Burrowing Owl and its feathered friends

Photo: Burrowing Owl founder Jim Wyse (courtesy Borrowing Owl Vineyards

Over the last two decades, Burrowing Owl Vineyards has acquired two other wineries that have allowed it to span both the premium market and the market for value-priced wines. It is not an unusual strategy for a large winery. The most notorious example is Anthony von Mandl’s vast group of wineries and brands. Walk into one of his Artisan wine shops and prepared to be overwhelmed by the choices. Every palate and every budget is covered. Jim and Chris Wyse, the father and son team at Burrowing Owl, have not gone that far but have covered a number of bases.

The budget label under the Burrowing Owl umbrella is Calliope Wines. The label was launched in 1999 by Ross and Cherie Mirko (and partners). When they moved to New Zealand a decade later, they sold the label to Jim Wyse. The label caught Jim’s eye because he is such a bird lover. Calliope is the name of a tiny hummingbird native to the Okanagan Valley. The label has given Burrowing Owl’s winemakers the scope to make wines with purchased fruit and to explore varietals and blends not always in the Burrowing Owl portfolio. Calliope wines are widely distributed through wine store, including the VQA store in Save-on-Foods stores.

The other good value label under Burrowing Owl is Wild Goose Winery, a long-established Okanagan Falls winery (opened in 1990) purchased by the Wyse family in 2021. The two wineries are a good fit because the production and the portfolios are complimentary. “One of the things that works for us is that Wild Goose is so different from everything else we are doing,” Jim says. “The thing we had not appreciated about their business is that it is based on white wines,” he told me in an interview two years ago. “There are some reds but 90% of the wine is white. They are into the bottles in seven or eight months, and they are on the shelf. They will probably have it all sold before the season is over. That is different from our style where everything is in barrels for two or three years.” Since opening in 1998, Burrowing Owl’s primary focus has been making big red wines.

Here are notes on some current releases under the three labels.

Burrowing Owl Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($28). There is 8.5% Sémillon blended into this wine. This wine was made in a manner to enhance its complexity, with two picks. The riper portion, about 55% of the fruit, was co-fermented with Sémillon in barrel and aged in oak (20% new). The remaining 45%, with higher acidity, was fermented in tank. The two wines were blended after eight months of aging. The wine begins with aromas of lime and tropical fruits mingled with herbs and honey. The palate is rich in texture, with flavours of lemon, lime and vanilla. The finish is bright and lingering. A very complex and satisfying wine. 92.

Burrowing Owl Chardonnay 2021 ($34). The fruit for this wine is from the estate vineyard, mostly from original vines planted in 1993. Some 75% of the fruit was fermented and aged in barrels; the rest was fermented in stainless steel. The wine was aged in French oak (90%), Acacia (8%) and American oak (2%). Thirty-eight percent of the barrels were new. The wine begins with rich buttery aromas, mingling apple, peach and mango. On the palate, there are lively and fresh flavours of peach and tropical fruits. This is an elegant, fruit-forward Chardonnay. 92.

Wild Goose Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($19.99). By fermenting and aging this wine in stainless steel, the winery captured all of the expressive aromas and flavours of this varietal. The wine begins with aromas of lime, passionfruit and grass mingled with herbal notes. All of that is echoed on the palate along with gooseberry and wet stone. The finish is crisp and zesty. 90.

Wild Goose Riesling 2022 ($19.99). This wine, made with fruit from mature vineyards, was fermented and aged six months in stainless steel. It begins with aromas of apple and stone fruits. There are flavours of nectarine, apple and citrus. The bright acidity is nicely balance with a hint of residual sweetness. 90.

Wild Goose Pinot Noir 2021 ($29.99). The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and then transferred to French oak barrels (36% new) and aged 10 months. The aromas are remarkably intense for a Pinot Noir, with notes of cherry and toasted oak which are echoed on the palate. The texture is both juicy and silky with a long, spicy and herbal finish. 89.

Calliope Figure 8 Red 2020 ($22). This is a blend of 75% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec and 2% Syrah. The fruit was from Burrowing Owl’s estate vineyards as well as from growers in the Okanagan. Fermentation was in tank, after which the wines were transferred to barrels, mostly French and mostly neutral, to aged between nine and 14 months. The wine exhibits the exceptional harmony of the 2020 vintage. There are aromas of blueberry and cherry leading to flavours of cherry, black currant, leather, dark chocolate and cedar. 90.