There’s no question that the Okanagan wine industry has faced some tough years of late.
Winemaker Evan Saunders.
Beginning with the onset of COVID-19 in early 2020, the region has weathered a heat dome and forest fires in 2021, a major cold snap in late 2022, and now an even harsher cold event to start 2024. For Blasted Church winemaker Evan Saunders, it certainly feels like the Valley is being put to the test, but if anyone is up for the challenge, it’s him.
Evan became the head winemaker at Blasted Church in 2017 after working there for 4 years, following several years as a cellar hand at Osoyoos Larose in the Okanagan, along with working a harvest at Kosta Browne in Sonoma Valley, California. Throughout our conversations with people at the winery and in the industry, it is clear that Evan is highly regarded, with many expressing enthusiasm for the direction he is taking the wines at Blasted Church.
Our recent AdVINEture with Equines & Wine was featured in the Daily Hive. Click HERE for the full article on this wonderful and very unique experience wine tasting by horseback in one of the worlds most beautiful wine regions.
Climate change is a topic that comes up often in our wine interviews because the agricultural industry seems much more attune to it than most. Within the wine industry itself, British Columbia wine producers have been facing extreme climate events earlier, and seemingly more often, than many other regions worldwide. It’s certainly been our experience that regardless of how difficult a vintage is, in the hands of the right winemaker, excellent wines will still be produced. Black Hills Estate Winery can rest assured knowing that they have Ross Wise leading their winemaking team, who continues to improve the winery’s offerings despite the now annual challenges.
Though still relatively young as a wine region, British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley has come into its own and firmly established itself on the world wine stage. We recently visited the region for the third time in two years and we continue to be surprised and delighted by both new finds and old favourites. On this trip, we explored Mission Hill Estate winery, Checkmate Artisanal winery, Martin’s Lane and CedarCreek Estate winery, along with the new District Wine Village – all of which provide fantastic wine tasting experiences. Here’s a taste of what we experienced:
We’ve interviewed a number of winemakers and proprietors who had previous careers that include bankers, chefs, a record executive, a computer science engineer, and even a dentist. Andy Johnston of Averill Creek Winery is a doctor turned winery proprietor who has not only found his true calling in life, he’s making a statement while doing it.
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