Wineries thinking globally

Okanagan wine is ubiquitous on the shelves of BC liquor stores and well known across Canada, but outside our borders, the region is unknown to most wine drinkers.

But if local wineries get their way, that will change.

Many have started entering prestigious international competitions against fabled wine producing regions around the globe, and winning.

“I would say most people are unaware of the Okanagan,” said Tony Holler, owner of Poplar Grove Winery on the Naramata Bench.

He noted there are certain wine writers abroad who are well aware of the great work Okanagan wineries are doing, but the global market hasn’t got there yet.

“People need to know, we are a northern climate wine region… and if you look elsewhere in the world, some of the top wines are all made in cool climates,” he said, referring to Bordeaux France.

La Frenz Winery, also on the Naramata Bench, recently took home a large haul of medals from the Dan Berger International Awards. International awards are what many believe is the first step to getting recognition and respect on the world stage.

“The reason we go in these big competitions,” owner Jeff Martin said. “You are up against wines from all over the world, and there is nothing like putting your wine on a table to be judged by experts to see how you fare.”

When La Frenz first started attending international compilations, Martin said judges opened BC wines last, “they wanted to open everything else, except BC wines.”

“That perception, that sort of resistance, is long gone, but I think to go to the next level, to command the respect, and to command the pricing,” he said, but for that happen they need to win over the wine writers and judges first.

Both Martin and Holler gave examples of BC wines punching above their weight in competition and beating out French and Australian vintages that were twice the price.

“New Zealand is going through the same thing. People will buy an $80 pinot noir from Burgundy, and will resist $30 for New Zealand pinot,” Martin said, even though the New Zealand wine is much better.

Because much of the prime grape growing land in the Okanagan Valley has already been bought up, many wineries are not looking to increase the volume of wine sold, but still need to fund growth.

“We are one of the most expensive wine regions in the world to operate in,” Holler said, noting that land in the valley is more than four times as expensive when compared to Australia's wine-making regions.

“So it's important for the viability of our industry, that we get the value for producing great wine because our cost structure is so high.”