Celebrate Canada Day with a glass of B.C. wine

More than two decades ago, I attended Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill on a what turned out to be one of the muggiest days of the summer.

To escape the humidity, my friends and I slipped into a downtown watering hole to take in some commemorative refreshment.

Actually to call it a watering hole, pub or even a bar was to defile it. It was, in fact, a chic, urban lounge where a plethora of wines were available by the glass – operating in a period before such places were fashionable. We admired the selection of fine wines and thought ourselves sophisticated reclining in the establishment’s deep, dark leather seats and drinking from its long-stemmed, over-sized glasses.

For the occasion, the proprietors had worked into the wee hours after closing the previous shift replacing every bottle in the magnificent wine rack behind the bar with ones that had red and white capsules. The result was a crude, yet impressive wine bottle Canadian flag.

The lounge’s patriotism didn’t end there. Every one of the wines on its feature sheet was domestic. While many of you readers might not think that so impressive, back then Canadian wine was a difficult push for any restauranteur. And I thought that using the patriotic holiday was a clever way for this wine-focused establishment to get patrons to explore what was being made on their own soil. The situation of course has long since changed.

Canada marked a milestone birthday on July 1 – 150 years since Confederation. And in honour of this, I thought I’d give you a little vintage history lesson.

If you were in British Columbia back in 1867, you were likely rancher, drawn by the fur trade or the hope of striking it rich by prospecting for gold. The west was still pretty wild back then. You certainly didn’t come here for the wine.

Yet it was around that time that B.C. wine country got its beginning.

Father Charles Pandosy is credited with setting up the first vineyards at the Obelate Mission near Kelowna as early as 1859. The purpose was to make sacramental wines for his parish.

Those were pretty humble beginnings. The grapes planted were what was known as “labrusca” varieties, native North American species that were less desirable than European grapes. The wines produced weren’t of the best quality.

Nonetheless, a smattering of small wineries cropped up on the heels of Father Pandosy’s initiative. But Prohibition put a stop to them and most of the vines were pulled out.

It wasn’t until 1926 when the first commercial vineyards were planted and wines began being offered for sale to the general public.

It was not a stellar beginning. B.C.’s early foray into the industry was synonymous with jug wines with laughable names like Fuddle Duck and Hot Goose. To serious wine consumers, the products were a joke. No one believed that B.C. could ever evolve into a credible wine region. But it did.

The turning point came in the latter part of the 20th century. B.C. wines had evolved somewhat by then. Most of the labrusca grapes were replaced with European hybrids, which were a marked improvement. But they still tended to produce wines of little dimension compared to the revered European vinifera varieties.

As much as they might have liked to planted vines of better quality, growers chose the hybrids for a reason. B.C.’s climate was considered too harsh for the delicate vinifera grapes. Summers were certainly hot enough, but most producers were afraid the vines wouldn’t winter over. The hybrids, being crosses of two or more varieties, were designed to be much heartier.

That was fine for a while. Prior to late 1988s, the Canadian wine industry was well insulated with a solid grip on the domestic market. But when the North American Free Trade Agreement came into play, winery operators were forced to embrace radical change or risk being overtaken by by higher quality imports. They chose to change. Fortunately Grape growers were offered aid from the federal and provincial governments to pull out the less desirable hybrid varieties and replant the preferred vinifera grapes. There were 14 wineries at the time in B.C., with approximately 3,400 acres grapes.

Growers pulled out about two-thirds of the vines, leaving barely 1,000 acres in the ground. The replant was based in part on experiments undertaken in the 1980s by researchers and growers, but there were also plenty of gambles taken. In the end, it paid off.

That move was the catalyst for remarkable growth.

Two years later, the Vintner’s Quality Alliance was introduced to further elevate the quality of B.C. wines and set a standard. While the program has been controversial at times, it has gone a long way toward building consumer trust in B.C. wines.

Today there are 272 licensed grape wineries in the province and another 70 or so licensed producers making fruit wines, mead, ciders and other wine-type products.

There are 80-plus grape varieties planted in the more than 10,000 acres of vineyards in B.C. The top two white varieties grown are Pinot Gris and Chardonnay and the top two reds are Merlot and Pinot Noir. But the province is also well known for producing Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah (Shiraz) and Gamay Noir.

Canadian wine industry now has an annual national economic impact of $9 billion.

Nobody would have expected that 150 years ago.

Wine Notes

Intrigue Social 2016 Break out this patio sipper on a toasty summer day and sit back and enjoy it’s lively peach, pear, lime and spicy character. A blend of 68 per cent Riesling, 27 per cent Gewurztraminer, 2 per cent Muscat Canelli, 2 per cent Kerner, and 1 per cent Ehrenfelser, it’s a real crowd pleaser and priced just right for your next “social.” Price: $14.90 Score: 89 Winery Location: Lake Country Haywire Waters and Banks Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Named after Summerland growers Terry Waters and Cathy Banks, this stunning Sauvignon Blanc was fermented in concrete but went through full malolactic fermentation. The result is a orange, lemony, herbaceous wine with a creamy, smoky touch. Delicious Price: $24.90 Score: 91 Winery Location: Summerland Mt. Boucherie Pinot Noir 2014 Terrific value in this Pinot that delivers great character and a great summer barbecue wine choice. Full of current, plum, wild strawberries, fresh herbs, and some spicy, savoury notes. Price: $21.00 Score: 89 Winery Location: West Kelowna Julianna Hayes’ Grape Expectations runs weekly in The Okanagan Sunday. Reach her at bcvineliving@gmail.com.