Red Wine from BC – Under $20

Dec 17, 2010
Christine Moore

BC Red Wine - Christine Moore

This article suggests great wine from five renowned wineries in the Okanagan region. Buy for Christmas festivities or give away as gifts.

Wine is becoming one of the more preferred drink choices over the holidays and all throughout the year, for that matter. Although everyone has their own taste and preference, the party host always hopes to choose wine that will be enjoyable for most drinkers. BC wineries are becoming distinguished for quality wine in all varietals.

It's so convenient to go to the wine shop and have a list of good, reasonably priced, red and white wine choices in your hand to ease with the selection process. The following article suggests five red wines from award winning wineries in the Okanagan to add to your holiday festivities or give away for the wine lover on your list.

Red Wine from Okanagan Wineries

Mission Hill, Cabernet Merlot, 2008 from the Five Vineyard Series--$16.99. Mission Hill is one of the larger wineries in the Okanagan hosting a spectacular building on top of the hill with a tower overlooking the lake and surrounding areas. Their award winning wines are among a great selection provided by this long standing winery. The tasting notes for this particular wine are: Opens with big plum, blackberry and dark cherry aromas, laced with the classic dried herb note of the southern Okanagan. The palate has a gush of dark fruit and juicy acidity, along with subtle flavours of spice, vanilla and cedar ( Mission Hill Website)

Herder Meritage, 2008, $20. Just at the price range, this blended red is an amazing wine. Herder winery is situated against a rock cliff near Keremeos in the Similkameen Valley, approximately 30 kilometres from Oliver. The tasting notes found on their website for this particular wine are: Attractive open, fresh, floral nose with plums, green olives and spicy savoury notes. Similar fresh notes on the palate with cran-cherry fruit and deftly handled tannins--The Vancouver Sun

Tin Horn Creek, Merlot, $17.99. Tin Horn Creek Winery is located just south of Oliver, BC in the Okanagan region. It has existed since 1993 and since then has won numerous medals from competitions around the world. The wine notes for their Merlot are: Bouquet: Coffee, mocha, vanilla, cherry, raspberry, strawberry, violets and cloves. Palate: Medium bodied leading in with earthy, mineral notes followed by black cherry, sweet oak, mocha, vanilla ending to a toasty finish.

Therapy, Freud's Ego, $15.99. Therapy is a winery situated in the beautiful Naramata Bench Row, near Penticton. The winery overlooks the Okanagan Lake and is nestled among a number of great wineries worthy of visits. This particular wine is a blended red wine consisting of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot, with the following tasting notes: Merlot has made a name for itself in the South Okanagan. Our 2008 Merlot has aromas of black cherry and red berries with notes of vanilla and pepper. The vintage is beautifully balanced and smooth with black cherry, floral, red berry flavours with hints of forest floor and vanilla on the finish.

Blasted Church, Big Bang, $18.99. Blasted Church, with their fun labels, website and overall vision, is located in Okanagan Falls, BC. This winery is quickly becoming a well known favourite among wine lovers.The following are the tasting notes from their website: Bouquet: Black currants, raspberries, licorice, vanilla. Palate: Rich and full bodied with ripe berry fruited oak driven complexity

This is just a handful of suggestions of great red wine from the Okanagan region of British Columbia. More importantly to note, is the wineries themselves, each boasting amazing wine to purchase and enjoy.