FEBRUARY 2017 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


35


Sparkling wines shine in diverse BC regions Bella Wines welcomes labelling regulations that identify Okanagan sub-regions


by SUSAN MCIVER


NARAMATA – Jay Drysdale loves sparkling wines and is keen to understand how conditions in the vineyard affect them. He believes the variation in these conditions is the basis for the new regulations that allow mention of sub-regions on wine labels. Drysdale and wife Wendy Rose own Bella Wines in Naramata.


“We’re the only winery in the province to exclusively make bubbles,” Drysdale says.


Explaining why Bella focuses on sparkling wines, he says, “The more you know about bubbles, the more you realize how food-friendly sparkling wines are.”


Before he and Rose launched Bella Wines in 2011, Drysdale was an accomplished chef and sommelier certified by the International Sommelier Guild. Keen on adding the title “winemaker” to his list of accomplishments, he completed the enology program at Washington State University. He also has experience in the business development aspects of the wine industry.


Today, he makes the wine and focuses on sales while Rose is in charge of the vineyard and general business operations. Bella produces single vineyard, single variety sparkling wines from Chardonnay and Gamay grapes.


Most of the wine is made using the traditional method, which allows for the addition of commercial yeast and sugar. “The use of only two varietals and one production method permits us to explore the nuances in the different personalities of each vineyard that comes through in the grapes,” Drysdale explains.


Bella sources grapes from vineyards ranging from Kamloops to Keremeos and from several locations on the Naramata Bench. Soil in Kamloops contains an abundance of limestone while farther south, the soil around Mt. Boucherie has considerable volcanic content. Keremeos soil is particularly high in minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron and copper because in periods of glaciations, the Similkameen Valley was a lake in contrast to the Okanagan Valley, where water flowed through.


“Even on the Naramata Bench, we’re beginning to find completely different soils in close proximity,” Drysdale says. “We’re on heavy, silty, sandy loam and just above us, it’s gravelly alluvial soil.”


A wine’s characteristics are also highly dependent on the weather conditions at specific sites.


“We don’t see a lot of vintage expression here because we usually manipulate conditions through irrigation, sometimes even overhead irrigation to reduce the temperature,” Drysdale says.


In Europe, irrigation is not allowed, so true vintage expression is evident in the wine.


Drysdale says that on this continent, the importance of vintage expression is becoming more widely recognized. He reports that vineyards he ‘dry farms’ yield fruit with more intense flavour.


“Specific weather and soil conditions are important in differentiating geographic sub-regions,” he says. The BC Wine Authority announced new regulations late last year that will allow the recognition of sub-regions on the wine labels.


• BEEF • VEAL • BISON • LAMB • GOAT • DEER


The Bank for the Agriculture Industry


BMO Bank of Montreal is proud of the decades of combined knowledge and expertise of our specialized agribanking team – 14 financial professionals serve the agricultural industry in the Fraser Valley.


Because of this experience we know your farm is more than just a business – it’s a way of life.


What sets us apart


BMO is proud of its dedicated Agribanking managers who visit clients, know the business environment and agricultural operations in-depth… and have local credit decision-making.


We are committed to Canada’s agricultural industry & our Agribanking Team will:  Keep up-to-date on issues of importance to the sector  Be passionate about the future health & growth of the industry that we serve  Provide creative and competitive solutions, and  Be there through good and bad times


MEADOW VALLEY MEATS PROVINCIALLY INSPECTED ABATTOIR BC#34


CUSTOM SLAUGHTER SERVICES PROVIDED Serving the Community Together


WANTED: ALL SIZES MARKET GOATS & LAMBS 18315 FORD ROAD PITT MEADOWS, BC V3Y 1Z1


ashiq@meadowvalleymeats.com 604/465-4752 (ext 105) fax 604/465-4744


We can recommend the customized loan and deposit solutions that can help you grow on your terms and harvest the benefits of your work.


Come in and see us!


Committed to Agriculture We’re here to help.


DIANE MURPHY


VICE PRESIDENT COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURAL MARKETS BMO


Bank of Montreal Abbotsford Main


diane2.murphy@bmo.com 604-504-4980


Congratulations, Steve Saccomano


After 10 years with BMO Bank of Montreal, primarily working in the Agri-banking business in BC, Steve has decided to get more involved in the industry that he loves.


In February, Steve will rejoin Ritchie Smith Feeds. We think this is a recipe for success for both Steve and Ritchie Smith!


Best wishes from your friends at BMO.


Jay Drysdale of Bella Wines in Naramata, which exclusively produces sparkling wine. SUSAN MCIVER PHOTO


“I would love to see as many sub-regions as need be in the Okanagan Valley. There’s a major desire for this,” Drysdale says. He explains that recognition of sub-regions allows everyone within the industry to take


their specific region more seriously which, in turn, should attract more wine tourists and advance exports.


“It’s a big step in the maturation of the BC wine industry,” he says.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47