The Okanagan Valley
The Similkameen Valley
The Fraser Valley
Vancouver Island
The Gulf Islands

History: In 1931, Calona Vineyards opened as the first commercial winery in the Okanagan.

Hybrid: Grape varieties developed, typically by crossing European varieties with native North American varieties. The plant breeder’s objectives include developing varieties that ripen early, resist disease or are winter-hardy.*

VQA: VQA=100% BC - All British Columbia wines bearing the VQA symbol must be made from 100% BC grown grapes. The wines are screened by a professional tasting panel and wines found faulty cannot be sold as VQA wines.

Fermentation: The natural process in which yeast converts sugar to alcohol.*

Viticulture: Grapes for Icewine are harvested at -8° Celsius or lower, and often by moonlight.


*Schreiner, John - British Columbia Wine Country, Whitecap Books Ltd., 2003

 
 
WINE IS GEOGRAPHY.
  Where grapes are grown, the soil they’re grown in, the weather, the air, the sun and the growing techniques all affect the character and quality of the wine.

It’s an unfamiliar concept today. We’ve come to expect standardization in products as a guarantee of quality. We’d probably all agree standardization is great when you’re buying a car. It’s tough to buy parts for a one-of-a-kind car.

But, wine thrives on regional nuance, and its finest interpretations and expressions are decidedly regional. In fact, wine is at its best when pushed to be increasingly site-specific.

The great wines of the world are the result of skilled grape-growers and winemakers working together to bring out the unique qualities of the grapes that nature provides. The Wines of British Columbia are among these great wines.



 
© 2011 British Columbia Wine Institute.  All rights reserved.