Feel Good Story
We all love a feel good story. If you’re a wine industry member or follower of wine industry news, you may be aware that these stories have been in short supply lately. This story starts with natural disaster and imminent uncertainty, but the sun is rising on a luminous silver lining.
The Okanagan Valley is arguably North America’s most spectacular wine region. Snow capped mountains are reflected in glacial lakes belying natural splendor with world class wines juxtaposed in a perfect setting. The Naramata Bench and Lake Country, BC are eponymous regions whose spectacular scenery draws a multitude of visitors from the world over.
Natural disasters have unfortunately befallen the grape growing industry in the Okanagan Valley. Consecutive killing freeze events sandwiched between a catastrophic fire season in the fall of 2023 have devastated the wine industry in Western Canada.
Washington’s wine industry has been in need of new partnerships. The decline of the large wineries that this industry built itself on have left grape growers wondering how to fill the void.
Feel good stories tend to stem from a rising tide of mutual needs and interests colliding, as this one does.
British Columbia’s need for wine grapes and Washington State’s need for wine grape clients have dovetailed beautifully. Many of Washington’s excellent vineyards were being blended into large amalgamations, producing great wines, but leaving individual vineyards’ terroirs obscure. New vintners getting their hands on these grapes for smaller bottling have grape growers around the Columbia Valley feeling giddy. Okanagan winemakers are excited to get their hands on fruit from sites that are new to them. This gives BC’s winemakers new trials and flavor profiles to explore, something that all winemakers love.
From the proverbial ashes, there’s a new story rising. One that will likely unfold over the next several years, as British Columbia gets its vineyards back on their feet. Washington’s wine grape market will be re-building itself anew as well, and the new partnerships couldn’t have come at a better time. With grape growers striving to impress their new partners with world class fruit and the Okanagan’s wineries having exciting new wines to offer their wine clubs and winery visitors, the immediate future for both of these regions is brighter thanks to this feel good story.