Your intrepid liquor reporter has a long-standing tradition of visiting the Okanagan Valley over the Thanksgiving long weekend, and this year was no exception.
No, gentle reader, I am not making some outlandish claim that BC turkeys are grow bigger than Alberta turkeys, or that the true flavour of cranberry sauce only comes through in Kelowna.
Rather, my trip is always timed around the fall harvest wine festival in the Okanagan Valley, my favourite Canadian wine region.
This year was a particularly landmark event, as it marked the silver anniversary of a Canadian winery that has consistently been in my top 3. I refer of course, to the Quail’s Gate estate winery, which is currently celebrating its 25th year of operations.
The winery is owned and operated by the Stewart family, who have been farming the same property since 1908. For decades, the family farm operated as a fruit orchard, selling their wares to local markets. The family started planting grapevines in 1956, with the crops being sold to established winemakers. However, in 1989, the family decided to produce their own wine, and have been going strong ever since.
Ideally situated near the west bank of Kelowna, Quails’ Gate has long been known for premium wines at an excellent price. With around 50,000 cases produced per year, they will never be considered a large producer, but there is plenty to supply the BC and Alberta markets that make up the bulk of their distribution.
My long-term favourite has been the Old Vines Foch, which is made from the somewhat uncommon Marechal Foch grape varietal. A rather temperamental grape, it is sometimes avoided by winemakers as being too high maintenance.
However, much like a hot redheaded girlfriend who is also slightly insane, the Marechal Foch grape can be intensely rewarding if you have the patience. I have been buying the Old Vines Foch for more than 15 years, and it just keeps getting better!
This is a wine for those who enjoy big bold reds, with lush flavours of rich cherry and tobacco, with undertones of oak and vanilla in the finish.
I prefer to drink this wine after dinner, but for those who like pairing with food, this wine needs a hearty and robust dish like grilled and marinated shish kebabs or a slow-roasted rack of BBQ ribs.
For those who prefer white wines, Quails’ Gate has several to choose from, but my favourite is the Chenin Blanc. This is a traditional French grape varietal hailing from the Loire Valley, but has also thrived in the Okanagan.
Will and Kate, everyone’s favourite royals, were served this particular wine on their last visit to Canada, and declared it the equal of the finest wines in the Commonwealth. Let’s hope we don’t get invaded by an armada of jealous winemakers from Australia!
Chenin Blanc tends to be more complex that Chardonnay, making it a favourite of wine snobs everywhere. This particular wine is very slightly off-dry, with tiny hints of residual sugars leftover from the fermentation process.
A highly aromatic wine, there is a burst of fresh-cut flowers on the nose, followed by a citrus and ripe papaya palate, balanced with flinty undertones, and a crisp finish. This wine is mostly aged in stainless steel, with only 15% of the blend sitting in oak barrels, so there will be a very slight buttery finish imparted by the oak.
The Chenin Blanc pairs particularly well with oysters or other seafood, as well as fancy salads with intense flavours. If you enjoy white wines, considering graduating from that boring old Chardonnay to something a little more flavourful!
If you are a Port fan, note that Quails’ Gate occasionally releases a Port-styled fortified wine called Pipe, and this happens to be one of those years. Not being from Portugal, it cannot be legally called Port, but is made in the same traditional style. These fortified wines are only released a few times per decade, so get them while you can! Your humble narrator scored a half-dozen bottles around 10 years ago, and I wailed many tears of sorrow when I eventually ran out.
Quails’ Gate products are widely available in Alberta, so you will have no problem finding them at your local booze merchant. Help celebrate the anniversary of a pioneer of the Canadian wine industry by picking up a bottle today!
