Spearhead Wines – Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.

As a wine aficionado or oenophile (because I like using these words that basically means a lover of wine in more simple terms), it’s always nice to be invited to these tasting events. This one was held in the crystal ballroom at the Pan Pacific Hotel. Sidenote: I worked at this hotel right after (and even before) it opened, and freshly back from having lived in Tokyo – it was Japanese owned at the time. We had everyone from Stevie Wonder and Princess Diana to Jay Leno and a Saudi Prince staying there. I worked there all through Expo ’86 which was an exciting time. I have lots of stories some exposés that should not be told but I disgress; so let’s stick to wine for now. Although this is another Expo…of sorts.

I like to support our BC wineries and purchase mostly local BC wines. As most of you already know, I’ve visited many of these wineries it’s almost embarrassing how many and yet; there are always new ones popping up and ones I’ve never been to, although I’ve enjoyed their wines. I always meet new people and discover new wines at the tastings. Always something new. I love to blog about the experience.

This is my first time at the newly revamped Swirl Around BC Wine Expo: a day-long celebration of BC wine, including the latest releases and in-depth discussions with the diverse and talented producers who crafted them from grape to glass. Many of the wine makers and owners were here yesterday. This year, Swirl worked with the talented team at This is Wine School to develop 4 seminars to complement the walk around trade tastings that featured more than 45 BC wineries participating from 4 different BC wine regions.

One of the seminars was to do with ‘brand identity’ and what it means. A round-table discussion on why certain wineries speak to certain consumers. The seminar about The Possibilities of Pinot (Pinot Noir is a favourite of mine) was sold-out in minutes. I’m sorry to have missed this one; hopefully next year I’ll register on time.

For this post; I want to feature four outstanding and diverse wineries. Starting with:

and speaking of attention-grabbing labels; BLASTED CHURCH VINEYARDS. They have a wide selection of wines for all of your sacred occasions. Plus, they put farmers first, which is especially important to know.

Great wine starts in the dirt, in the living earth. But it must be guided by caring, focused, and calloused hands in their love for the soil, and their love for people. I enjoy their wine and the labels are conversation starters.

Blasted Church Table. I confess to liking their wines. Photo: d. king

HAYWIRE ORGANIC VINEYARDS:

From my experience, when you drink organic, you feel better. With a farming policy that includes leaving the land in a better condition than it was when they purchased it, the team places high value on sustainability and stewardship. HAYWIRE employs the precision viticulture model supported by specialist Pedro Parra. The goal is to optimize vineyard performance by deeply exploring the terroir to discover the variables that affect vine growth, grape ripening, plant health and longevity. They use compost and seaweed as fertilizer, which helps nourish the vines and build soils. Their vineyards are where chickens and ducks roam, providing fresh eggs, insect control and daily wake up calls.

Doesn’t that make you want to try their wines? Plus, their wine tastes great.

GARNET VALLEY RANCH:

Hidden on the back roads of Summerland, BC, this rare place was discovered in 2012 in a lucky twist of fate and a chance visit with endless possibilities in sight. Today, GARNET VALLEY RANCH is a certified organic site, home to vineyards, field crops, a lavender farm, a bustling beehive, a small winery and The Outlook visitor center.

The ranch is a rare, unspoiled site that has been carefully and thoughtfully designed to integrate with the wild natural landscape that envelops it. The ranch is located in Summerland, BC, on a 320-acre (130 ha) site that was purchased by Okanagan Crush Pad Winery at the urging of Chilean terroir consultant Pedro Parra.

To date, a handful of low intervention organic wines under the Free Form label have been released with the first three limited-edition GARNET VALLEY RANCH wines released in summer 2023. The property is open by appointment only.

SPEARHEAD WINERY:

SPEARHEAD is located on the bench lands of South East Kelowna. Their focus is on premium quality wine which is produced from grapes grown on their estate vineyard and from selected Okanagan Valley vineyards. The hand harvested grapes are sorted at the winery and fermented in small lots.

Of Note: these wines display the unique attributes of the Okanagan vineyards that they were sourced from. They also produce blended Pinot Noirs which combine the characteristics of different vineyards, including their benchmark Cuvee. They’ve extended this exclusive approach to winemaking to other varietals including Chardonnay which is made from a single clone.

If I had to choose only one favourite white it would be Chardonnay and if I had to choose only one favourite red it would be Pinot Noir. Why do I have to be so difficult?

Winery Links Below: