It’s hard to imagine that in other parts of Canada, winter is setting in and the snow is flying. But here in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley – they’re picking grapes.
Canada’s wine making frontier is at the 50th parallel and if that doesn’t make you blink, then making wine out of one of the world’s most notorious grapes should. The Thirsty Traveler’s mission is to explore the love affair with what wine makers call - the ‘Heart Break Grape’.
In the summer, this part of the country absolutely bakes. Temperatures soar to 45 degrees Celsius - about 110 Fahrenheit. By harvest time though – the days are warm but the nights are very cool. And this is where the Thirsty Traveler embarks on his possibly heart breaking adventure - in the northern tip of a desert that starts in the American southwest and stretches up into the province of British Columbia like a long finger.
Growing grapes in this neck of the woods hasn’t been easy. They’ve gone from that ‘The Baby Duck’ era (the 70s) where the vines weren’t great to what is now a very sophisticated product.
So where does the nickname “the Heart Break Grape” come from? Does it deserve that epithet? It is the one grape that wine makers love to hate because the grape is very fickle on the vine, and in the winery.
In fact, from year to year the Pinot Noir will show the same color of grape on the vine, the same sugar levels – the same everything but it won’t taste the same. Consistency is a nightmare! In short – when this wine is good – it’s very, very good. And – well you know the rest!
Pinot Noir is a burgundy. It actually comes from the famous Burgundy region in France where it has a long and illustrious family history. And it seems to putting down roots here in Canada very nicely after just two decades!
Has changing countries has changed the heart of the Pinot Noir vine at all – is it still fickle? It is so fickle that the grapes will mutate on the vine right before your eyes. From Pinot Noir, to Pinot Gris, to Pinot Blanc. Imagine?
The Thirsty Traveler discovers that the lake has a huge effect on the climate and helps extend the growing season. The pinot grape itself happens to like cold weather and Canada has plenty of that but the lake tempers the climate making it possible to grow grapes so far north. The Valley has several micro climates and the Pinot Noir grape prefers the north end of the valley to the south – it’s cooler. So, here’s a toast to North of the 50th parallel and the fabulous Okanagan Valley.
And what’s our Thirsty Traveler’s verdict? When Pinot Noir decides to be good – it is very, very good. So Cheers to the Heart Break Grape. Only in Canada eh!
