Spotlight: Bordertown Winery
Down in the southern Okanagan Valley there’s a town on the border, and in that town there’s a winery. Bordertown Winery is run by the Gill family, multigenerational farmers who previously grew grapes for other wineries. Mohan Gill made his dream a reality and opened Bordertown in 2015, producing wines from their own estate.
Today they have 100 acres of vines, divided between their Osoyoos estate and some North Okanagan sites. Their reputation is built on red Bordeaux varietals, in particular their flagship Cabernet Franc. Every year they have to expand their medal cabinet to accommodate all the new accolades - awards of every colour from National and International competitions.
Beyond Cab Franc and companions, they have much more to offer. Their portfolio covers a wide range of reds and whites of French origin. Cab Franc also makes up their delicious rosé, and they produce apple cider as well. The one exception to the French lineup is the Grüner Veltliner, an ‘Easter Egg’ in the Okanagan that’s not to be missed.
I’m featuring four wines here - 2 red, 2 white - to showcase the ‘B side’ of Bordertown’s wines. These were provided on request but this post was not sponsored.
2023 Pinot Gris
A combination of fruit from Osoyoos and West Kelowna makes up the composition of this steely Pinot Gris. There’s a touch of umber to the otherwise pale lemon colour. Fairly neutral and therefore inoffensive, giving lots of citrus on the nose and a grippy petrichor, all of which are present on the palate. The body and texture are round and respectable, although this feels like the base of a good blend that’s missing the highlights. It will surely please many as an easy-drinking, dry and zippy fairweather vin de table.
2023 Viognier
WineAlign awarded this one a Bronze medal this year, and the All Canadian Wine Championships gave it a Gold. Low-yielding vines make for superb concentration in this stainless steel-fermented Viognier, with no lees or malolactic influence. There’s a lot of varietal character expressed in this wine, with beautiful floral and ripe fruit aromatics - honeysuckle, pear drop, meyer lemon, kiwi, and starfruit. Well-timed harvesting and neutral fermentation vessels have retained bright acidity and precluded any oily or flat qualities. A dry and fruity wine with a long and pleasant finish that wins on approachability and character.
2018 Syrah
100% South Okanagan Syrah, fermented and matured in American oak for 12-18 months. They must have used very protective winemaking and minimized oxidation because this still has the youthful deep purple colour and fresh, lively aromas of a young Syrah. The dark fruit character is pronounced and most prominent - blackberry, black plum, and blueberry. These are complemented by notes of vanilla, cocoa, black pepper, game, smoke, and a bit of earthiness. It’s these last 3 that hint at the development that’s occurred so far. The palate points at what’s yet to come, with vibrant acidity and tannins enveloped in juicy ripe fruit and a full, sanguine body that’s all finely balanced. Freshness and character abound. All the prerequisites are there for aging at least to the next decade.
2019 Merlot
Awards for this Merlot include Gold from WineAlign and Bronzes from the All Canadian Wine Championships and the LA International Wine Competition. Some aeration will help wake up this somewhat sleepy, deep ruby Merlot. Perhaps the cooler vintage is responsible for the quietness. Aromas of stewed plum, black currant, black cherry, prune, vanilla, and chocolate biscotti indicate a developing wine nonetheless. The palate is relatively rich, fat, and plush with ample acidity, ripe tannins, (bonus points for texture) and a respectable finish. Smartly priced at $24 for a well made, entry level BC Merlot.
I enjoyed tasting these wines, and did so blind so I didn’t know who from each pair of white or red I had in the glass. The fact I could easily identify which was which is not a brag - it tells you that these are well made wines that reflect the grapes’ character and intended expression. There are no walls or grumpy guards between you and these bottles. Come visit them in Osoyoos - if you cross the border, you’ve gone too far.
This Blog Post was written by our contributor: Matt Tinney with MT Wine Consulting (@mtwineconsulting).