Gold Hill Winery adds two brands

Photo: Valeria Tait (courtesy of Gold Hill Winery)

Valeria Tait, an Okanagan viticultural pioneer who honed her winemaking skills at Bench 1775 Winery on Naramata Road, joined Gold Hill Winery two years ago. Her impact in extending the winery’s portfolio has shown up in the recent releases. Gold Hill, which is celebrating 13 years of winemaking, is owned by brothers Gurbachan and Sant Gill and their families. In previous years, the wines were made by a consultant, Philip Soo. With the expansion of his own winery, Bonamici Cellars, requiring more of his attention, Phil turned the Gold Hill cellar over to Val (as she is known more familiarily).

Born in 1964, Val 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 in 2013, just when she became the general manager of Bench 1775. She became thoroughly familiar with Gold Hill, having purchased grapes during numerous vintages from the Gill brothers for wines she was making at Bench 1775.

The Gills have a heartwarming immigrant success story. They both grew up in the Indus Valley, an agricultural region in northwest India with a climate somewhat similar to the Okanagan. Sant, born in 1958, arrived in the Okanagan in 1984 with six dollars. Gurbachan, born in 1967, followed him in 1989. After a few years of orchard work, the brothers in 1991 began working in vineyards as well as farming an orchard they bought in 1995 beside the highway north of Osoyoos. When they had mastered grape growing, they converted their orchard to vineyards in 2007. Today, they farm more than 26 hectares (65 acres) throughout the Okanagan Valley. Most of the vineyards are in the South Okanagan. That is reflected in the bold reds, notably Cabernet Franc, with which the winery’s initial reputation was made. Full of flavour and as high in alcohol as 15%, these are among the most muscular reds made in the South Okanagan. In recent years, the Gills have developed two vineyards in West Kelowna to grow cool-climate varietals, such as Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. These are enabling Gold Hill to diversify its portfolio.

Some of the new varietals are being released in a new brand from Gold Hill, called Charisma Wines. In a note about the current releases, Val Tait says about Charisma: “These carefully crafted wines are fresh, with vibrant acidity, lighter body and lower alcohol, and are perfect for everyday wine drinking. The Charisma-sourced vineyards include our Peachland Cracked Granite Vineyard, one of the highest elevation vineyards in the valley at 680 meters.” Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are grown here. The West Kelowna vineyards are called Lake Bluff Vineyard and Flying Horse Vineyard. These are also planted with Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Gamay Noir and Pinot Noir. Val describes the vineyards as “short-season, classic cool-climate growing sites.”

The winery has also created a brand called TerreLab, with wines that are released exclusively to the wine club. Production is limited to 50 to 80 cases. “TerreLab is a creative, playful outlet, allowing for full freedom in both varietal and fermentation and cellar practices,” Val explains. “Under this brand, we have Tempranillo and Tempranillo Rosé as our first offering.” Future offerings will depend on the season, on fruit expression and on creative winemaking. “A couple of wines to look out for are our orange Gewürztraminer and our carbonic maceration Malbec,” she writes.

Here are notes on the wines.

Charisma Pinot Gris 2021 ($19.99). The wine is light and crisp, with aromas of citrus and flavours of peach and pear. 89.

Charisma Pinot Noir Rose 2021 ($19.99). This is a refreshing wine, beginning with aromas of strawberry. The lush palate delivers strawberry and peach flavours. 89.

Charisma Malbec 2020 ($24.99). The wine begins with aromas of dark fruits mingled with chocolate. On the palate, there are flavours of cherry, blackberry and chocolate. These soft tannins give the wine a long and rich finish. 91.

Charisma Cabernet Merlot 2021 ($24.99). This wine begins with bold, toasty aromas of dark fruits and chocolate. This is echoed on the palate. The ripe, toasty flavours may reflect the slight impact of smoke in the wine. For my palate, this adds complexity. The wine is delicious for current drinking. I would hesitate to age it, not that I expect anyone will. 88.

TerreLab Tempranillo Rosé 2021 ($24.99 for 80 cases). The wine presents with a pale bronze hue and a restrained aroma. There are notes of the plum and strawberry on the palate. The finish is dry. 90.

TerreLab Tempranillo 2018 ($35.99 for 70 cases). Tempranillo is one of the leading red grapes of Spain but not yet widely planted in the Okanagan. This bold wine makes the case for more Tempranillo in the Okanagan. The wine, dark in colour, begins with aromas of black cherry and dark fruits. The rich palate delivers flavours of black cherry and plum. The long ripe tannins, polished by 18 months of barrel aging, give the wine a long, satisfying finish. 92.

Gold Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($29.99 for 100 cases). The wine begins with aromas of lemon and lime, leading to flavours of lemon and apple. 89.

Gold Hill Cabernet Franc 2017 ($42.99). The wine begins with appealing aromas of blackberry and dark cherry. There is rich fruit of the spicy palate, including cherry and brambleberry notes. 90.

Gold Hill Cabernet Franc Rosé 2021 ($22.99 for 120 cases). Eighteen hours of skins contact has given the wine a copper hue. The flavours are also robust, with notes of cherry and orange. 90.

Gold Hill Merlot 2018 ($42.99). This is an intense wine that benefits from being decanted. It begins with aromas of cassis and dark cherry. On the palate, there are flavours of plum, cherry, dark fruits and tobacco. 91.

Gold Hill Syrah 2018 ($42.99). This is a typically bold Gold Hill wine, with 14.9% alcohol. It was aged 16 months in French oak barrels. There is 3% Viognier in the blend, lifting the aromas. There are aromas of dark fruits, plum and pepper. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied with deli meat flavours mingled with plum, fig, cherry and pepper. 91.

Gold Hill Grand Vin 2016 ($65 for 450 cases). This is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. The wine was aged 18 months in new French oak. The wine has the age to have developed lovely cassis aromas. There are flavours of dark fruits mingled with blackberry, cassis and coffee. The tannins are long and ripe. 93.