Township 7 bypasses Alberta government stores

Photo: Winemaker Mary McDermott

With the winery’s latest releases, Mary McDermott, the Township 7 Vineyards & Winery’s winemaker, provides glimpse of three recent Okanagan vintages. Two were great and one was quite challenging. If you are an Albertan who is a member of Township 7’s wine clubs, you will have an opportunity to buy these wines. But tough luck if you are an Albertan consumer without membership in the Township 7 wine clubs.

As has been widely reported, the Alberta Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Commission told most B.C. wineries in January to stop shipping directly to their wine clubs in Alberta. Those that did not will no longer be able to list their wines with the AGLC and thus in Alberta liquor stores. We “have always strived to fulfill each customer’s request,” Township 7 said in a recent statement. “We have chosen not to sell wines to the AGLC and have ceased sending them our quality wines. It will be a loss for us, as we appreciate Alberta customers discovering our wines in retail stores.” It may not actually be that big a loss for Township 7. Over the last decade, the winery has deliberately developed its direct-to-consumer sales through its two wine clubs (one for still wines, one for its seven stars sparkling wines) and through its two winery stores and by online sales. Only a limited volume of Township 7 wine is allocated to liquor and wine stores, if only because those channels are less profitable.

But hats off to Township 7 for taking a firm stand against Alberta’s ridiculous assault on the British Columbia wine industry, which will deny many Alberta consumers access to some of the best recent Okanagan vintages. The strong vintages were 2020 and 2022, producing some of the finest Okanagan red wines of the last two decades. You should stock up on those wines while they are still available. There will be far fewer 2023 wines available and even fewer 2024s, given the severe vine damage in the past two winters. Many wineries likely will not have enough wine to ship to Alberta, even if the British Columbia government succeeds in having the surprise AGLC move reversed.

Other wineries also are struggling with the Alberta move. Consider the poignant comment from Rob Hammersley, co-owner of Black Market Wines in Kaleden. “We've spent almost a decade building a loyal following in our home province of Alberta through direct website and wine club sales,” he wrote recently. “Plus, we've spent years cultivating lasting relationships with independent wine shops and restaurants who showcase our wines and make them available for local purchase. To say this is frustrating would be putting it mildly! There are a number of initiatives at the industry and government levels attempting to resolve this situation, and we remain hopeful that logic and common sense will prevail. But in the meantime, we will continue to ship our wines directly to your door. To show how much we value our Alberta customers, we are offering FREE SHIPPING to Alberta until the end of February.”

In recent vintages, the difficult grape growing year in the Okanagan and the Similkameen was 2021. In her notes on the 2021 Chardonnay, Township 7’s Mary McDermott writes: “The 2021 vintage is considered one of the most challenging growing seasons we have seen in the British Columbia wine industry. The warm spring led to an extremely hot and dry summer. … The heat dome struck the province just as the berries set and bunches were swelling, shutting the growth down. This resulted in much lower crop levels, varying by location, from 10-50% down. The lower yields meant earlier ripening and we started harvesting Chardonnay for sparkling August 24th …. Overall, despite the difficulties from Mother Nature, the quality of the wine is great. We have maintained excellent acidity and balance within the wines. Yields were low but quality was certainly high.”

Here are notes on the wines.

Township 7 Chardonnay 2021 ($25.97 for 166 cases). Most of the fruit is from the Hidden Terrace vineyard near Oliver and the estate vineyard at Penticton. There is 11% Viognier in the blend, added to give roundness to the wine; it is also from the Fools’ Gold vineyard at Oliver. About a third of the wine was fermented in French barriques; the rest was fermented in stainless steel. The wine begins with aromas of apple and citrus which are echoed on the palate. In spite of what the winery says, I found the acidity a bit soft on the palate. The Chardonnay grapes had insufficient hang time to fully develop the usual rich palate. The winery did well to produce a Chardonnay as drinkable as this in a hot vintage. 89.

Township 7 Pinot Noir 2022 ($41.97 for 799 cases). The fruit for this wine, clones 115 and 667, is from the Remuda Vineyard near Okanagan Falls. A portion of the fruit was fermented in a concrete egg and a portion was fermented in stainless steel. The wine was aged 12 months in 500 litre French oak puncheons. The wine begins with aromas of cherry mingled with plum. On the palate, there are robust flavours of cherry and mocha, with long ripe tannins. I recommend cellaring this wine for several more years to let it fully develop its Burgundian personality. 90.

Township 7 NBO 2020 ($44.97 for 685 cases). The blend is 56% Cabernet Sauvignon and 44% Merlot, with the fruit from the winery’s Blue Terrace vineyard near Oliver. The wine was aged 24 months in French and American oak barrels. The 2020 vintage was strong and this structured red is a good example. It begins with aromas of cassis, dark cherry and spice. On the richly-textured palate, the wine delivers flavours of dark fruits mingled with spice and chocolate. 92.

Township 7 seven stars Rigel 2021 ($36.97 for 2,300 bottles). This wine is made with Riesling grapes from the Fool’s Gold vineyard near Oliver. The wine was en tirage for 12 months. This is a delicious and refreshing sparkling wine with aromas and flavours of lime. The active bubbles create a creamy mousse. 91.

Township 7 seven stars Polaris 2020 ($39.97 for 7,500 bottles). This is a Blanc de Blancs Brut made with Chardonnay fruit from the Hidden Terrace vineyard at Oliver and the estate vineyard at Penticton. The wine was en tirage for 21 months and bottle-aged for 12 months before release. This is a very elegant wine with a hint of brioche in the aroma and flavours of apple and citrus. The mousse is lively and full on the palate. 93.