Fort Berens has a new team

Photo: Winemaker James Cambridge

The latest four releases from Lillooet’s Fort Berens Estate Winery reflect the handiwork of the new guard in the vineyard and in the winery.

In 2019, Andrew Stone, a seasoned Okanagan viticulturist, was appointed the vineyard manager at Fort Berens while James Cameron returned as the winemaker. He had been the Fort Berens winemaker in 2012 and left to work at Backyard Vineyards in the Fraser Valley in 2013. Last year, he brought his skills back to Lillooet. The difference between 2012 and 2019: Fort Berens now has a mature vineyard and a very modern winery.

James is a graduate of Niagara College, where he finished at the top of his class in the enology and viticulture program. He started his career with Henry of Pelham and the Creekside Estate Winery in Ontario. Since coming to the Okanagan, he has also made wine at Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Le Vieux Pin and LaStella wineries.

He had a good track record in his first stint at Fort Berens. The winery won a Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the 2012 Riesling he made. His 2012 Fort Berens Meritage won a gold medal and best of class at the 2014 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition.

Alberta-born Andrew Stone is a former systems analyst who changed careers in order to work outdoors. He has been a viticulturist previously at Meyer Family Vineyards and Liquidity Winery. As well, with his partner, Terry Meyer-Stone, he runs a boutique vineyard on Anarchist Mountain at Osoyoos.

In the notes that accompanied the samples, Fort Berens owners Rolf de Bruin and Heleen Pannekoek added comments about how the new team have approached their work.

“Andrew drew up a specific plan for each block in our vineyard based on the grapes being grown for specific wines,” they wrote. “The plan called for our vineyard team to pay special attention to the blocks that were identified for the Reserve wines. Under Andrew’s leadership, our vineyard team was empowered to take on more roles and responsibilities. Some team members specialized in tractor work, others in irrigation and spraying. He implemented a new fertilization and irrigation program for better consistency, with the goal being to give the vines what they need at the right time.”

On James Cambridge, the winery said:

“James uses a minimalist approach to the winemaking process to allow the fruit to speak for itself. He wants the wine to highlight the specific qualities of each vintage. The approach that James takes to winemaking is characterized by patience. He aims to take sufficient time for each step in the winemaking process: cold soaks prior to fermentation; slow ferments for whites by keeping temperatures low; longer post-maceration for the reds after fermentation; and longer barrel aging to fully develops the wines he crafts.”

Here are notes on the current releases.

Fort Berens Pinot Gris 2019 ($18.49 for 1,119 cases). The wine was made primarily with estate-grown Pinot Gris. Whole clusters were crushed and fermented in small batches with cultured yeasts. Ten percent of the wine was aged in barrel for several months. The wine begins with aromas of pear and citrus, leading to flavours of citrus mingled with a hint of vanilla. There is good weight on the palate and the finish is dry. 91.

Fort Berens Riesling 2019 ($18.49 for 1,248 cases). The winery sourced fruit for this wine from two Okanagan vineyards and one in the Similkameen. The wine begins with aromas of honey and pineapple. On the palate, there are flavours of lime, lemon and apple. The racy acidity is well balanced with residual sugar. This is a Riesling with lots of character and with a lot of upside if aged for several years. But many consumers will want to enjoy as it is – fresh and lively. 91.

Fort Berens Rosé 2019 ($18.49 for 1,165 cases). Made with Pinot Noir, with 48 hours of skin contact, the wine presents in the glass with a delicate rose petal hue. It has aromas of strawberry and cranberry, leading to flavours of strawberry and watermelon. It has good weight and a dry finish. 90.

Fort Berens Pinot Noir 2018 ($25.99 for 781 cases). This wine is made with fruit from the estate vineyard as well as from vineyards in West Kelowna and the Similkameen Valley. The winemaker employed carbonic maceration with some of the grapes – a technique to emphasize fruitiness. The wine was aged nine months in French oak. The wine begins with aromas of strawberries and cherries which are echoed on the palate. The silken texture of the wine adds to its elegance. 90.