Homan Haftbaradaran.

The journey of a winemaker is never easy or straightforward. For Homan Haftbaradaran, the path has been particularly unconventional and not without its share of challenges along the way. But through it all, his boundless passion and resilience have resulted in wines that consistently stand out for offering terrific quality and value.

Homan and his wife Mina founded City Side Winery in 2013. We first met him in 2016, shortly after he opened a commercial space in Vancouver’s Olympic Village district. This venue was more than just a tasting room; it featured his Mystic Pearl wines alongside charcuterie boards, share plates, and live music, creating a unique gathering spot in the city.

City Side Winery in 2016.

The global pandemic, though extraordinarily challenging for everyone in hospitality, offered them a chance to pause and redefine their business model moving forward, “it gave us time to think. With winemaking there’s a technical part and a creative part. We were pouring so much into the hospitality aspect that I didn’t have the time I wanted to be as focused on the wine as I would have liked.”

The Mystic Pearl label.

Two years ago, City Side Winery was reborn in a warehouse in Surrey, BC, as a dedicated winemaking operation. In addition to the original Mystic Pearl label, crafted from BC grapes, he introduced a new label, Cascadiana, made with fruit from Washington State.

In BC, he continues to collaborate with the same growers he’s built relationships with over the past decade. Drawing from his experience in Washington, he’s also enlisted growers in Walla Walla to supply fruit for the Cascadiana label.

While Surrey, BC, may seem an unlikely location for a winery, it has proven to be an ideal spot for this new approach.

“We live in White Rock [a city very close to the US border], so with our grapes now coming in from Washington too, we have access to everything we need on both sides of the border.”

The Cascadiana label.

Deciding to import grapes from Washington has proven particularly fortuitous given the recent challenges in the Okanagan. Annual wildfires and unprecedented deep freezes have severely limited production in recent years and have potentially left this year without a harvest.

Almost everything related to the crushing [for Cascadiana] happens on site where the grapes are picked, except for the red wine. “Basically, we crush the grapes in Washington and they bring the juice across the border…we crush them, we leave them in the bin and basically they do the maceration on the truck while they’re coming here.”

Once in Surrey, the juice is then transferred to his tanks or barrels and, when it’s time, all the bottling is done in their BC facility as well.

Chris & Homan in the Surrey BC warehouse facility.

City Side Winery produces approximately 2000-2500 cases annually between its two wine labels. Mystic Pearl is so named because, like wine, ‘a pearl is natural but takes time to turn into something unique’. These wines source their grapes from some of the top vineyards in BC’s Okanagan Valley, largely from the Naramata Bench and Oliver areas.

The Mystic Pearl collection features varieties such as Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Merlot. City Side also produces a ‘City Series’ White, a blend of Viognier, Pinot Gris, and Riesling, all sourced from BC grapes. Homan’s expertise is evident in the balance and structure of these wines, making them approachable for immediate enjoyment yet also capable of aging well.

Homan at one of the BC vineyards he sources from [City Side Winery]

Cascadiana, in contrast, draws its inspiration from the vineyards of Washington State, specifically Walla Walla. The name is a combination of Cascadia (another term used for the Pacific Northwest) and Canada to reflect the blend of influences. Known for its diverse climates and soils, Washington provides the perfect canvas for Homan to craft wines that are both expressive and memorable.

The Cascadiana label features similar varieties to those produced by its sister label, thriving equally well across the border. Both labels highlight Homan’s talent for harnessing the best of both regions. Despite featuring the same grape varieties, the distinction between the two labels is unmistakable, “Honestly, anything that comes from across the border is simply riper…if you enjoy the Mystic Pearl 2022 Pinot Gris from BC, it’s high acid and fresh and a different style, but with the Cascadiana Pinot Gris it’s a more ripe, less acidic, more fruit-forward Pinot Gris.”

A terrific portfolio of wines on offer.

The result is a portfolio of wines that are both high in quality and exceptional in value, a hallmark of Homan’s since the beginning. His commitment to producing premium wines at accessible price points has cultivated a loyal following.

For those looking to experience the wines of City Side Winery, many are conveniently available at Save-On-Foods outlets throughout British Columbia (Western Canada’s largest grocery retailer), local BC restaurants, and at BC Liquor Stores.

With a background as diverse as the wines he produces, Homan has carved a particular niche for himself in the competitive world of winemaking.

Homan and his wife Mina.

City Side Winery is more than just a winery; it’s a reflection of his passion, skill, vision, and patience: “we’re getting better and better as we move forward. I truly believe that successful businesses, whatever they are, manage to navigate challenges and never stop learning along the way. I think we’ve done that, which makes me believe City Side Winery has a really great future.”

Having observed City Side’s evolution firsthand for nearly a decade, we fully share his confidence in its success. While we anticipate future innovations, the current concept and wine portfolio, showcasing the finest fruit from BC and Washington, genuinely offer wine lovers the best of both worlds.

Tasting Notes

2022 Mystic Pearl Riesling

2022 Mystic Pearl Riesling

Fruit is sourced from the Okanagan Valley’s warm Naramata Bench. A textured Reisling showing flavours of green apple and wet stones. The body is medium to medium+ which gives a rounded mouthfeel to the wine. More Alsace than Mosel to us. Hints of citrus on the finish. Very Good+ ($24.99)

2022 Mystic Pearl Viognier

A seductive Viognier showing flavours of peach and apricot. The aroma is very perfumed with floral notes supporting the beautiful orchard fruit. Medium body, this wine shows just the right degree of ripeness, giving some fullness but retaining enough acidity for precision. Very Good/Excellent ($32.99)

2022 Mystic Pearl Pinot Gris

2022 Mystic Pearl Pinot Gris

Naramata Bench provides lively flavours of apples and minerality on a medium+ frame with good acidity. The balance here is just where you want it to be. Textured and round with medium+ body this is serious Pinot Gris and would stand tall in a line up of this variety at twice the price. Excellent ($24.99)

2021 Mystic Pearl Chardonnay

Sourced from vineyards near Oliver in one of the warmer/drier sections of the Okanagan, this is a lovely Chardonnay with flavours of apple skins, wet stones and hints of citrus. This comes close to a Canadian version of a Chablis. The finish is long and citrusy. Excellent ($26.99)

2022 City Series White Blend

2022 City Series White Blend

An interesting (and unusual) blend of Viognier, Pinot Gris and Riesling. The Viognier leads with its assortment of orchard fruit aromas. Very perfumed. Apricot combines with lemon zest and a hint of minerality Very refreshing. Very Good+ ($23.99)

2022 Cascadiana Pinot Gris

Medium gold in colour with medium+ body, this is a delightful punch bowl of different orchard fruits. Grapes are sourced from the warm Walla Walla Valley and Homan has taken them and crafted a delicious Pinot Gris done very much in the more textured Alsatian style. There is a slight almond paste note that adds complexity to the fruit. The acidity is medium and keeps everything precise. Excellent ($27.99)

2023 Cascadiana Rosé

2023 Cascadiana Rosé

Using the Bordeaux varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and leaving them on their skins for 3 days, this is an absolutely delightful rosé that’s refreshing and intense. Primary flavours are raspberry, currant and hints of watermelon. The light pink salmon colour does not reveal the power of the flavours inside. A serious rosé that will go well with all sorts of appetizers. One of the best new rosés we have encountered in a long time! Excellent 

2022 Mystic Pearl Merlot

2022 Mystic Pearl Merlot

The only red currently in the line up and if this is any indication of what Homan can do with red, we hope there is more to come! Back to the Okanagan for the source of the fruit and this time Oliver is the location. This is a terrific Merlot showing its classic hallmarks of plum, black cherry and spice cake. This wine has that terrific Merlot texture, which when done well like this, makes you fell like your palate has been cloaked in a velvet robe. Medium body with medium acid and a bit of youthful tannin, this has the structure to improve in your cellar…. If you can manage to keep your hands off of it! Excellent ($29.99)

Great wines, great people.

City Side Winery

102 – 13065 84 Ave

Surrey, British Columbia

Canada V3W 1B3

E: info@citysidewinery.com

T: (604) 829-3842