Winemaker Seth Jex [Credit: Fort Berens]
For any winery, succession is one of the most delicate moments in its evolution. Consumers may focus on the name on the label, but behind every bottle are countless decisions shaped by the people guiding the vineyard and cellar. When a respected winemaker departs, uncertainty can often follow.
At Fort Berens Estate Winery, however, the transition from Alex Nel to Seth Jex feels less like a changing of the guard and more like the continuation of a carefully plotted journey.
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Todd Heintz.
Launching a winery in British Columbia in 2026 might strike some as an unusual choice. The province’s wine industry is still navigating the aftermath of devastating cold events, ongoing climate uncertainty and shifting market realities. Yet for the founders of Spacedog Wines, the timing felt less like a warning sign and more like an opportunity.
The new Oliver-based winery, which opened its doors this month at the District Wine Village, is the creation of Todd Heintz, Jason Harding and Dean Prevost. Together, they represent an unlikely trio of founders for a winery making some very ambitious claims right out of the gate.
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Pénélope Roche.
The Okanagan wine industry has never lacked ambitious people, but few arrive with résumés quite like those of Pénélope and Dylan Roche. Before establishing Roche Wines on the Naramata Bench, Pénélope had studied viticulture and enology in Bordeaux, worked at Château d’Yquem and managed her family’s historic estate, Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion.
Dylan’s route was less traditional but equally impressive. A Vancouver native who discovered wine living in Burgundy, he studied winemaking in Beaune before working in New Zealand and several of Bordeaux’s most respected wineries.
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A sneak peek at 2025.
There’s a particular energy that comes with being handed a glimpse of the future, especially in a wine region that has spent the last few years navigating anything but predictable conditions. At the Wines of BC 2025 Vintage Reveal, that sense of anticipation was palpable, but so too was something else: relief.
Held at Vancouver’s Terminal City Club, the exclusive gathering brought together a small circle of media and wine professionals for an early look at what’s already being described as a pivotal vintage for British Columbia.
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2022 Haywire Lunar Red.
There are wines that simply mark a moment, and then there are wines that mean something. Haywire Winery’s Lunar Red has always belonged firmly in the latter camp with an annual release that intertwines wine, culture, and community in a way few Canadian bottlings manage to achieve. With the arrival of the 2022 Lunar Red, Haywire once again ushers in Lunar New Year with intention and respect.
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