Quails’ Gate: winery with a foot in two camps

Photo: Quails' Gate president Tony Stewart (courtesy Quails' Gate Estate Winery)

Quails’ Gate Estate Winery is a rare example – perhaps the only one – of a Canadian winery which also operates winery assets in California. Quails’ Gate president Tony Stewart and his family dipped a toe into California in 2011, when they entered into a joint venture in Napa called Plume. While the wines were distributed in Canada for several years, a collapse in the value of the Canadian dollar eroded the margins and the brand, which had no production facility of its own, was shelved for several years. The brand has now returned to this market (to private wine stores) with a Plume Napa Valley Chardonnay and a Plume Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

In 2012, the Stewart family purchased two historic Sonoma wineries, Lake Sonoma and Valley of the Moon, from F. Korbel & Bros. Four years later, the Stewarts bought a third Sonoma producer, primarily to get a production facility and tasting room for Lake Sonoma. Subsequently, the Lake Sonoma wines have begun to show up in Canadian wine stores. Three samples recently were sent to me for review, along with three current releases.

The Stewarts believe their wine business benefits from the synergies of operating in two wine regions. “We have gained a lot of intellectual capital,” Tony Stewart told me in 2016. “Our knowledge of markets in the U.S. has made us much more aware of how the changes in British Columbia may affect us, with grocery stores coming into play.” He continued: “Every year we are getting together as a leadership team and meeting winemakers and management from both wineries. We communicate how we are handling club business or the wine shops and production issues. The wine club business in the U.S. is much more developed than Canada, so that has been a huge eye-opener to us as to what we have to try and do at Quails’ Gate in order to keep up with the consumer who is looking for something more than the club that offers discounts. They want some unique attributes to the club. We are adding a whole bunch of things at the Quails’ Gate wine club to take us to the next level.” Here are notes on the wines.

Lake Sonoma Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2018 ($25.99 plus tax). This wine is available both in the Liquor Distribution Branch and in private retail stores. The wine has an appealing brambly and spice character with sweet flavours of blackberry and raspberry. 90.

Lake Sonoma Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2018 ($29.99 plus tax). This wine in private retail stores in B.C. The wine begins with rich aromas of cherry and plum, leading to flavours of cherry, ripe strawberry and spice. The tannins are long and silky. 90.

b>Lake Sonoma Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 ($29.99 plus tax). This wine is available both the Liquor Distribution Branch and private retail stores in B.C. The wine was aged 16 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels. The wine begins with aromas of black currant and blueberry. On the palate, there are flavours of cherry, dark fruits, chocolate and spice. The supple tannins give the wine immediate drinkability. 90.

Quails’ Gate Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay 2019 ($45). This wine, which is the flagship white at Quails’ Gate, is fermented in French oak (new and used barrels). This is a technique which integrates the oak with the fruit to yield a seamless wine. It begins with rich buttery aromas mingled with tangerine and nectarine. The palate echoes the aromas. This full-bodied wine has a long, appealing finish. 92.

Quails’ Gate Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir 2019 ($55). This is the flagship red wine at Quails’ Gate, with grapes from premium blocks at the estate vineyard. Some of the vines date from the 1970s. The wine spent 17 days on the skins during fermentation and was then aged 17 months in French and neutral oak. The wine begins with aromas of cherry, raspberry, mocha and spice. The full, silky texture delivers flavours of cherry and plum, with a persistent finish. 92.

Quails’ Gate Old Vines Foch 2019 ($25.99). This wine was aged 16 months in American oak (both new and neutral). The wine begins with aromas of cherry and tobacco. On the palate, there are flavours of plum, cherry and tobacco with a wild, earthy undertone on the finish. The wine benefits from being decanted. 90. The three Quails’ Gate wines are available at the West Kelowna winery and periodically in the Liquor Distribution Branch and at private wine stores.