red wine

  • 2015 Cabernet Franc has arrived!

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    Father to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, 3rd wine of Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc has arrived!

    Nature’s Drama

    Centered in one of the hottest vineyards in British Columbia, Vanessa Vineyard Cabernet Franc vines are ideally located to make the most of all that sun.

    Growing Cabernet Franc is not easy. Most viticulturists will tell you it is one of the harder varietals to grow successfully. It’s an extremely vigorous grape that wants to run away on you if you are not paying attention.

    Rocky soil is the perfect balance for an energetic vine. To produce high quality grapes, the vines must first be tamed. Vanessa Vineyard’s location offers some unique advantages in this regard. The rocky soil helps to control the vines natural instincts to grow and strikes a perfect balance that creates a more concentrated grape.

    Mature vines + lots of heat = Opportunity!

    2015 marks the first year that Vanessa Vineyard produced a single varietal Cabernet Franc. This is a creation that is the result of tremendous faith and passion. Just a couple of bins came from the first crop in 2008, but the potential was clear from the first barrel. The wine was sublime, and Master Winemaker Howard could not wait to share the results with Proprietors Suki and John.

    We have reached the culmination of all of that work. Eight years have passed and the vines have settled down and matured. The sun and rocks have done their job well and surrendered their future to the winemaker’s skill.

    After 20 months in the barrel, the results for this 2015 vintage are outstanding. Big fruit, big body and generous flavour characterize this premier vintage.

    Cabernet Franc Quick Facts:

    Vanessa Vineyard Firsts:
    A single barrel of Cabernet Franc was one of the first single varietal wines made from Vanessa Vineyard grapes at Sandhill as a test of the vineyard’s grapes capabilities by Howard Soon. Now Vanessa Vineyard has released it’s inaugural 2015 vintage.

    Distinctive Shaped Leaf:
    The Cabernet Franc leaf has a distinctive sawed tooth edge which looks like Rod Stewart’s hair.

    Decanting Enhances:
    Cabernet Franc is a wine that benefits tremendously from decanting. After 30 minutes, its natural spiciness will mellow into something softer and richer.

    First Batch Planted:
    Vanessa Vineyard Cabernet Franc vines were planted in 2006 with the first crop coming in 2008.

    Food Pairings:
    Cabernet Franc pairs well with a variety of foods due to its higher acidity. Pair it with roasted pork, lamb, and well herbed BBQ meats. It also goes well with rich cheeses, vegetables and fresh herbs.

    Regions:
    Cabernet Franc is grown in many regions around the world. France is the largest, followed by Italy and the United States. Canada, Chile, Hungary and South Africa are some of the newer regions bringing outstanding examples to the market.

    With only 220 cases produced, we hope you’ll enjoy this inaugural gem with family and friends. Learn more about the Wine Club here, or by contacting us at thewineclub@vanessavineyard.com or +1.604.689.3882.

  • 5 Reasons Why Wine is a Valentine’s Day Necessity

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    Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, providing couples across the world with the opportunity to profess their love and showcase their affection. A lot of pressure can come along with the day of love, stressing out individuals as they try to come up with something that is both unique and special for their romantic night. Though we may find ourselves attracted to the everyday card or box of chocolates, Valentine’s Day provides us with a creative slate to do something even more special.

    We’re here to tell you that you: don’t need to reinvent the wheel. A glass of red wine from your favorite vineyard can enhance an event as special as Valentine’s Day.

    Here are 5 reasons why wine is a Valentine’s Day necessity:

    1. Presentation: If you’re trying to impress your Valentine, nothing looks more enchanting than a glass of red wine at the dinner table. Enjoyed over dinner for thousands of years, there’s a reason red wine is something we reach to consume when we’re celebrating or appreciating what we have. Presentation goes a long way on Valentine’s Day, and it all starts with a bottle of wine.
    2. Romanticism: Valentine’s Day is the day of love. It’s about being romantic. And what’s more romantic than sharing a glass of delicious red wine with your sweetheart? Rich, deep in flavor, yet mystical, red wine does something for the senses. It helps you to relax, unwind, and really take in that beautiful face looking back at you from across the table.
    3. Loving Infection: When you drink wine, your brain produces the “love hormone” oxytocin, which is a chemical compound that is prevalent in loving emotions and reproduction. So yes, drinking a glass of red wine will make you a more romantic partner this Valentine’s Day!
    4. Youthful Happiness: Wine has been shown to promote longevity of life, slowing down the process of aging in both men and women. Thanks to a special compound in red wine known as resveratrol, a chemical reaction activates proteins in our body that protect us from aging diseases. If you and your partner want to both look and feel younger this Valentine’s Day, wine can help.
    5. Pairing Perfection: If you’re a perfectionist, you’ll want everything about your Valentine’s Day to go perfectly. That means appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks that all complement one another. Luckily, red wine complements just about any kind of meal, with a variety of red wines that are custom tailored for any specific type of dinner. Many of us will be cooking dinner on Valentine’s Day, which means a well paired, delicious drink to wash it down with is critically important.

    Vanessa Vineyard’s Valentine’s Day Salute
    This Valentine’s Day, we want you to enjoy yourself, one captivating glass of red wine from our vineyard at a time. More than the generic wine brands collecting dust at liquor stores, our precisely crafted boutique red wine selections, will elevate your Valentine’s Day experience, one glass at a time.

    Make your Valentine’s Day the most memorable and romantic one yet with a glass of Vanessa Vineyard red wine.

  • Month Of Awards

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    As we move past Thanksgiving, our team continues to be thankful for the recent awards that our current vintages have received:

    Vanessa Vineyard Meritage 2013 and Syrah 2013 both won GOLD at the 2017 Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition. The 2017 Awards result page on their website states:

    “The wines of British Columbia found an appreciative audience with the judging panel, which awarded 16 gold medals to Canadian entries, four of those being unanimous double golds. Perhaps even more impressive was that 11 of those gold medals went to work with red wines, including six focused on Bordeaux varieties. Howard Soon, one of Canada’s most respected winemakers, heads up Vannessa Vineyard Estate Winery in the cooler Similkameen Valley west of the Okanagan Valley. His 2013 Meritage and 2013 Syrah each merited a gold medal.”

    In the wine industry, October is often referred to as  “The Month of Merlot”.  

    We are also honoured that our 2014 Merlot continues to receive some stellar reviews:

    beppi-crossariolBeppi Crosariol, lifestyle columnist for the Globe and Mail wrote: “The 2014 Merlot is a blend of 85 percent Merlot and 15 percent Cabernet Franc, with a smooth, luscious texture carrying flavours of ripe plum, currant jam, cocoa, tangy cedar and toasty oak.  Well structured.”  90 points.

     

     

    john-schreinerThe Merlot accolades continued with John Schreiner: “This is the first single variety Merlot from Vanessa.  The wine shows good concentration, with aromas of blackcurrant, black cherry and spice, all of which is echoed in the dried fruit flavours on the rich palate.” 92 points.

     

     

    To view more of our awards and accolades, please visit our website here.

  • Tasting Room Launch

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    Industry Night – July 27, 2017

    Industry Night was a special invitation to friends in the wine industry and affiliated businesses. An opportunity for all of them to view our new facility, taste our wines and tour our spectacular property.

    Food: Harker’s Organics Barn Door Bistro~Catering
    Flowers: Polka Dot Door
    Tours: Moxie Tours

    Media Launch – August 1, 2017

    The official Media opening of the Similkameen Valley’s newest tasting room was held on August 1st. Guests had the pleasure of meeting owner Suki Sekhon and the rest of our team and enjoyed a tour of our unique property aptly described by Howard Soon as “a vineyard unlike any other in Canada, it’s the best site for growing premium vinifera reds”.  That was followed by the ribbon cutting ceremony, and an afternoon where the guests enjoyed our exclusive wines.  It was wonderful to receive great feedback from the attendees on the Tasting Room design and the flavour profiles of the wines.

    Food: Harker’s Organics Barn Door Bistro~Catering
    Flowers: Polka Dot Door

    Grand Opening – August 11, 2017

    The grand opening party of Tasting Room was a friends and family event held on August 11th. The design of the Tasting Room is inspired by the region’s natural grandeur. Its elegance is in its simplicity, incorporating the natural mosaic of the land and integrating our distinct rocky terrain.

    The guests tasted our exclusive wines, along with delectable local cuisine, and enjoyed lively music.  Guests had the opportunity to meet the team and have the pleasure of having special bottles signed by owners Suki Sekhon and John Welson.

    Food: Harker’s Organics Barn Door Bistro~Catering
    Flowers: Polka Dot Door
    Musicians for the evening: Lucy Blu & The Blu Boys