Winemaker Alex Nel.

When we first met winemaker Alex Nel at Fort Berens Estate Winery back in 2022, our story carried a simple, powerful title: Perseverance Pays Off. At the time, Lillooet’s pioneering winery had weathered heat domes, the growing pains of a young wine region, and the usual roller coaster that comes with farming in a place that tests the limits of viticulture. But none of us could have predicted just how much more perseverance the next few years would demand.

Fast forward to today, and Alex’s calm, deliberate approach has been tested by the kind of seasons that could break a winemaker’s heart.

The picturesque estate winery at Fort Berens.

Severe cold snaps in 2022 and 2023 slashed yields by 70%, damaging vines across their 38 acres. Then 2024 arrived, bringing the unthinkable: virtually no estate harvest at all.

Yet here we are, standing in the sun-dappled rows of Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Riesling, and Alex is grinning.

“It’s the healthiest I’ve ever seen the vineyard,” he says, looking across the estate block that was planted in 2009. “This year we’ve actually been dropping fruit in some places — after two years of very little, that’s a good problem to have.”

Veraison in the vineyard.

The last two winters forced Fort Berens to make some tough calls. Merlot, as it turns out, simply couldn’t take Lillooet’s extremes. “It’s not just about one bad year,” Alex explains. “It’s about understanding what this place can do consistently, and making sure the vineyard is planted for long-term resilience.”

The solution was part replant, part interplanting. Cabernet Franc — which ripens in that sweet spot between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot — has proven to be the winery’s most reliable red, capable of delivering depth without requiring an impossibly long season. Chardonnay has also emerged as a star here, replacing less hardy blocks and finding its way into both still wines and an award-winning sparkling program.

Alex inspecting the vines.

Across the estate, Alex and his team replaced lost vines, filled in gaps where mortality had been as high as 8% over the last two years, and refined their canopy and yield management practices to suit the microclimates within the property.

In cooler summers, they open up the canopy on whites for air movement, while Pinot Noir gets an early leaf removal on the morning side to toughen skins and ward off sunburn later in the season.

Fort Berens has long been committed to sustainability, but achieving full certification for both the vineyard and winery cemented that philosophy into a holistic framework. “It’s not just about how you farm,” Alex says. “It’s how you manage water, how you look after your soils, how you treat your team. It’s all connected.”

2025 Fort Berens Here & There Chardonnay.

That ethos was tested when the estate vineyards couldn’t produce enough fruit to fill their cellar. In 2024, with just 40 tons of Lillooet fruit, a fraction of a normal harvest, they turned to an innovative, one-time solution: their aptly named Here & There project.

Rather than trucking grapes north, Alex partnered with Washington’s Sagemoor Vineyards in Walla Walla, known for their quality and consistency. Assistant winemaker Seth Jex spent two months there, making wine to Fort Berens’ specifications before transporting it to Lillooet for finishing, bottling, and ageing. The result was a set of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and a Syrah rosé that bridged the gap without compromising style or standards. “It was about keeping our community and customers connected to us while the vineyards recovered,” Alex says.

As we walk, it’s clear the 2025 vintage has Alex energized in a way the last two seasons couldn’t. Lillooet hasn’t seen its usual 40-plus-degree spikes this summer, and the cooler conditions have set the stage for fresh, vibrant wines.

Newly planted Chardonnay.

“We might start with sparkling at the end of August, but the bulk of harvest will kick in mid-September,” he says. “If things carry on like this, we could be looking at something close to 2022 — one of the best vintages in BC in the last several years.”

Dry Creek vineyard, planted in 2009, has shrugged off the past winters with remarkable resilience, its deep roots anchoring both the vines and Alex’s optimism. The younger plantings, with their shallower roots, bore the brunt of the damage in previous years, but this season, even those are thriving.

Tasting through the current releases with Alex.

If you ask Alex which wines best capture Fort Berens right now, he doesn’t hesitate: Riesling for white, Cabernet Franc for red. The flagship Riesling which is fresh, precise, and structured, recently earned Best in Class at the 2025 Los Angeles International Wine Competition, while the Reserve Cabernet Franc took silver at the Decanter World Wine Awards.

There’s also the sparkling program, which Alex is clearly proud of. The upcoming release is a 2022 Blanc de Blancs, two years on lees and already decorated with gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships.

Next up will be a Blanc de Noirs, crafted from Pinot Noir, allowing the winery to reserve more of its high-demand Chardonnay for still wine, a variety that’s become as integral to the Fort Berens story as its Riesling.

The stunning view from the winery patio.

In BC wine circles, Lillooet still occupies the role of an underdog. It doesn’t have the marketing reach of the Okanagan, nor the more established reputation of the Similkameen. But that underdog status is, in many ways, Fort Berens’ advantage. The wines are distinct, shaped by a unique climate, rugged terrain, and a willingness to adapt.

“Every year here is different,” Alex reflects. “Since I arrived, we’ve had a pandemic, a heat dome, two brutally cold winters, and a year with no harvest. But the community, the vineyard, and the team… we’ve come through stronger. And now we’re set up to take this vintage and make something really special.”

Back in 2022, when we wrote about perseverance, it was in the context of survival. Now, standing in the midst of a healthy, thriving vineyard, it feels more like evolution.

Fort Berens has not only weathered the storms but is poised to show, once again, that Lillooet belongs in the conversation about BC’s top wines.

If 2025 delivers on its early promise, it could be the vintage that underscores Fort Berens’ place among BC’s quality wine producers; not as newcomers, but as proven voices in the province’s winemaking conversation.

Tasting Notes

2024 Fort Berens Here and There Rosé

2024 Fort Berens Here and There Rosé.

This rose is made from 100% Syrah grapes coming from Washington State’s highly regarded Whaluke Slope. Orange/pink in colour this is an intensely flavoured rose that shows blackberry Jolly Rancher, watermelon and lots of minerality. This is a structured rose that begs to be taken seriously and needs to be thought of more as a table wine than an aperitif. The bright acidity is balanced by the fuller body of the wine that creates a seductive mouthfeel. Very Good+ ($23.49)

2024 Fort Berens Here and There Chardonnay

Grapes for this wine come Washington State’s White Bluffs AVA in the southern part of the state near the Oregon border. Green apple and citrus flavours are delivered on a medium body. This wine is clean and precise and very refreshing. The style favours elegance over power and will be a great wine to serve to the unconverted who think Chardonnay is “too oaky”. The balance is precise and results in a mouthfeel that has both texture and definition. Very Good+ ($24.99)

2022 Fort Berens Blanc de Blanc

2022 Fort Berens Sparkling Blanc de Blanc.

This lovely sparkling wine is made in the méthode traditionnelle, the same method used to make Champagne. 100% Chardonnay grapes from Fort Berens estate vineyards are used. This is an airy drink with fine mousse that brings lots of freshness. We get notes of green apple and biscuits and a long, persistent finish. Dosage seems low as there is a naturalness to the mouthfeel, one that balances the dryness with just the right texture. Excellent (to be released by end of 2025)

2024 Fort Berens Here and There Pinot Gris

100% Pinot Gris sourced from the Wahluke Slope in Washington State. The style for this wine can be described as the meeting place between the more textured Alsatian style and the leaner Italina Pinot Grigio style as it has elements of each. Medium body with medium+ acid we get hints of tropical fruits combined with lemon and lime. With a bit of swirling, melon notes come out as well. Very refreshing. Very Good+ ($23.49)

2023 Fort Berens Classic Riesling

2022 Fort Berens Wild Ferment Reserve Riesling.

Made from estate grapes in Lillooet we get green apple notes along with hints of tropical fruit. The acidity in the wine makes it very refreshing, and the 8 grams per litre of residual sugar add a bit of texture but not sweetness that we could detect and create just the right balance. Delicious on its own, we think this would also be a great dinner wines as well. Very Good+($22.99)

 2022 Fort Berens Wild Ferment Reserve Riesling

The Reserve Riesling is a perennial favourite of ours. This is what we look for in a Riesling: juicy and intense but with depth and texture. Tropical fruit notes dominate the flavour profile and with some air they are joined by lemon and hints of spice. The body is medium+ and has the texture that leans toward Alsace in style. A real achievement! Excellent ($29.99)

2022 Fort Berens Reserve Pinot Noir

2022 Fort Berens Reserve Pinot Noir.

Lively and expressive, this Pinot Noir brims with juicy red fruit, think sun-ripened raspberries and wild strawberries. Medium bodied on the palate it shows refined tannins providing gentle structure and a lift of vibrant acidity carrying through to a clean, lingering finish. Excellent ($39.99)

2022 Fort Berens Classic Cabernet Franc

Fort Berens has a real handle on this grape variety and is in our view one of the better producers of this grape in a province where Cab Franc is rapidly becoming the star red grape.

Flavours of blackcurrant and plum mix with hints of brown spices. The body is medium and the tannins are ripe and well integrated. Excellent ($32.99)

The 2022 Fort Berens Classic & Reserve Cabernet Franc.

2022 Fort Berens Reserve Cabernet Franc

Just released, the 2022 is going to be another winner from Fort Berens. Similar to the Classic Cab Franc but here the dials are turned up. We get all sorts of dark fruit flavours: black currant, plum and blueberry. These are joined with subtle spice notes of cinnamon, clove and cracked pepper. The mouthfeel is luxurious, a velvet robe that coats your palate and finished for at least 45 seconds. The tannins are present, giving the wine structure and seriousness; they are ripe and not raspy. We think this likely to age beautifully for a decade or more. Excellent ($43.99)

Fort Berens Estate Winery

Fort Berens Estate Winery.

1881 Highway 99 North

Lillooet, BC

Canada

Phone: 250-256-7788

Email: info@fortberens.ca