Sub-GIs are on a roll…. Good news! Victoria has approved six new sub-Geographical Indications (sub-GIs) for the Okanagan. The BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food has today confirmed the following:

Summerland Valleys

Summerland Lakefront

Summerland Bench

East Kelowna Slopes

South Kelowna Slopes

Lake Country

“The approval of these new sub-GIs represents official recognition of areas that stand out as having consistently unique terroir and we are thrilled to welcome six new distinct growing areas within the Okanagan Valley,” says Miles Prodan, President & CEO of Wine Growers British Columbia.

“When a bottle of BC VQA wine is purchased, the consumer knows they are guaranteed assurance of quality and that it is 100% BC. The introduction of sub-regions of notable sense of place is the natural next step in the evolution of our wine industry,” Prodan adds.

Sub-GIs: An ongoing process

Contents hide
1 Sub-GIs: An ongoing process
2 Next Up?
3 From the release:

This marks another important milestone in dividing BC into more terroir specific regions, with more emphasis on place and origin. The Summerland sub-GI’s represent the most detailed breakdown of a smaller area to date. This may set a precedent going forward. (For a through explanation of Summerland check out Jess Hopwood’s notes at Farm to Glass Wine Tours.)

It’s also likely to spur more specific Sub-GIs from larger regions such as Similkameen and the South Okanagan. Equally significant is the approval of the two contrasting Kelowna sub-GIs. East Kelowna Slopes includes wineries such as Spearhead and Tantalus, while south Kelowna Slopes incorporates CedarCreek, St. Hubertus and Summerhill Winery.

View from Arrowleaf in Lake Country, one of the new Sub-GIs

Arrowleaf terrace and view, in Lake Country

Also welcome is the long awaited confirmation of Lake Country, which includes wineries such as Arrowleaf, Intrigue, Peak Cellars and O’Rourke Family Vineyards.

The process of identifying sub-GIs began to take shape over a decade ago.   The very first to be approved, in 2015, was Golden Mile Bench. The distinct area around Oliver is defined by its benches of alluvial deposits.

Next Up?

Stay tuned for the next approval, which could well be Black Sage Bench. Its application (prepared by Sandra Oldfield, Elysian Projects) was submitted on June 16, 2022. The 3,650 ha. area is defined in the application as incorporating  “… all the benchlands (glaciofluvial and fluvial terraces) east of the Okanagan River between Gallagher Lake in the north and Osoyoos Lake in the south. On these benchlands lie the largest concentration of commercial vineyards in the province.”

If that sounds like a big chunk of real estate, it is. My guess is that its approval would be just the beginning of a process to identify several more specific parcels within the area.

 

From the release:

Currently British Columbia now features 21 Geographical Indications (10 GIs; 12 sub-GIs):

British Columbia

Vancouver Island (1 sub-GI)

  • Cowichan Valley

Gulf Islands

Fraser Valley

Lillooet

Thompson Valley

Shuswap 

Okanagan Valley (11 sub-GIs)

  • Lake Country
  • East Kelowna Slopes
  • South Kelowna Slopes
  • Summerland Valleys
  • Summerland Lakefront
  • Summerland Bench
  • Naramata Bench 
  • Skaha Bench
  • Okanagan Falls
  • Golden Mile Slopes
  • Golden Mile Bench

Similkameen Valley

Kootenays