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The majority of the wines that are produced here in BC are fresh and fruity whites as well as dessert wines. Also popular is the ice wine that is produced by picking and crushing the grapes while they are frozen. Reds are grown mostly in the southern part of the province where the days are warmer. The intense climate here consists of very hot arid summers combined with frigid winters offers growing conditions that produce distinctive wines. Among the red varieties planted here is Pinot Noir which does well to resist the breakdown due to the cool nights. Other red varieties include: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The latitudinal expanse is vast causing a large variation in the growing conditions across the Province; likewise causing a large variation in the wines that are produced here. |
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Okanagan Valley: This is the largest and most productive wine region in British Columbia. This region consists of approximately 4,000 planted acres and is home to about 100 wineries. The majority of the wine produced from this very large region comes from the southern end, having the most arid and warm conditions. While the north is also dry the climate is much cooler. Being such a large region there is also huge variation in the soil from the north to the south. These variations allow for distinctive wine grape production. The varieties produced from this region include: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. |
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Fraser Valley: Not only does this region boast very rich soil but it also has a much longer growing season than other BC regions. The climate is cool but despite the good growing conditions there are very few wine grapes planted in this region. Primary varieties produced here include: Pinot, Noir, Gewurztraminer, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Bacchus. |
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Similkameen Valley: This is a high altitude region with very warm climate. This region is up in the Coastal Mountain Range and the primary grape varieties produced are: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer.
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Vancouver Island: This is the newest British Columbia region and has a very different climate from the main land. This region offers a mild climate year round including winter. The primary varieties include: Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Ortega, Pinot Blanc, Siegerrebe, and Bacchus
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Gulf Islands: This region is located within the Georgia strait. This a very small and new region in British Columbia. Although there are a little more than one hundred planted acres there are a variety of grapes grown here. Grape varieties include: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Leon Millot, and Schonburger. |
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