Canadian Riesling: British Columbia’s best buys
Michaela Morris tasted through 138 Canadian Rieslings for Decanter, and from more than 60 British Columbia entries she has selected her top 14.
COMING SOON: the top Rieslings from Eastern Canada
See all the highest-scoring Canadian Rieslings
Riesling is grown in all four key wine-producing provinces of Canada: from British Columbia in the west, to Ontario, Québec and Nova Scotia in the east.
Its winter-hearty properties and accomplishment in other cool regions made it a natural choice among intrepid souls who started experimenting with vinifera varieties in here in the 1970s.
Scroll down for Michaela Morris’ top British Columbia Rieslings
Stretching north from the US border to the 50th parallel, the Okanagan Valley is British Columbia’s principal growing region. While a string of lakes moderates the climate, the growing season is compressed and extreme. Arid, hot summers can reach a scorching 40°C in the day with nights cooling off considerably.
Penetratingly intense flavours – and acidity – defines British Columbia Riesling. Overall, the wines are drier than their Ontario counterparts and several top examples were exhilaratingly dry.
Regional and stylistic differences aside, I also noted that a number of my top picks – from both British Columbia and Eastern Canada – hailed from vines over 25 years of age. They stood out for their depth of flavour and breadth of nuances.
At Tantalus in Kelowna, at the top of the Okanagan Valley, winemaker David Paterson finds that older vines give more weight and dry extract than the younger ones, helping to craft wines with ‘true texture, balance and longevity’. As Canada’s vineyards continue to mature, this bodes well for its Rieslings.
British Columbia Riesling: Michaela Morris’ top wines to buy
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Martin's Lane, Fritzi's Vineyard Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2016
Martin’s Lane’s small-lot Rieslings from three diverse estate vineyards are well-defined, distinct and solid across the board, but my nod goes to Fritzi’s. The southeast-facing...
2016
Martin's LaneOkanagan Valley
Synchromesh, Storm Haven Dry Riesling, British Columbia, Canada, 2019
Synchromesh hangs its hat solidly on Riesling and the producer is among BC’s finest. After experimenting with dry styles for 10 years, owner and winemaker...
2019
Synchromesh
CedarCreek, Platinum Block 3 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2019
Planted in 1991 with an unidentified Riesling clone on its own roots, CedarCreek’s Block 3 sees a slow 100-day fermentation with 25% going into neutral...
2019
CedarCreekOkanagan Valley
Kitsch, Esther’s Block Riesling, British Columbia, Canada, 2018
After selling their successful men's underwear company, Trent and Ria Kitsch planted more than 5ha in northeast Kelowna, including two Riesling parcels. The cooler Maria’s...
2018
Kitsch
Phantom Creek, Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2018
Master of Wine Olivier Humbrecht, of Alsace’s illustrious Domaine Humbrecht, oversees the whites at this ambitious new winery. As with Humbrecht’s own wines, the Riesling...
2018
Phantom CreekOkanagan Valley
Harper’s Trail, Pioneer Block, Thadd Springs Vineyard Riesling, Thompson Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2018
Northwest of the Okanagan Valley, the cool, semi-arid Thompson Valley was officially recognised as a Geographical Indication (or appellation) in 2018, bringing BC’s total to...
2018
Harper’s TrailThompson Valley
O'Rourke's Peak Cellars, Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2019
Okanagan’s cool Lake Country district stretches north to the 50th parallel. Here, construction mogul Dennis O'Rourke has planted more than 44ha and hired two of...
2019
O'Rourke's Peak CellarsOkanagan Valley
Sperling, Old Vines Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2016
Canada’s leading authority on organic and biodynamic viticulture, Ann Sperling partnered with her sister and their spouses to establish an estate winery with their historic...
2016
SperlingOkanagan Valley
Tantalus, Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2019
<p>While Tantalus’ Old Vines is a magnet for accolades (<a href="https://www.decanter.com/wine-reviews/canada/british-columbia/tantalus-old-vines-riesling-okanagan-valley-2017-44442"><strong>the 2017 was one of my wines of 2020</strong></a>), the estate’s regular Riesling is hardly...
2019
TantalusOkanagan Valley
Tightrope Winery, Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2018
Converted from an apple orchard in 2007, Tightrope’s estate vineyard is located on the clay cliffs of the Naramata Bench flanking the eastern side of...
2018
Tightrope WineryOkanagan Valley
Culmina, Decora Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2018
Decora is a trim, vertical Riesling exhibiting structure over fruit. Currently austere, it eventually gives up white grapefruit, green apple and flint. A touch of...
2018
CulminaOkanagan Valley
Moraine, Reserve Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2018
This 2018 Reserve includes 15% to 20% of botrytis-affected grapes – rare in the Okanagan’s dry conditions. Winemaker Dwight Sick incorporates overnight skin contact, spontaneous...
2018
MoraineOkanagan Valley
SpearHead, Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2019
Best known for consistently delicious Pinot Noir, Spearhead has upped its game by bringing on lauded winemaker Grant Stanley. For the Riesling, he combines estate...
2019
SpearHeadOkanagan Valley
Upper Bench, Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, 2019
Upper Bench isn’t just a winery, it’s also a creamery. British ex-pat Gavin Miller crafts the wine while his Nova Scotian-born wife Shana makes the...
2019
Upper BenchOkanagan Valley
