Okanagan Valley (wine region)

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West Kelowna, Okanagan Valley
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
& others
No. of wineries120

The Okanagan Valley wine region, located within the

vineyard soil types,[3][4] contributing characteristics which are part of an Okanagan terroir.[5]

Wine production in the Okanagan dates to the 1850s, with the establishment of

Okanagan Mission and the planting of grapevines to supply sacramental wines. In the early 20th century, prohibition in Canada wiped out many of the Okanagan's earliest wineries and the commercial wine industry in the area was not revived until the 1930s. From this time through the mid-1970s, the Okanagan wine industry was based entirely on the production of fruit wines and those produced from hybrid grapes.[6] The Okanagan wine industry has been developed to include dining experiences for pairing wine with farm-to-plate foods.[7]

History

The first vineyard planted in the Okanagan was at the Oblate Mission in Kelowna in 1859, planted by French Catholic priest

Quails' Gate Estate Winery.[8]

A vineyard near Oliver, BC after the June, 2010 mudslides.

In the mid-1970s, several growers began experimenting with plantings of

vine pulling scheme with grants for growers who uprooted their hybrid and labrusca vines and replaced them with vinifera.[8]

In June 2010, several vineyards in the southern Okanagan near Oliver were devastated by a

mudslide with a 180-metre (590 ft) wide swath of debris that extended over kilometres of vineyards and shut down the major roadway through the area. More than 16 hectares (40 acres) of vineyards were damaged by over 240,000 cubic metres (310,000 cu yd) of mud and rock.[9]

Grape varieties and wine styles

Grapevines in the Okanagan

Nearly every style of wine is produced across the whole spectrum of

grape varieties grown in the Okanagan including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Chardonnay, Auxerrois blanc, Marechal Foch and Cabernet Franc.[3] Additionally many German varieties are still found throughout the Okanagan including Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Bacchus, Optima, Ehrenfelser, Kerner, Siegerebe.[4]

In the 21st century, growers have been planting more warm climate varieties typically not associated with the Canadian wine industry. Recent plantings include Sangiovese, Syrah, Tempranillo, Trebbiano, Pinotage, Malbec, Barbera and Zinfandel.[10]

Geography

The region stretches 160 kilometres (99 mi) north from the

Rheingau.[3][4]

While not yet divided into sub-appellations, the British Columbia Wine Institute lists seven Okanagan viticultural regions: Lake Country/North Okanagan, Kelowna-Central Okanagan, West Kelowna-Mount Boucherie, Summerland-Peachland, Penticton-Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Oliver/Golden Mile and Black Sage/Osoyoos.[11]

Climate

Okanagan Lake helps moderate the climate in the Okanagan region which receives very little rainfall throughout the year (picture from Lake Country, BC).

The Okanagan has a

Vernon. This means most vineyards require irrigation from nearby water sources.[3]

Like many wine regions with continental climates, the Okanagan may experience winters that are moderately cold, but generally short-lived. During extreme cold snaps, temperatures can fall as low as −25 °C (−13 °F). One such cold snap occurred in December 2022, causing significant damage and reduced production.[12] Before that, the last winter to cause severe cold damage to vines was 1978.[11]

The average daytime temperatures during the

growing season months of July and August are hot, often above 30 °C (86 °F) in the southern valley to higher 20s°C in the northern valley. Temperatures may surpass 40 °C (104 °F), often exceeding 35 °C (95 °F) for several days in a row. The region's northerly latitude allows the vines to experience longer hours of daylight than the more southerly vineyards of California, with the Okanagan summer providing some 14 hours daily of direct sun.[11]

References

  1. ISBN 978-1-55285-983-4. Archived from the original
    on March 3, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Discover the Okanagan Valley". BC Wine Institute. 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  3. ^
    ISBN 0-19-860990-6
  4. ^ a b c The Canadian Encyclopedia "Wine Industry". Accessed: January 5th, 2011
  5. ^ "Okanagan 'terroir' probed by wine centre". Canada.com. July 23, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7566-6751-1
  7. ^ Fiona Beckett (2 October 2016). "A wine tour of Canada's beautiful Okanagan Valley". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  8. ^ a b L. Alley ‘’”Canada Finds its Napa”’’ Wine Spectator. August 17th, 2004
  9. ^ R. Scalza "Mudslide Buries Okanagan Vineyards" Wine Spectator. June 18th, 2010
  10. ^ P. Mitham "B.C. Growers Explore New Grape Varieties" Wines and Vines. January 2008. Accessed: January 3rd, 2011
  11. ^ a b c British Columbia Wine Institute "BC Wine Institute Members: The Okanagan Valley" Accessed: March 26, 2013
  12. ^ Strachan, Brady (April 15, 2023). "B.C. wine industry projecting 50% fewer wine grapes this year because of winter vine damage". Retrieved 25 October 2023.

External links

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