Looking For BC’s Best Rosés? Good Wine Gal Has You Covered

With 300 wineries in the province and many now producing Rosé, there is a lot of choice. From Vancouver Island to the Kootenays, the grapes and styles vary wildly. From established producers like Quails Gate Estate Winery to newish kids on the block like Daniel Bontorin’s Bottega Wine Studio in the Similkameen Valley, the offerings and styles might leave you wondering how to find the perfect sip.  It’s a tough job to pick BC’s Best Rosés!

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According to Julian Park of BC Wine Trends, there are 21 BC Rosés wine lovers can look to for summer patio pleasure and pairing perfection. I’ve met Julian, and I’ll take his advice any day. However, I am looking for a wine that’s more like a lover, one that I visit often, one that I want to keep secret, one that satisfies my cravings. For wine lovers like me, I’m searching for a dry style with aromas of soft red berries, pink watermelon, and yellow citrus on a ribbon of silk that coats my palate with subtle flavours that finish fresh. Here are five styles of BC Rose that I’ll put on my lips. These are mouth-filling and thirst-quenching, allowing senses of sight, smell and taste to elevate my spirit and my afternoon, possibly the whole summer and, if the weather persists, all year long.

What to look for in a rose? Considering Provencal Rosé is the crowned Queen, the BC wine list shrinks to only these elegant styles that cost more than $20, which, for some, is sacrilege. It’s the opposite of the “Barbie” pink that popped last summer. No, this is soft and sheer, with delicate and inviting flavours. If you find a keeper, stock up and enjoy the rest of your summer, sipping discreetly while wearing a Sharon Stone birthday suit and painting on canvas. No one is looking, and life in the wild is exciting and delicious. Why not indulge and try some of BC’s Best Rosés?

Here are Good Wine Gal’s Picks for BC’s Best Rosés!

Culmina Family Estate Winery – Saignee Rosé 2023
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc (Bordeaux Grapes)
Certified Organic vineyards Arise and Stan’s Bench on the Golden Mile
Red currant, watermelon and nectarine, rich and delicate with a finessed finish. Dry, bright and fresh.
Glass closure
14% abv
$30
Cs
Winemaker: Jean-Marc Enixon

Bottega Wine Studio – Seven Directions 2022 Fruitvale Ridge Vineyard
100% Cab Franc from 15 year old vines.
Complexity at its finest of red berries, cherries to white pepper and a saline mineral finish. Dry, crisp and fresh.
Stelvin closure
13.5% abv
$26
344 cs
Winemaker: Daniel Bontorrin

Quails Gate Estate Winery – Lucy’s Block 2023 Founder Series
Pinot Noir with 15% Pinot Meunier
Strawberries, wild raspberries, rich and creamy. Dry, fresh and silky.
Certified Sustainable Winegrowing
Every bottle is numbered
Stelvin closure
12.5%
$30
Limited Quantities
Winemaker: Rowan Stewart, Kailee Frasch

Hester Creek Estate Winery – 2023 Rose Noir (Double Gold All Canadian Wine Awards)
100% Pinot Noir (clone 777)
Sensory delight of aromas and flavours from Raspberry and Pink Grapefruit to Strawberries and Cream. Dry, fresh and juicy.
Stelvin closure
11.7% abv
$28
200 cs
Winemakers: Mark Hopley, Brooke Jesus

Laughing Stock Vineyards – 2023 Rose “In The Pink”
Gamay & Pinot Noir (15%)
Aromas of raspberries and mock orange with fresh red cherry and pink grapefruit flavours. Dry, light and juicy.
Cork Closure
13.2% abv
$25
350 cases
Winemakers: Sandy Leier, Kaitlyn Berendt

What would you add to our list of BC’s Best Rosés? Remember to check out more on wine at Good Wine Gal and listen to the podcast focusing on Women in Wine and Sustainability in Wine Making.