A coming of age for Okanagan red wine

One of the most enjoyable tastings of last year was a showcase of Mission Hill Oculus presented during the Vancouver International Wine Festival. It was a coming of age story that showed how chief winemaker Darryl Brooker is building on the experience amassed since Mission Hill opened in 1981.

Mission Hill Family Estate has been a leading light in Canadian wine since owner Anthony von Mandl started to invest heavily in vineyards and wine operations in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.

The goal has always been to make great wines that underscore the world-class potential of the Okanagan Valley. To that end, the winemaking team is empowered with the best equipment and latest research to deliver the goods.

The top-of-the-line red blend Oculus and the exceptional Compendium and Quatrain labels benefit from the utmost care and attention from grape to glass bottle, which makes these splurge-worthy wines worthy competitors to Cabernet-based blends from Bordeaux or Napa Valley.

But Mission Hill’s icon wines, which cost more than $100 per bottle, are out of reach for the majority of wine lovers whose wine budget is $10 to $20 a bottle. That’s where Mission Hill’s Five Vineyards label really shines.

The Five Vineyards wines are made to meet an affordable price point, but the recent releases clearly are benefitting from the lessons learned making the best of the range. The newly released 2014 Cabernet-Merlot is brighter, juicier and more enjoyable than past vintages. It reflects the exceptionally warm conditions seen in 2014, but also the talent knowing how to capitalize on the quality of the fruit available.

You can bet that the 2014 Oculus will be stellar, but it’s more exciting to note how the larger volume Five Vineyards Cabernet-Merlot is also looking its best since it’ll be enjoyed by greater numbers.