can afford to start a winery can also afford top of the line equipment This allows both innovation with the latest equipment as well as the ability to explore costly and time consuming traditional methods that may not be efficient but result in flavour and complexity in the wines It is not uncommon to see a modern enclosed press next to a traditional oxidative basket press and shiny stainless steel tanks next to concrete eggs amphora and wooden vats The ability to access all these tools allows much experimentation and innovation in BC winemaking utilizing the best of the old and the new Natural techniques such as wild ferments lees ageing no fining or filtration and other low intervention winemaking is becoming part of the toolbox of top BC wine producers 64 65

Ambassador Program Level Two Booklet

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