As the last few years have proved beyond any measure of doubt, the only certainty is uncertainty. But wine country is resilient. Everyone in the business of growing, making, selling and serving wine is supportive, adaptive and dedicated to making sure you have wine in your glass. And here at Vitis, we love telling their stories.

In this issue, Tim Pawsey checks in with a crop of small, new B.C. wineries whose owners are chasing big dreams. Rhys Pender MW looks into the clever techniques wineries are using to combat the effects of smoke in wine. In Pipette, DJ Kearney investigates the future of oak. And Daenna Van Mulligen asks Vancouver somms for tips on getting out of a wine rut.

If you turn to the same wines over and over again, it’s time to try something new. How about a Cowichan Valley Chardonnay? It’s suddenly become the Island’s most exciting new grape. Or maybe you should head to the Alps for some Chasselas from the steep, picturesque terraces of Switzerland’s UNESCO-registered Lavaux region.

As we head into fall and autumn, we hope you fill your glass with something delicious and raise it to the people who helped put it there. Then join us in these pages for their stories, as well as winery listings, wine news, and so much more. We’re so very glad to have you along.

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Spring is the season of renewal and, this year more than most, a season of hope. And we sure need it—2021 was a challenging year by any measure, with its heat domes and atmospheric rivers, its wildfires and floods, and, of course, the second year of a global pandemic that has affected every aspect of our lives. Thank goodness there has been wine.

In this issue of Vitis, we’re thrilled to get back into wine country, and to bring you along for the journey.

Daenna Van Mulligen introduces us to the international rock star winemakers who are discovering the infinite potential of the South Okanagan at Phantom Creek Estates. Rhys Pender MW turns the tap on irrigation and explains why we (and everyone who loves wine) should care. We travel back to one of our favourite wine regions and sample the powerhouse wines of Napa Valley. Christine Campbell traces the Pinot family tree. And our Pipette columnist DJ Kearney dishes on what’s happening in the wider world of wine.

Where there is great wine, there is also good food. Tim Pawsey talks to the experts to learn the new rules of pairing Asian flavours with wine. And we visit Backyard Farm, where chef Chris Van Hooydonk is cultivating a whole new approach to farm-to-table cuisine. 

Plus we have winery listings, wine news, and so much more. 

This issue includes the cost of shipping. 

Fall is the time to get serious, to sharpen our pencils, learn something new, and exchange frivolous patio sippers for dark, complex, thoughtful wines. It also seems like a good time to launch a new column, especially when it’s written by one of B.C.’s most knowledgeable, engaging and highly respected wine educators, DJ Kearney. DJ is an engaging writer, judge and sommelier, and she brings us insider international news and trends in her column, Pipette. We’re thrilled to dip into the wide world of wine with her.

Also in this issue: Rhys Pender MW explains why we should all be drinking more zesty, savoury orange wine. (Just leave some for us, OK?) Cinda Chavich, who wrote The Waste Not, Want Not Cookbook, samples piquette, the sustainable old-school thirst-quencher that’s all the rage right now. Tim Pawsey pays homage to wine country pioneers George and Trudy Heiss, founders of Gray Monk Estate Winery. Charlene Rooke looks into the future and sees wine tastings moving on-screen. Christine Campbell demystifies hybrids and crosses. And we talk to the pros about mushrooms, wild and cultivated, and explain how to cook them and pair them with wine.

Now, between heat domes, wildfires and variants of concern, this wasn’t quite the carefree post-pandemic summer we were hoping for. That’s why we’re delighted to share with you Daenna van Mulligen’s piece on the very good dogs of B.C.’s wineries. It’s sure to bring a smile to your face, just when we need it most.

Plus we have winery listings, wine news, and so much more.

This issue includes the cost of shipping. 

In this issue, we have plenty of news about what’s happening in B.C. wine country. Tim Pawsey looks at how B.C.’s wineries are surviving COVID-19, and then takes us behind the scenes at the opulent, game-changing Phantom Creek Winery in the South Okanagan. Rhys Pender explains why less is more when it comes to using oak on our fresh, fragrant grapes. Daenna van Mulligen samples a rainbow of rosés. Charlene Rooke discovers new winemaking technology. And we flip through the pages of Jennifer Schell’s new cookbook, which is filled with family recipes from our favourite winemakers.

This issue includes the cost of shipping. 

In this issue, writer Daenna Van Mulligen indulges in pretzels and Riesling in fairytale Alsace. Closer to home, we explore the Fraser Valley’s growing wine scene, while Barb Wild advises on wines to bring to the great outdoors, Cinda Chavich suggests cheeses for your picnic basket and Laura Starr explains what “garagiste” wines are and why you should care.

On the serious side, we look at how wildfires are affecting wine country, while Tim Pawsey demystifies what’s going on with B.C.’s new sub-appellations.

In our inaugural issue, we cover the stories everyone is talking about in the world of B.C. wine.

Writer Tim Pawsey catches up with B.C. wine legend Harry McWatters and his new urban winery. Master of Wine Rhys Pender describes how the Similkameen Valley, where his own winery is located, is catching up to the future.

Charlene Rooke samples the controversy over natural wines, while Daenna Van Mulligen looks into what makes a winning wine list, and Treve Ring discovers some unusual global grapes growing in our backyard.

Plus we have lots more delicious tidbits for you to sample!

In this issue, we take a look at some of the province’s standout winery architecture, starting with the stunning new Tom Kundig-designed Martin’s Lane Winery.

We follow writer Cinda Chavich along the winding roads to Vancouver Island’s charming wineries, join Daenna Van Mulligen in a taste of Valpolicella’s big reds and bring our appetite on a tour of Kelowna’s newest restaurants.

Plus: Treve Ring gives us a sneak peek of what it’s like to judge Canada’s biggest wine competition, while Charlene Rooke explains why you really should join a wine club and Tim Pawsey explores the heights of B.C.’s loftiest vineyards.

Welcome to the Fall/Winter 2023 issue of Vitis, the magazine of British Columbia’s wine culture. Since we launched Vitis in the spring of 2018—has it really been more than five years?—we’ve been champions of our local wines and the people who make them. And while that will never change, we also recognize that British Columbia […]

Welcome to the Fall/Winter 2022 issue of Vitis, the magazine of British Columbia’s wine culture. As the last few years have proved beyond any measure of doubt, the only certainty is uncertainty. But wine country is resilient. Everyone in the business of growing, making, selling and serving wine is supportive, adaptive and dedicated to making […]

Welcome to the Spring/Summer 2022 issue of Vitis, the magazine of British Columbia’s wine culture. Spring is the season of renewal and, this year more than most, a season of hope. And we sure need it—2021 was a challenging year by any measure, with its heat domes and atmospheric rivers, its wildfires and floods, and, […]