Winemaker Michael Clark.

Clos du Soleil has always played the long game. Set against the raw, dramatic landscape of British Columbia’s Similkameen Valley (officially within the broader Okanagan appellation), this boutique winery has quietly earned a reputation for elegance, consistency, and integrity.

After sitting down with winemaker Michael Clark, it’s clear that “quiet” may no longer be the right word. This is a winery that’s earned its place among BC’s best, not just for its wines, but for how it’s navigated crisis with grace.

The past two years have tested even the most established wineries in BC. A brutal cold snap in late 2022 significantly impacted the 2023 vintage, with many wineries producing just half their typical volume. Then came 2024, a near-total loss for many across the province. Clos du Soleil, though not spared, managed to fare better than most.

“Thankfully we came out a lot better than several others in the valley,” Clark says, gesturing toward dormant buds soaking in water, new life soon to be planted in their organically and biodynamically certified estate vineyard. “We’ll have a meaningful harvest this year. It won’t be our biggest, but it’s incredibly positive.”

The estate vineyard in the stunning Similkameen Valley.

That optimism now stretches beyond the vineyard. With renewed growth in the vines and a noticeable uptick in tasting room visits, there’s a palpable sense of forward momentum returning to the valley.

One of the most compelling aspects of Clos du Soleil’s story is how they tackled the 2024 vintage shortfall. Rather than compromise quality or halt production, they launched the “Washington Series”, a limited run of wines made entirely in BC using grapes sourced from select vineyards in Washington State.

In a time of rampant misinformation and protectionist sentiment, the move might seem risky. But Clark and team approached it with transparency and intention.

Consistent quality across the entire lineup.

Each bottle in the Washington Series features a different label design, clearly distinguishing it from their core lineup. The back label even includes a map showing where the grapes were grown and where the wine was made.

“This is about supporting the BC wine industry,” Clark explains. “These grapes were contracted before any U.S. policy changes and it’s a one-time thing for us. The money stays here. This is Canadian production, ensuring Canadian jobs, and it’s helping BC wineries stay afloat through an unprecedented time.”

It’s a story that deserves to be told louder: resilience doesn’t always look like hunkering down. Sometimes it looks like smart adaptation, and trust in your audience.

Clos du Soleil’s portfolio has always leaned toward finesse rather than flash. Their wines consistently exhibit balance, structure, and length; a style that is unmistakably Clark’s.

A shining example of high quality BC wine.

The years leading up to the 2024 shortfall weren’t without their silver linings. Both the 2020 and 2021 vintages were considered strong across much of the region, with wines that are already showing beautifully in bottle: structured, balanced, and full of promise for further development.

The 2022 vintage is also being hailed by many critics as one of the finest on record and may well go down as a benchmark year in the winery’s history. “For Clos du Soleil, I was extremely happy with the quality,” says winemaker Michael Clark. “There was great concentration, freshness, and acidity across all the varieties.”

The just released Signature & the standout Béton.

From the bright, complex Capella white blend to the refined Signature red, each Clos du Soleil wine delivers remarkable quality, especially at their price point. Two particular standouts in the current portfolio were the 2022 Syrah and the 2022 Winemaker Series Béton. The Syrah is beautifully expressive, showing dark fruit, spice, and a savoury edge with the hallmark finesse Clos du Soleil is known for.

Béton, a small-lot wine fermented and aged entirely in concrete, is a nod to old-world technique with new-world polish. Richer and more textural than some of their other reds, yet still undeniably elegant, it’s a wine club exclusive worth seeking out (see detailed tasting notes at the end of the article)

Clark has also recently introduced two new low-alcohol wines (both at 9% ABV): a Sauvignon Blanc and a rosé of Sangiovese.

The 2024 harvest is already looking promising.

Made initially from Washington fruit due to the 2023 shortfall, these wines aren’t meant to be gimmicks, they’re an authentic attempt to meet modern drinkers where they are without compromising quality.

“I’ve tried a lot of low- and no-alcohol wines and found them disappointing,” he admits. “I wanted to create something that still felt like wine: dry, aromatic, and balanced.” The result are wines that feel purpose-built for warm summer lunches or mindful sipping, just 80 calories a glass and packed with personality.

There’s a quiet confidence about Michael that suggests someone not concerned with trends but steadily perfecting his craft. A former physicist-turned-financier, he brings intellectual curiosity and technical precision to his winemaking without ever losing sight of the human connection in each bottle.

Always an enlightening wine conversation with Michael Clark.

He’s also refreshingly humble. “We always try to get better every year,” he says simply. “If the last couple of years have taught us anything, it’s the importance of building a resilient business. Whether that’s how we farm, how we diversify, or how we communicate with our customers.”

That mindset shows. From vineyard to bottle, Clos du Soleil continues to rise to the occasion, producing wines that reflect not only their place, but the values of those who make them.

Tasting Notes

2024 Clos de Soleil Lumiere Sauvignon Blanc (Low Alcohol)

2024 Clos de Soleil Low Acohol Sauvignon Blanc.

This Sauvignon Blanc is true to the variety with its aromatic profile showing plenty of grapefruit, citrus and just a hint of quince. Medium body with high acid this is a refreshing and juicy drink that will quench thirsts and pair nicely with ceviche on a sunny deck. Very Good ($26)

2024 Clos de Soleil Lumiere Rosé (Low Alcohol)

Pale pink in the glass, this rosé offers up strawberry and raspberry with light body and medium+ acidity. After some swirling we detect hints of orchard fruits as well. 100% Sangiovese. Very Good ($26)

2022 Clos de Soleil Winemaker’s Series Chardonnay

2022 Clos de Soleil Winemaker’s Chardonnay.

Raised in French oak puncheons and on the dead yeast (lees) this results in a wonderfully textured Chardonnay, with good intensity. We taste a variety of orchard fruits on the medium+ palate along with hints of green apple. With a bit of air some barrel notes come through showing caramel along with some dried flowers. A long and intense finish! Excellent ($29.90 particularly good value for this quality level)

2024 Clos de Soleil Sauvignon Blanc (Washington Series)

The fruit for this wine came from the highly regarded Horse Heaven Hills region in Washington State.

2024 Clos de Soleil Rosé.

A lovely juicy Sauvignon showing grapefruit, citrus and a medium body with medium+ acidity. There is good intensity to this wine. The finish is long and punctuated with notes of lemon zest. Very Good/Excellent ($25)

2024 Clos de Soleil Rosé (Washington Series)

Sangiovese grapes from Washington’s Yakima Valley were used to make this wine. Here we get raspberry and fruit punch flavours that are complemented by some great mineral notes: wet stones and that beguiling rainy sidewalk note. Lovely on its own but certainly has the stuffing to pair with many appetizers. Very Good/Excellent ($25.90)

2022 Clos de Soleil Célestiale 

2022 Clos de Soleil Célestiale.

This is a blend of the 5 classic Bordeaux varieties with Merlot and Cabernet leading the pack and 10% divided among Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot. This is quite an achievement for a BC wine! Wonderfully textured with a full body and ripe tannins that provide structure and precision without getting in the way of the softness of the profile. Flavours of plum are complimented with notes of blackberry and raspberry and the dried herb notes that we have come to learn is a Similkameen Valley signature. Drinking wonderfully right now, this has potential for further ageing. Excellent ($29.90 particularly good value for this quality level)

2022 Clos de Soleil Winemaker’s Series Syrah

2022 Clos du Soleil WInemaker’s Series Syrah.

In this vintage about 4% Viognier was co-fermented with the Syrah. This makes a great contribution to the aromatics by adding a floral dimension to core of blackberry and blueberry fruit. We also get notes of black cherry, cracked pepper and a mineral note as well. The dried herb and sage note that is classic Similkameen is also present. Full bodied and moderate tannins with terrific balance gives it an “iron fist in a velvet glove” mouthfeel. Hedonism and complexity too. Delicious now but we are going to try to save a bottle or 2 for 5 years and see what develops with a bit of maturity. Excellent+ ($39.90 particularly good value for this quality level)

2019 Clos de Soleil Reserve

The Reserve also uses all 5 Bordeaux varieties in the blend but here Cabernet Sauvignon takes the lead. Blackberry, currant and raspberry are served up on a medium+ body with medium tannins. The balance is just what you want in a wine and speaks to why blending is such an art. The result is a wine of elegance with power being present but in our opinion, in a secondary role. There is a graceful aspect to this wine, nothing shouts or asks for attention and in doing so it completely captured out attention. Delicious and sophisticated! Excellent+ ($69.90 this is a library release as the 2021 is now in the marketplace. Grab it while you can!)

2021 Clos de Soleil Signature

2021 Clos de Soleil Signature.

Signature is their high-end Bordeaux blend which also uses all 5 primary Bordeaux varieties. This wine is a deep red with a slight fade at the rim. This gives any Bordeaux lover exactly what they are looking for in a wine: medium+ body, deep flavours of blackberry, raspberry and plum with loads of complexity coming from the secondary notes of cedar, dark chocolate and dried herbs. The tannins are very fine grained, present but not obtrusive. A gravelly type of minerality is present on the long finish. Delicious now but even better experiences will come with some bottle age. We recently opened a 2020 Signature from our cellar which was also delicious and showed us the ageing potential of this wine. We think the 2021 is an even better wine! Excellent+ ($55.90 particularly good value for this quality level)

2022 Clos de Soleil Béton

Two particular standouts from the current lineup.

A blend of almost equal parts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this wine was raised entirely in concrete. No oak barrels were used at any point in its elevage. In our experience this is very unusual with Bordeaux varieties as oak is such a natural partner for these grapes. But this treatment not only works, it works very well! This might have have been the darkest wine we saw at our tasting. Black cherry flavours were joined by regional sagebrush signature along with other dried herbs and a good dose of crushed rocks and rainy sidewalk. The body was quite full, not our expectation since there was no oak used. A unique but delicious take on a Bordeaux blend. Excellent+ ($35.91 particularly good value for this quality level; wine club members only)

Similkameen’s shining star.

Clos du Soleil Winery

2568 Upper Bench Rd,

Keremeos BC V0X 1N4

T: (250) 499-2831

H: Thursday through Monday 10am-5pm