Adega on 45th wines are worth searching out

Photo: Karen Yeung

Adega on 45th Estate Winery: the name needs a little explanation. Adega is Portuguese for cellar: the winery, which opened in 2011, was established by individuals of Portuguese stock – Alex Nunes, his brother-in-law, Fred Farinha, and their spouses. The winery is on 45th Street which runs along the east side of Osoyoos Lake. Designed by Alex and Fred, the building is an attractive winery with a butterscotch-toned exterior, a bell tower, and a tasting room with a great view over the lake and the town. It is supported by an expansive vineyard planted in 2005 when Alex and Fred decided to convert the orchards where they had been growing fruit since the 1960s.

The original owners decided to retire and sold the winery in 2025 to the owners of Surrey’s Gate 22 Winery, who installed Christa-Lee McWatters as vice-president. She is the daughter of the late Harry McWatters, one of the pioneers of Okanagan winemaking. Her partner in running the winery is Karen Yeung, a veteran Okanagan winemaker with years of experience in the Andrew Peller group of wineries.

Born in Vancouver, Karen grew up in a family of chefs. She initially had that in mind as a career when she completed a diploma in food technology at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in 1996. But after three years developing food products, she zeroed in on wine and joined Andrés (as Andrew Peller Ltd. was then called) as an assistant winemaker. She took over the Red Rooster cellar in 2007 and, among other achievements, crafted an iconic red blend called The Golden Egg. When Peller closed Red Rooster for a few years, she became a freelance winemaker. The 2025 wines from Adega show that she has not lost her touch. Here are my notes.

Adega on 45th Chardonnay 2025 ($24.99). The fruit for this wine is from the Hollenbach Family Vineyards at Penticton. Fermentation was mainly in stainless steel, with 20% in oak. The wine has aromas and flavours of apple and pineapple, with a hint of stone fruits. The wine is crisp and fresh on the finish. 90.

Adega on 45th Rosé 2025 ($24.99). This is a Pinot Noir rosé, with fruit from a vineyard near Kaleden. The grapes were allowed enough skin contact that the wine developed an appealing salmon pink hue. The wine has aromas of strawberry and raspberry, with flavours of cherry and cranberry. 90.

Adega on 45th Riesling 2025 ($26.99). This wine was fermented in stainless steel. The wine has aromas and flavours of lemon, apple and pear. The bright but well-balanced acidity give the wine a crisp and somewhat austere finish. 88.

Adega on 45th Espumante 2025 ($24.99). This is a complex blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Merlot and Pinot Noir. The juice was fermented in stainless steel and carbonated to preserve a delicate mousse. (Two traditional method sparkling wines from Adega’s 2025 vintage are not yet released because they are en tirage. This wine is delicious, with a good mousse and with aromas and flavours of pear and apple. 92.

Adega on 45th Cabernet Franc 2023 ($32.99). The fruit is from the estate vineyard on the east side of Osoyoos Lake. This is a bold wine bursting with aromas of cassis, blackberry and cherry, all of which is echoed on the palate. The wine was aged 12 months in oak and there is a touch of oak on the finish. This wine deserves to be decanted. 91.

Adega on 45th Malbec Merlot 2022 ($34.99). This is a wine from one of the Okanagan’s best vintages. The blend is 54% Malbec and 46% Merlot from the estate vineyard on the east side of Osoyoos Lake. The wine was fermented in stainless steel and aged in oak for 14 months. It has a rich and firm texture with aromas of dark fruits mingled with oak. On the palate, the dark fruit flavours are dominated by blackberry and plum. Decanting is also recommended for this wine. 91.