As the end of the year rolls around I think back to the year that was and which wineries left me with an impressionable mark.    My list varies in length from year to year as I like to focus on achievements rather than listing a specific number of wineries. Although B.C. wineries have had a very traumatic year, they continued to release some fantastic wines. The strength of B.C. wineries runs deep as they were awarded the majority of the awards at both the National Wine Awards and the All Canadian Wine Awards.

Here is my list of the wineries that have performed extremely well this past year. The wineries are presented in alphabetical order.

Black Hills Estate Winery

Black Hills last appeared on my list in 2022. This year they were fourth overall at the National Wine Awards.

Black Hills wine team is led by Ross Wise, one of only ten Masters of Wine in Canada. He has over 20 years of experience having worked in British Columbia, Ontario, and New Zealand, with an extensive background in organic and regenerative viticulture. 

Black Hills has practiced organic farming since 2020, incorporating regenerative viticulture practices. By working with nature and promoting biodiversity, they strive towards a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Their approach is based on traditional, time-honoured winemaking techniques that favour patience over efficiency. The fruit is hand-harvested and slowly fermented using native yeasts to build complexity.

Black Hills approach to winemaking is defined by careful craftsmanship and a deep respect for nature. They blend traditional winemaking methods with modern technology.

Their 2024 award winning wines include:

• Black Hills 2022 Bona Fide
• Black Hills 2022 Ipso Facto
• Black Hills 2022 Addendum
• Black Hills 2022 Syrah
• Black Hills 2022 Roussanne

Corcelettes Estate Winery

Corcelettes appeared on my Movers and Shakers list for the first time last year. This year they were the sixth place small winery at the National Wine Awards. They credit their success to their commitment to farming their vineyards in the most balanced and sustainable way possible.

The estate contains nearly 160 acres, with 30 planted acres of mostly Bordeaux varietal grapes, Syrah and Pinot Noir. The vineyards are located in the Similkameen Valley.

Their 2024 winning wines include:

• Corcelettes 2021 Syrah
• Corcelettes 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown
• Corcelettes 2021 Malbec Micro Lot Series Estate Vineyard
• Corcelettes 2020 Talus
• Corcelettes 2021 Chardonnay

Lake Breeze Vineyards

Lake Breeze previously appeared on my list in 2020. This year they placed ninth overall at this year’s National Wine Awards. They were also the fourth place small winery.

Lake Breeze is located on the Naramata Bench on Lake Okanagan. The MacIntyre family purchased the property in 2001. Since then, Lake Breeze has become one of the most beautiful wineries in British Columbia. They practice careful and meticulous viticultural practices. They endeavor to take the natural expression of the grape and transfer it to the bottle with minimal intervention.

The vineyard consists of a 14 acre parcel originally named Rock Oven Vineyards. The first vines on the property were planted in 1985, making them some of the oldest on the Naramata Bench.

Their list of 2024 award winning wines include:

• Lake Breeze 2020 Cellar Series Mistral
• Lake Breeze 2022 Roussanne Viognier
• Lake Breeze 2023 Riesling
• Lake Breeze 2023 Ehrenfelser
• Lake Breeze 2020 Cellar Series Alizé Roussanne

Meyer Family Vineyards

Meyer Family Vineyards was awarded second overall at this year’s National Wine Awards.

They follow the traditional French Burgundian style of wine making focusing on small case lots of varietals best suited and expressive of their unique place of origin. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the varietals produced. The grapes are hand harvested and hand crafted.

Meyer Family Vineyards has been in operation in the Okanagan Valley since 2006.

Their award-winning wines for 2024 include:

• Meyer 2022 Chardonnay McLean Creek Road Vineyard
• Meyer 2022 B Field Blend McLean Creek Road Vineyard
• Meyer 2022 Old Block Pinot Noir McLean Creek Vineyard
• Meyer 2020 Pinot Noir McLean Creek Road Vineyard
• Meyer 2022 Micro Cuvee Pinot Noir McLean Creek Road Vineyard

Nostalgia Wines

Nostalgia Wines placed seventh this year at the National Wine Awards and was also the third-place small winery. They are located on the Black Sage Bench in Oliver.

Vintner Gina Fernandes Harfman is the fourth generation family farmer. She has created a small lot lineup of excellent quality wines.

The 2024 list of award-winning wines includes:

• Nostalgia Wines 2020 Malbec Petit Verdot
• Nostalgia Wines 2020 Merlot
• Nostalgia Wines 2020 Meritage
• Nostalgia Wines 2022 Rockabilly Red
• Nostalgia Wines 2022 Chardonnay

Quails’ Gate Estate Winery

Quail’s Gate consistently performs well at the various Canadian wine awards. This year they placed sixth overall at the National Wine Awards.

They are a fourth-generation Okanagan farming family. The winery was founded in 1989. They remain committed to ensuring that the founding family principles and values are maintained throughout the winery. Through dedicated research and ground-breaking innovation, they have assembled a collection of wines that consistently exceed expectations in quality, character and flavour.

Quail’s Gate has 160 acres of vineyards which contain some of the most mature vinifera plantings in the country. They have been leaders in the development of Canadian viticulture practices.

Quails’ Gate Estate is certified by Sustainable Winegrowing BC, a made-in-BC program that leads the way in sustainable winegrowing practices and sets a standard for the province and the rest of the country.

Quails’ Gates 2024 award winning wines includes:

• Quails’ Gate 2021 Rosemary’s Block Chardonnay
• Quails’ Gate 2021 Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay
• Quails’ Gate 2022 Clone 49 Riesling
• Quails’ Gate 2022 Clone 220 Chenin Blanc
• Quails’ Gate 2023 Clone 49 Riesling

SpearHead Winery

SpearHead has been part of the Movers and Shakers list continually since 2022. This year they were named Winery of the Year and Small Winery of the Year at the National Wine Awards. In addition to the twin honours this year, they also had unprecedented success in an individual category (Pinot Noir), winning a total of seven medals for their Pinots, including three platinum, one gold, three silvers and a bronze. In total they earned a total of twelve medals.

Spearhead Winery is located on the benchlands of Southeast Kelowna. Their focus is on premium quality wine which they produce from grapes grown on the estate vineyard and from selected Okanagan Valley vineyards. The hand harvested grapes are sorted at the winery and fermented in small lots. They grow Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling grapes. 

Their 2024 award winning wines include:

• SpearHead 2022 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir
• SpearHead 2022 Club Consensus Pinot Noir
• SpearHead 2022 Saddle Block Pinot Noir
• SpearHead 2021 Golden Retreat Pinot Noir
• SpearHead 2021 Club Consensus Pinot Noir

Final Thoughts

Although these are the seven wineries I have featured, there are plenty of other fantastic British Columbia wineries. The devastation resulting from the environmental disasters of the past couple years have taken its toll on many of the wineries. I hope that all of the B.C. wineries will be able to recover from these disasters and continue to excel in producing the top-quality wines that we have come to enjoy over the years.

The list of award-winning wines includes only a sampling from each winery in order to provide you with an idea of the noteworthy wines each winery produces. It is not an all-inclusive list.

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