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Wine-Reviews

Off the Grid 2022 Goat Rodeo

A wild and creative wine

Wine: Off the Grid 2022 Goat Rodeo

Winery: Off the Grid Organic Winery

Why drink it: Sometimes in life, it’s good to try wines that challenge the stereotypes of what a modern wine is. This is one of those wines, made from Sovereign Coronation grapes. One for orange wine and natural wine fans, it is, as the name suggests, wild and creative and interesting and fun. It’s tart, a bit tannic, with wild strawberry, grape and apple flavours and aromas.

Incidentally, as of press time, this West Kelowna winery is for sale. The same family has owned this land for more than 100 years. I wish them luck with whatever they do next. I have enjoyed visiting and I hope the next owner keeps the goats.

Pair with: Charcuterie, funky cheeses

Price: $27

Music pairing: Texas Hold ‘Em by Beyonce





Haywire 2021 Pinot Gris (Switchback Vineyard)

Fragrant, fruity Pinot Gris

Wine: Haywire 2021 Pinot Gris (Switchback Vineyard)

Winery: Okanagan Crush Pad, Haywire

Why drink it: This spring, Haywire has launched a free new program just for Okanagan residents. Haywire Certified Local membership unlocked free tastings for each member plus up to three guests in the winery’s fab new tasting lounge, a discount on any product at any time, early notices for special events and more.

And with that card, you can save on wines such as this fragrant, fruity, creamy Pinot Gris made from grapes grown in Haywire’s estate vineyard. Winemaker Matt Dumayne whole-bunch pressed the grapes, then fermented the wine naturally and let it rest on its lees before bottling.

Pair with: Roast chicken or turkey, soft cheeses and a fresh baguette.

Price: $29.99

Music pairing: Here Comes the Sun, by The Beatles



Foolish Wine Co., 2020 Hooligan Meritage

Scrappy, seriously tasty wine

Wine: Foolish Wine Co., 2020 Hooligan Meritage

Winery: Foolish Wine Co.

Why drink it: Mike and Melissa Coghill’s family started Yellow Dog Brewing in Port Moody, and then moved to the Okanagan to expand Yellow Dog. They co-own Neighbourhood Brewing with John and Jessie Main in Penticton — and now the two families have Foolish Wine Co. in the District Wine Village, too.

Winemaker and grower Brett Thiessen is part of the Foolish Wine team and he made this wine from grapes inherited when they bought the winery that is now Foolish. From what they know, it is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, mostly sourced from Nk’Mip, plus Merlot from Bordertown in Osoyoos. There’s some Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc in there, too.

“This blend put up a fight, hence the name Hooligan,” says Thiessen.

It may be scrappy but it’s also seriously tasty, with good tannic structure—not too overwhelming, great notes of dark red berries, dried savoury herbs, a hint of smoke and cocoa. Other wines include a bright, refreshing Tempranillo-based rosé, as well as Spark, a sassy Sauvignon Blanc. The marketing, as you’d guess, is also sassy: “Come and get a little Foolish with us!”

Pair with: As the word Meritage suggests, this Hooligan pairs with big steaks, roast beef, lamb, burgers, that sort of thing.

Price: $29.99

Music pairing: The Boys are Back in Town by Thin Lizzy



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Black Hills Estate Winery Sparkling Brut

Gold medal bubbles

Wine: Black Hills Estate Winery Sparkling Brut

Winery: Black Hills Estate Winery

Why drink it: Winemaker Ross Wise picked the best Chardonnay (the predominant grape in the blend) from Hidden Terrace Vineyard and Pinot Noir from above Skaha Lake to create this fine sparkler. Made in the traditional method (same as Champagne in France), it is fresh and frothy, with notes of toast, Meyer lemon and red apples. Not surprisingly, it was gold medal winner at the 2023 WineAlign Awards.

Pair with: Smoked salmon or sushi

Price: $55

Music pairing: Oiseau (featuring Bertrand Belin) by Laurent Bardainne and Tigre d’Eau



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About the Author

As a kid, Shelley Boettcher often found herself in the back seat of a pick-up, exploring the back roads of the Okanagan Valley with her parents. They’d occasionally leave her and her brother in the car while they stopped at mysterious addresses to buy wine. They would emerge, clearly happy, as they stuck a box or a few bottles in the vehicle. Then they would continue on their journey.

But it wasn’t until a trip to Spain in 2000 that Shelley herself fell in love with wine. She came home from the holiday and promptly told her editor she wanted to become a wine writer.

And she did. 

An award-winning food and wine writer and editor, Shelley holds her master’s degree in journalism and her advanced WSET certification, as well as her level 2 International Sommelier Guild certification. A wine columnist for the Calgary Herald, she spent a decade as CBC Radio’s national syndicated wine columnist and she has written three books about wine, including two that were Canadian bestsellers. Her byline has appeared in magazines and newspapers around the world, including the New York Times, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail and Postmedia newspapers across Canada. 

Shelley has travelled throughout many of the world’s wine regions and countries, including Niagara, Oregon, Washington, California, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Australia, Germany, Argentina and the Republic of Georgia. A few years ago, she even tracked down and visited a winery in Denmark. 

Shelley has also served as a professional wine judge regionally and internationally, including the Okanagan Wine Festivals, Vinitaly and the Chianti Classico Consortium. For more than a decade, she has been a restaurant wine list judge for the Vancouver International Wine Festival, too. She still teases her parents for sparking her love for wine, especially BC wine.

And her favourite? Whatever she's drinking at the moment.

You can follow Shelley on Instagram @shelleyboettcher or Twitter at @shelley_wine. 

If you have a BC wine you’d like to suggest, email Shelley at [email protected] with the name of the wine and a short note about why you enjoyed it. 

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