Here in Vancouver we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to local wines, with incredible options from the beloved Okanagan Valley to Vancouver Island, Lillooet, Thompson Valley and beyond.
With spring upon us, now’s the perfect time to uncork some fresh, bold bottles — and maybe even discover your new favourite wine.
BCLIQUOR (BCL) is releasing a special collection of BC VQA wines on April 6, with 40 new products now available in select stores. The collection features small, family-run wineries, a few cutting-edge styles of wine, and new vintages of some of BCL customers’ long-standing favourites.
Here’s a taste of what’s to come.
Joie Pinot Noir 2022
This pinot is full of beautiful floral and fruity aromas that truly mirror the season. From the JoieFarm Winery, located on the Naramata Bench, it offers a palate rich with cherry, blood orange, wild fennel, and candy-cane beet flavours.
A light, bright, and refreshing option, it would pair well with salads, roasted veggies, and grilled salmon.
McWatters Chardonnay 2021
This elegant chardonnay from the McWatters Collection, descending from the legacy of the iconic Okanagan winemaker Harry McWatters, is the perfect option if you’re looking for something a little different.
It’s 100% barrel fermented with 20% new French oak, giving it a distinctly creamy texture that balances the rich fruit notes. The delightful flavours of ripe apple and peach fruit are a real treat for the taste buds.
Little Farm Pied De Cuve Orange 2022
This Pied De Cuve Orange comes from Little Farm Winery, a small winery tucked away in the Similkameen Valley. It offers a delicious savoury character, with well-balanced flavours of Mandarin orange, ripe stone fruit, and spice.
Its unique bright orange colour also means it looks very eye-pleasing and alluring in a glass.
Black Hills Alibi 2022
This South Okanagan white wine is a fusion of two grape varieties. Sauvignon Blanc adds lively flavours of grapefruit, green apple, and subtle notes of passion fruit and pineapple, while Semillon unveils rich juicy lemon, sweet pear, and honey. All of these flavours are accentuated by a gorgeous nutty undertone.
Culmina Saignée 2019
This delicate and floral rosé is a blend of Malbec (44%), Cabernet Franc (29%) and Merlot (34%). It offers a creamy, full-bodied palate with flavours of red fruits and lingering notes of nectarines and stonefruit.
This wine hails from the Culmina Family Estate Winery on Golden Mile Bench, which is well known for its satisfying yet elegant reds.
Vanessa Merlot 2019
This Merlot boasts a full-bodied palate rich with chocolate, raspberries, bramble fruit, tobacco, and silky tannins on the medium-long finish. It was aged for 20 months in American oak, 50% of which were new barrels.
This wine comes from a small, quality-focused winery in the Similkameen Valley — Vanessa Vineyard.
To discover the rest of BCLIQUOR’s VQA Wines collection, click here. As always, enjoy responsibly!