Photo: Vasanti's owners: the Sidhu family
Five of the six wines from Vasanti Estate Winery, reviewed here, will not be released before next spring or summer, aside from a brief and modest releases to the winery’s wine club early in November.
Get in line for them if you can. These wines, from the 2022 and 2023 vintages, are among the best wines yet from this winery, which opened its Oliver-area tasting room last year. The quantities are not large and, because of the vine damage Vasanti suffered in the devastating 2024 freeze, there may be a wait for the 2025 vintage release. Most Okanagan wineries are reporting that the 2025 vintage has been a surprising in quality and quantity after the 2024 disaster. “The 2025 vintage is looking like it will be amazing!” Vasanti spokesperson Connor Knapp says.
Vasant is owned and operated by the Sidhu family. The winery name is derived from a Punjabi concept meaning new beginnings and renewal. It was inspired by family scion Harb Sidhu’s decision in 1980 to come to the Okanagan from India. Here, he established himself in agriculture, first with an orchard and later with vineyards. The family now has about 20 acres of vineyard in the Oliver/Osoyoos area of the Okanagan.
“We three brothers decided it was a good time to continue on his legacy and start the winery,” I was told last year by Davinder Sidhu, who was born in 1988 and is the middle of the brothers. “We had always dreamt of a winery when we were younger. It has a sentimental value to us because we all grew up as kids at the location where the winery will be.”
The brothers all have careers outside the winery. Davinder is an optometrist. Gordie, the oldest brother, is a financial planner while Vik, the youngest brother, is trained as a biologist. Mentored by Jason Parkes, the winery’s consulting winemaker, Vik is assuming many of the winery’s viticultural and cellar duties.
“As per the 2024 vintage, we had a lot of red inventory in the cellar from 2023 so we will make do,” Davinder told me last year. “We have about 150 cases of a Cabernet Franc / Cabernet Sauvignon blend coming that was co-fermented. This wine turned out spectacular and our winemaking team was very excited about it. We plan on leaving it for 15-18 months to gain even more complexity.”
Commenting on the 2024 damage to the Sidhu vineyards, he continued: “We replanted some Syrah and Cabernet Franc last year and had to rip out a lot of Merlot. We are planting some Riesling this year in place of the Merlot and will be adding more Merlot in a different part of our Oliver vineyard likely next year.”
Vasanti did not import any Washington State grapes in 2024. The family seems to have the resources and the determination to hang in there and fulfill the promise of the excellent wines released to date.
Here are notes on current and coming releases.
Vasanti Gamay Noir 2023 ($32.90 for 528 cases). This wine has already been released. Made with fruit from the family’s Paradise Vineyard in Oliver, the wine was fermented in stainless steel and aged 15 months, primarily in neutral oak. The wine delivers bright aromas and flavours of cherry and raspberry mingled with spice on the finish. 90.
Vasanti Reserve Gamay Noir 2023 ($41.99 for 147 cases). This wine was made with a blend of the seven best barrels of Gamay from the 2023 vintage. The wine was aged 15 months in French and European oak barrels (57% semi-neutral, 43% neutral). The change in the barrel regime complemented the greater flavour and textural intensity of this selection. There is more dark cherry and raspberry in the aroma and on the palate, with a touch of spice on the finish. The texture is silky. 92.
Vasanti Cabernet Franc 2023 ($37.99 for 196 cases). The grapes are from what Vasanti calls Neighbour’s Vineyard in Oliver. The wine was fermented in stainless steel and aged 18 months in oak (50% new American and European oak, 50% in neutral oak). Aromas of black cherry and blackberry are echoed on the palate, with a hint of plum on the finish. The wine is full on the palate. 92.
Vasanti Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($49.99 for 96 cases). The fruit was from vineyards on the east and west benches of the South Okanagan. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel and aged 30 months in neutral French and European oak. There are aromas of spice, cassis, dark fruits and oak. On the palate, there are flavours of dark fruits mingled with spicy oak. 93.
Vasanti Canvas 2022 ($51.99 for 96 cases). This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon (aged 30 months in neutral oak) and Syrah (aged 24 months in new American oak). The wine begins with aromas of dark fruits, pepper and spicy oak. On the palate, there are flavours of plum, fig, dark chocolate and tobacco. 92.
Vasanti Syrah 2022 ($59.99 for 88 cases). The fruit is from Vasanti’s East Bench Vineyard, aged 24 months in new American oak. This is a rich, full-bodied red with aromas of plum, dark cherry and spice. On the palate, there are flavours of dark cherry and fig mingled with pepper on the long finish. 93.
