B.C. wines test well against global grapes
Local Rieslings do extremely well in tasting, while Pinot Noir closes gap
The second annual Judgment of B.C. took place June 21 at the Summerland Waterfront Resort Hotel in the heart of the Okanagan Valley.
This year’s lineup was a showdown between 12 British Columbia Pinot Noir and Riesling against an equal number of internationally acknowledged global benchmarks.
The local wines did very well, as reviewed by 27 experienced tasters from across Canada, including this critic, and two international judges. The tasting was hosted by the B.C. Wine Institute, and the wines were selected by Vancouver wine educator and writer DJ Kearney, who took part in the blind tasting but did not have her scores recorded.
Kearney was beaming about the results.
“This is not about win or lose, good or better. This is about putting B.C. wines up against really stiff competition,” Kearney said.
“The global wines were chosen for a reason: to challenge, to push, and to help us realize that we are in great company. This was to be a tough, competitive set, and it was. It had to be. And B.C. did well. What this shows is that we can hold our own among acknowledged classics.”
That we held our own is hardly a surprise because in some ways we British Columbians have a distinct advantage over foreigners who never see B.C. wines on a regular basis. Here in B.C., we can buy many of the world’s best wines as well as our own.
Since we make so little wine and export even less, it’s not easy to establish a reputation on the international wine stage. Unless, of course, you can get a noted English wine writer to say something meaningful, as Dr. Jamie Goode did after the event.
“What was really interesting when I tasted through those 12 wines blind, I couldn’t pick out the B.C. wines, which tells me they belong in their peer group — which is a ringing endorsement for B.C. wines that they are on the right track,” Goode said.
“I think B.C. Riesling really put in a strong performance. The key aspect was the purity and beautifully integrated acidity in these wines. I thought it was a well chosen set of wines — if I saw the lineup before tasting, I wouldn’t have expected to see the B.C. wines do so well. I was pleasantly surprised with the results.”
The Riesling flight was a standout. I had a lot of trouble finding room in the top-six given the dozen wines I tasted. Four of my top five picks were from B.C., led by the fresh, nervy, electric Wild Goose Stoney Slope Riesling 2013 ($20). Next up was the elegant, complex Max Ferd. Richter Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 2013, Mosel Valley, Germany ($32).
CedarCreek Platinum Block 3 Riesling 2014 ($22.99) took third place, while the Culmina Decora Riesling 2014 ($26.99) and the Synchromesh Storm Haven Vineyard Riesling 2015 ($35) rounded out my top five. All were excellent.
The Pinot Noir flight was a notch down in excitement, but no slouch. The clear winner for me, and no surprise given its pedigree, was the Bouchard Père Premier Cru Beaune Clos de la Mousse Monopole 2012, Burgundy, France ($66.99).
The highly decorated Felton Road Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2014, Central Otago, New Zealand ($67.99) was my second pick, followed by Blue Mountain Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir 2013 ($39.90), and JoieFarm Reserve En Famille Pinot Noir 2012 ($29.90). My number five was Canadian Thomas Bachelder’s Bachelder Oregon Pinot Noir 2012, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($49.99).
B.C. Pinot was in tough against Oregon, Burgundy and Central Otago but the quality gap is closing fast. Pinot Noir is clearly going to be an important part of our production.
You will find a lot of these wines, or the next vintage, in private wine shops or at the winery.
If you are thinking about celebrating Canada Day weekend with B.C. wine, any of the Judgement of B.C. entries would be a great bet.