Chaberton's Fraser Valley vineyard backstops wine production

Photo: Eugene Kwan

Chaberton Estate Winery’s 50-acre vineyard in Langley Township is the largest and oldest vineyard in the Fraser Valley. In previous vintages, Chaberton has also purchased significant tonnages of grapes from the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys, enabling the winery to produce as much as 50,000 cases a year. In the 2024 vintage, severe winter damage reduced the crop from the interior practically to zero. “To help out our growers, we bought what little fruit they had, but it was minimal,” says Eugene Kwan, the winery’s co-owner. “We brought in approximately 150,000 liters of white juice from Washington State. We haven’t made a final decision on how that is going to be used.”

The Fort Langley vineyard came through with full crop of high-quality grapes. “In the Fraser Valley, we were fortunate to avoid the severe winter freeze that the vineyards in the Okanagan and Similkameen suffered,” Eugene says. It is a tribute to the late Claude Violet, who founded the winery and produced the first vintage of 3,000 cases in 1991. When Claude and Inge, his wife, decided to move from Europe in the 1980s, he did extensive research on possible vineyard locations before deciding on Langley Township and its moderate climate. The white varietals he planted are still be cultivated: Bacchus, Siegerrebe, Madeline Sylvaner, Madeline Angevine, Ortega and Reichensteiner, along with a more recent addition, Gamay Noir. The winery began buying red varietals from interior growers in Claude’s day. Langley Township lacks the heat units to mature the big reds – but also does not get the vine-killing winters that have hit the Okanagan in recent years.

Chaberton was acquired in 2004 by Eugene Kwan, a Vancouver lawyer, and his friend, Anthony Cheng, a Hong Kong businessman and wine connoisseur. They have grown what was already a successful winery, making it the major attraction for Fraser Valley wine touring. It also is noteworthy the wines are among the most reasonably-priced in the B.C. wine industry. Chaberton wines deliver great value for money. Here are notes on some current releases.

Chaberton Chaberton White 2023 ($15.95). This is astonishing value – a delicious and fruity wine. It is a blend of Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Madeleine Angevine, Siegerrebe, Sovereign Opal, Madeleine Sylvaner, Riesling, Reichensteiner, Sauvignon Blanc, Ortega, Pinot Auxerrois, Viognier, Schönburger and Kerner. It is hard to pin down the aromas and the flavours but the wine is easy to drink. 89.

Chaberton Siegerrebe 2023 ($19.95 for 1,111 cases). This is an intensely aromatic wine turbo-charged with the addition of 15% Schönburger. A long, cool fermentation in stainless steel preserved the medley of orchard fruits that greet the nose and the palate. The grapes are from the estate vineyard in Langley. 90.

Chaberton Bacchus 2023 ($19.95). The grapes for this wine are from the estate vineyard in Langley. The wine begins with floral aromas and goes on to deliver exotic fruit flavours – lime, gooseberry and pineapple mingled with ripe peach. 90.

Chaberton Unoaked Chardonnay 2022 ($19.95). This wine was aged in stainless steel for about 18 months, including 5 ½ months on the lees. The wine is crisp and fresh with aromas and flavours of apple, pineapple and peach. 88.

Chaberton Gewürztraminer 2023 ($19.95 for 700 cases). This wine was made with Okanagan grapes. The winemaker gave the fruit a short skin contact to lock in aromas and intense flavours. The wine begins with the varietal’s classic notes of spice and lychee on the nose. The palate delivers these characters along with hints of orange peel. The wine is balanced to finish dry. 90.

Chaberton Chaberton Pink 2023 ($19.95 for 1,023 cases). This is a blend of 42% Zweigelt, 25%Gewürztraminer, 16%Pinot Blanc, 11%Pinot Noir and 6%Pinot Gris. This is a crisp and refreshing rosé with aromas and flavours of cherry and strawberry. 89.

Chaberton La Fleur de Chaberton 2023 ($24.95 for 580 cases). This premium rosé is a blend of 80% Cabernet Franc, 10% Gewürztraminer, 8% Petit Verdot and 2% Pinot Blanc. The grapes were pressed directly without prolonged skin contact. Seventeen percent of the juice was fermented and aged in new French oak for 2 months before being added to the rest of the wine in stainless steel tanks. The wine begins with aromas of grapefruit, and cantaloupe leading to flavours of pomegranate, red currant and strawberry. 88.

Chaberton Chaberton Red 2022 ($15.95). This is an easy-drinking red blend. Aromas of cherry and blueberry are echoed on the palate. 88.

Chaberton Merlot 2019 ($27.95 for 1,007 cases). This is a wine with good concentration, giving it a bold and brooding personality. The wine was aged 24 months in oak (33% new). The wine begins with aromas of dark fruits. On the palate, there are flavours of dark cherry, blueberry and fig, with spice on the long finish. 91.

Chaberton Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($27.95 for 675 cases). This is big, firm wine that should be decanted. It was aged 30 months in oak, mostly French and 80% new. The aromas of dark fruits, chocolate and even licorice are echoed on the palate. 91.

Chaberton Syrah 2021 ($33 for 267 cases). The wine was aged 25 months in a combination of French, Hungarian and American oak barrels. This is a big, rich wine which benefits from being decanted. It opens with aromas of cherry, plum and a touch of white pepper. The aromas are echoed on the palate. 91.

Chaberton Meritage 2019 ($29.95 for 686 cases). This is a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot/Malbec. The wine delivers aromas and flavours of dark cherry, black currant, chocolate and spice. The long, ripe tannins give the wine a long and satisfying finish. 92