Road 13 celebrates John Oliver

Photo: Winemaker Dominic McCosker

The premium tier in the portfolio at Road 13 Vineyards, formerly called Jackpot, is now being called John Oliver, a tribute to one of British Columbia’s more interesting premiers. He led a Liberal government from 1918 until his death in 1927. For many years, there was a red wine in Road 13’s portfolio called Honest John’s, a nickname that Oliver acquired early in his political career. It is no longer on the web site and has perhaps been discontinued in favour of the upscale John Oliver tier. The Honest John wines appeared in the portfolio when Road 13 was operated by the Luckhurst family from 2003 to 2018. Since then, the winery has been owned by Mission Hill’s Anthony von Mandl.

Why celebrate John Oliver? Consider his biography. He was born in Britain in 1856; left school at age 11 to work in a mine; and came to Ontario with his family in 1870. He moved to BC in 1877 to take up farming in Surrey and Delta. After some years in municipal politics, he was elected to the provincial legislature in 1900.

He hardly seemed like a promising politician at first. Historian David Mitchell writes in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography that Oliver was “a plain-spoken, rough-hewn man, [who] was derided as a hayseed by the more urbane and experienced members of the assembly. His unsophisticated clothes, heavy boots, and often crude use of the English language were lampooned by opponents.” However, he worked hard at polishing his talents and earning the respect of his peers. Mitchell writes: “He earned the nickname Honest John for his principled pursuit of a legislative inquiry in 1902–3 into railway land grants that helped to bring down the [Conservative] government of … Edward Gawler Prior, in June 1903.”

After Oliver became premier, “British Columbians seemed comforted by their new, plain-spoken premier, whose personal habits were largely unaffected by the trappings of office,” Mitchell writes. “Oliver continued to wear the same old-fashioned tweed suits and heavy boots that had become his trade marks. … He portrayed himself as a man of the people, distrustful of experts and wholly lacking in pretence.” Oliver was premier when British Columbia emerged from Prohibition and his government opened stores to sell alcoholic beverages. They were known colloquially as John Oliver’s Drug Stores. It is fitting, perhaps, that wines today should carry his name. The town of Oliver was named for him because his administration promoted land settlement and irrigation after World War One that enabled the South Okanagan to grow fruits, vegetables and, ultimately, grapes.

The John Oliver label was launched with wines from the 2020 vintage, still the current releases. The wines, made by winemaker Barclay Robinson from a strong vintage, have scored highly in numerous competitions. When Barclay and Road 13 parted company in March 2024, he was succeeded by Dominic McCosker, who was already the red winemaker at Mission Hill Family Estate. Born in Australia in 1976 with a degree in biology, Dominic was travelling in 2007 when he came to visit friends in the Okanagan and decided to take up winemaking here. He started at Tantalus Vineyards, went back to Australia for winemaking studies and hands-on winemaking with two producers there. He was soon back in the Okanagan as assistant winemaker at CedarCreek Estate winery. In 2014 he became the senior winemaker at La Frenz Winery. During his tenure there, La Frenz was named three times in the National Wine Awards as Canada’s best performing small winery. He moved to Mission Hill in 2022.

“Mission Hill is just Bordeaux reds,” Dominic says of the portfolio there. “There is a small amount of Syrah but it is primarily Bordeaux reds. With Road 13, it will be much more Rhone reds. Syrah will be in a much larger portion.” He says that although Syrah vines in particular were hard hit during the past two winters in the Okanagan. Dominic believes that the expertise in the Mark Anthony group of wineries is on top of the issue. “We are working with experts and consultants,” he says. “In Walla Walla [Washington], they struggle with spring frosts. We have been looking at their techniques -- burying canes and hilling up over the winter to protect the graft. We are confident that we can get those varieties to survive. With that on the table, then Syrah is back. I think it is a great Okanagan variety that we can do fairly well.” He continues: “I am very excited that we could make Syrah a focal point of Road 13. It can be made to showcase different styles of the same variety, all of them in a beautiful way. I may occasionally have a sparkling Shiraz as well.”

Here are notes on Road 13’s current premium releases.

Road 13 Jackpot Chardonnay 2020 ($55). This is an elegant wine, with aromas of peach and apple leading to flavours of peach with just a hint of butter. The finish is fresh and persistent. 91.

Road 13 John Oliver Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($80). The wine begins with aromas of cassis and blackberry. On the palate, there are flavours of dark cherry, black currant mingled with hints of chocolate. The texture is polished and the finish is long. 91.

Road 13 John Oliver Malbec 2020 ($80). The wine begins dramatically, with the classic and pretty raspberry and floral aromas of the varietal. On the palate, the wine delivers flavours of blackberry and blueberry, with a persistent finish. 94.

Road 13 John Oliver Syrah 2020 ($80). The wine begins with aromas of spice cake, fig and cherry leading to flavours of plum, cherry and white pepper. 92.

Road 13 John Oliver Fifth Element 2020 ($65). This has been Road 13’s flagship wine over the years. The name does not limit the blend to five varietals but is an allusion to the mysterious element that defines an icon wine. This 2020 is a blend of 47% Merlot, 19% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Franc, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Syrah and 3% Petit Verdot. An intense wine, it begins with aromas of dark fruits and spice leading to flavours of dark cherry, black currant, fig and spice. The finish is very long. 95.