Clos du Soleil remains confident in the Similkameen

Photo: Clos du Soleil's Michael Clark

In May, Clos du Soleil Winery announced the acquisition and conversion of an organic orchard to a new vineyard not far from the winery in the Similkameen Valley. It is a huge vote of confidence in the future of viticulture in the Similkameen, where many vineyards suffered considerable damage during the last two winters.

The new vineyard has been christened Three Winds Vineyard. Michael Clark, the winery’s managing director and winemaker, wrote: “Situated on the Middle Bench of the Similkameen Valley, within the town of Keremeos and just minutes away from Clos du Soleil’s original Estate Vineyard, this 10-acre property promises to showcase terroir expression and increase the winery’s potential to increase production of award-winning wines.” The winery’s announcement continued: “The majority of the vineyard was planted this spring (2024), with Merlot and Cabernet Franc already in the ground. These carefully chosen varietals are expected to flourish in the vineyard's gently sloped terrain, with both its location and soils ideally situated for grape-growing excellence. The team has, however, chosen to leave a couple of blocks unplanted, allowing them options to experiment with some new varieties that could be planted in 2025.

‘Given the extreme weather our industry has been facing in recent years, presumably as a result of climate change, it is more important than ever that we can be flexible and innovative in our viticultural practices,’ explains Michael Clark. ‘Our development of this vineyard is giving us an opportunity to do exactly that’.” The winery, which was launched in 2006, relied initially on grapes from its 8.5-acre estate vineyard and on purchased fruit. Since 2017, the winery has purchased and developing four additional vineyards, all in the Similkameen.

The winery has continued to have confidence in the Similkameen, in spite of the recent winters. “The two freezes (December 2022, and January 2024) were both particularly hard on vineyards in the Similkameen, in part because our region doesn't have the moderating influence of the large bodies of water that are in the Okanagan,” Michael tells me. “The two freezes have been a blow to us, and to all of our grower and winemaking neighbours in the valley as well, and we have effectively lost two entire crops as a result of this. We have had some vines die, but the good news is that a lot of the vines have survived (more than we initially expected) and we are busy allowing them to recover so that they will be healthy and productive for many years to come.”

“We believe strongly in the future of our valley, and its special contribution to the world of wine, and that hasn't changed at all,” Michael continued. “That being said, we are certainly learning from the events of the last two years, and modifying our viticultural practices to make us as resilient as possible in an environment of extreme weather and climate change. There are a whole range of actions we are taking, and, combined, we think they will ensure a strong future for Clos du Soleil. Just a few examples include modifying our varietal mix at the margin (we will continue to be specialists in Bordeaux varieties, but we will be reducing our exposure to the most cold-sensitive varieties, and leaning more heavily into cold-hardy varieties), exploring opportunities to use own-rooted (non-grafted) vines which will allow for quicker recoveries after freeze events, and looking at various methods for providing added insulation to our vines during the winter, to better protect them from sudden freezes.”

“Winemaking is a very traditional activity,” he added. “At Clos du Soleil we pride ourselves on using traditional winemaking techniques, to produce wines that are classic and elegant. But too much focus on ‘tradition’ can also spell disaster for any business, especially these days, and so we are looking at every method, both in the vineyard, and the cellar, to be able to adapt to changing conditions (changes in the summer, changes in the winter, and changes too in our what our customers want) to be able to provide the very best wine possible. The one thing that will never change is our belief in the Similkameen, and the fact that we want our wines to tell a story about our valley.” He added: “While our vineyards are in recovery mode, the good news is that we still have lots of wine available for our customers. We really encourage people to continue to buy BC wine, to support this industry that has had such a challenging time, and moreover to come and visit Clos du Soleil in person (our tasting room is open seven days a week).”

Here are current releases:

Clos du Soleil Rosé 2023 ($28.90 for 675 cases). This is 100% Pinot Noir. The fruit, from vineyards in Kaleden, was handled very gently. The crushed fruit was soaked under dry ice for four hours, pressed and fermented cool in stainless steel, with oxygen contact avoided. If anything, this pale rosé is overly delicate, with aromas and flavours of wild strawberries and a crisp finish. 88.

Clos du Soleil Béton 2022 ($39.90 for 226 cases). This is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Cabernet Franc. The wine is a [successful] exercise in fermenting and aging a Bordeaux wine in a concrete tank. The wine begins with aromas of spice and sage, black currant and dark cherry. The palate is rich with flavours of dark fruits mingled with notes of earth and sagebrush. The tannins are ripe but still have some grip. 91.

Clos du Soleil Estate Reserve Red 2020 ($64.90 for 263 cases). This is 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot. The wine was aged 18 months in French oak barrels. This is a magnificent red wine, beginning with aromas of cassis, black cherry and blackberry. The luscious palate delivers flavours of dark cherry, plum and raspberry mingled with spice and cedar. There is a long and satisfying finish. The tannins are ripe but will support good aging. 94.