Gold Hill cements relationship with Val Tait

Photo: Winemaker Val Tait with Gold Hill's Navi Gill

The long relationship between Gold Hill Winery and Val Tait came to full maturity this summer when she joined the winery as both its winemaker and its viticulturist.

Val is a legend in the Okanagan. Born in 1964, she has an undergraduate degree in biochemistry and a master’s in integrated pest management. She started working at the Summerland research station on plant viruses and then developed her independent consulting business with grape growers in the early 1990s as new vineyards were being planted. “I was lucky to get in on the industry when it was starting to grow,” she told me once in an interview.

She was a partner in Calliope Vintners, a virtual winery launched in 1999. The label is now owned by Burrowing Owl Estate Winery which bought it after two of the partners moved to New Zealand and Calliope closed.

In 2013, Val joined Bench 1775 Winery. She was the winemaker, viticulturist and general manager there until this spring when she and her partner, Ian Sutherland, left to establish their own brand, 2house Wines.

“For almost 20 years I have been making wine from a family of growers located in Osoyoos – Sant and Gurbachan Gill,” Val says, explaining how the relationship has developed between her and the owners of Gold Hill.

“The Gill brothers have been residents of the Osoyoos area since the 1980s. My husband Ian Sutherland and I first met them when they sold their home orchard to Poplar Grove [formerly owned by Sutherland] and then replanted that orchard to vineyard,” Val continues. “A year later I designed the new home vineyard for the Gill brothers that was to become Gold Hill Winery.”

 Val adds: “As soon as fruit was produced on this site, the Gill brothers sold fruit to many well-known wineries [including Bench 1775] and many of those wines went on to receive significant domestic and international awards and accolades.”

Soon after the Gold Hill winery opened in 2011, it won a Lieutenant Governor’s Award of Excellence for its debut Cabernet Franc 2009. Until this year, Philip Soo, a well-known consulting winemaker in the Okanagan, has been making the Gold Hill wines.

Val is taking over at the same time when a second generation of Gills, including Simon Fraser University graduate Navi Gill, are joining the family business.

“It has been my immense pleasure to be able to join the Gold Hill team and to be able to have access to the impressive fruit that is being produced from the 75 acres farmed by the Gill Brothers,” Val writes.

“Future developments will see Gold Hill Winery focus on Cabernet Franc from different vineyard blocks from Osoyoos south, Osoyoos north and a new Black Sage vineyard. Current wine production is at 3,000 cases and growth will be capped at 8,000 cases.”

It remains to be seen how Val will impact the house style at Gold Hill. The Gill Brothers have always grown grapes for maximum flavours, letting the alcohols fall where they may. Invariably, the Gold Hill reds have been among the biggest and boldest in the Okanagan, with alcohol levels of red table wines sometimes approaching 16%. Usually, the wines are so substantial and rich in flavour that they carry the alcohol.

Here are notes on some current releases.

Gold Hill Chardonnay 2019 ($19.99). This is an unoaked Chardonnay, fermented cool in stainless steel. It has aromas of apple and peach. On the palate, there are flavours of apple with a hint of pineapple, all supported by a spine of minerality. The wine is bright, dry and refreshing. 90.

Gold Hill Rosé 2018 ($19.99). This is a Cabernet Franc rosé, made by bleeding juice from a tank. Several years ago, the juice was left on the skins for two days inadvertently, producing a dark-hued rosé. When the winery made a more conventional, lighter-hued rosé the following vintage, it got such kickback from customers that the winery has returned to the dark style. This is a robust, dark rosé with aromas and flavours of plum, cherry and strawberry. I have to say that, while I like lots of colour in rosé, the house style here is a step too far. 88.

Gold Hill Cabernet Merlot 2017 ($24.99). This is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It is a rich and satisfying wine, beginning with aromas of cassis and blueberries. On the palate, there are flavours of black cherry, blackberry, blueberry compote and chocolate. 92.

Gold Hill Merlot 2013 ($34.99). This appears to be sold out; the winery’s website now shows the 2014 vintage, arguably an even better vintage than 2013. If this wine is in your cellar, you have a typically bold Gold Hill wine, with aromas and flavours of cassis, black cherry and blueberry. 91.

Gold Hill Cabernet Franc 2015 ($34.99). This wine is all about power: 15.9% alcohol with bold aromas and flavours of blackberry, black cherry and spice. There is noticeable heat on the palate. 89.

Gold Hill Grand Vin 2014 ($64.99). The blend is Merlot 33.4%, Cabernet Franc 22.2%, Cabernet Sauvignon 22.2% and Malbec 22.2%. The alcohol is a robust 15.9%, once again signalling that this is a full-flavoured red. It has aromas of spice, black currants and cherries, leading to flavours of black cherry, black currant, chocolate and vanilla. 94.