This year’s Judgment of BC left more than a few BC wineries smiling. In fact, it delivered one of the more even results for the home team in the four years since the tasting started. Most impressive, though, was BC’s showing in the red flight.
It’s important to note that the Judgment was never intended to be a ‘contest’. Although it appears competitive, the idea is more about gauging where BC stands in the overall scheme of things.
The idea for the Judgment of BC came from the 1976 “Judgment of Paris.” English wine authority Steven Spurrier wanted “to create a template for unknown wines to go up against a benchmark.” The 11-member panel was almost entirely French except for Spurrier. The two blind flights compared Californian Chardonnay with Burgundy, and California Cabernet with Bordeaux.
In each flight of 10 wines the panel picked a Californian wine as its top wine. Overall, the US Chardonnays had the better showing. But the red result was actually more favourable towards Bordeaux. Even more so considering there were only four French wines in each flight.
The French, of course, were horrified. So much so that the French press refused to even cover the tasting until several months later. But for the Californians the result proved pivotal. It conferred an air of quality and respect previously missing.
The Value of ‘Flying Blind’
Steven Spurrier with Tasting curator D.J. Kearney, in 2015
In 2015 the BC Wine Institute invited Steven Spurrier to visit the Okanagan. He hosted the inaugural Judgment of BC, which featured Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In 2016 the varieties were Riesling and Syrah. And in 2017 they were Pinot Gris and Merlot.
The ‘judgment’ style tasting was new to BC, even more so on this scale. The fact that it includes more than several palates from outside BC is important.
In BC’s early days the term ‘valley palate’—the danger of tasting only your own region’s wines—was often tossed around. Even then, however, a handful of winemakers often got together to taste international wines.
I’m hesitant to dwell on the days prior to the 1980s pull-out. But I’m sure that many people have no idea just how truly challenging those early days were. Even if there was grudging respect for a handful of BC whites, most knew the reds were best avoided. (Howard Soon’s Calona Chancellor was an exception.)
In 1994 Mission Hill Family Estate won the IWSC Avery Trophy for ‘Best Chardonnay in the World’. The 1992 Grand Reserve Barrel Select Chardonnay was Mission Hill’s first major international award. It was made by John Simes, who had arrived from New Zealand barely in time for harvest. The win represented a huge turning point for the neophyte BC vinifera industry. Even those who vigorously doubted BC would ever make ‘serious’ wine sat up and took notice.
A few years later, Quails Gate owner Ben Stewart took a leap of faith. At a Vancouver blind tasting, he poured his Chardonnay and Pinot beside international wines. It was a bold move. But the wines did show relatively well. And helped establish Quails Gate Family Reserve wines’ reputation.
Judgment of BC 2018
This year’s categories were: Sparkling, and Red Blends. The 12 sparkling wines were all Traditional Method. And the blends all contained Bordeaux varieties.
This was the largest panel to date, with 37 judges tasting. They included several from England and the U.S., as well as from across Canada. Introduced this year was a qualifying round. The entire BC industry was invited to submit wines. A selection committee blind tasted 99 BC wines put forward for consideration, to pick six for each flight under the direction of tasting curator, wine educator DJ Kearney. Kearney also chose the six benchmark international wines in each flight to ensure a sound balance of quality and origin.
Sparkling Wines
The sparkling flight was quite challenging, as I found the wines quickly warmed. I decided to taste all 12 promptly before they changed too much. For me, the winner, Roederer Anderson Valley NV Brut, popped out for its balance and texture. As did Blue Mountain Blanc de Blancs RD 2010 (4th), Noble Ridge The One 2012 (5th), and Sperling Brut Reserve 2011 (6). I thought that Tantalus Blanc de Noir 2010 would do better than its 8th place finish.
The final order showed a predilection for Champagne (places 2 and 3), with BC wines hot on its heels. In the end it, the Okanagan’s hallmark acidity no doubt contributed to the BC wines’ very respectable showing. It’s also worth noting that three of these wines (4, 5 & 8) come from the Okanagan Falls Sub Appellation.
The result reinforces the thinking that BC sparkling ‘méthode’ is a good fit. With more wineries making bubbles it’s a fast-growing category. And also priced affordably. This was a good cross section of wines, embracing Champagne, New World styles, an upper tier Cava and a Cape wine.
Red Blends
This turned out to be an impressive showing for BC, with five Okanagan wines finishing in the top eight spots, including three in the top five. In first place: Poplar Grove The Legacy 2014. In second place: Laughing Stock Portfolio 2105. And in 5th place, from Oliver’s West Side: Intersection Axiom 2014—at $39 the least expensive in the flight. Most of the BC wines entered were from the 2014 vintage, regarded as one of the best in many years. The Portfolio was from 2015, one of the warmest and earliest vintages on record. Napa wines placed 3 and 4, also from the same, unusually warm years.
The top two wines were both made on the Naramata Bench, although there is fruit from ‘down south’ involved. Poplar Grove sources the grapes for the Legacy from its Osoyoos Lake Bench estate vineyard. And some of the Laughing Stock Portfolio fruit comes from Perfect Hedge Vineyard in Osoyoos. It all makes for an interesting backdrop to the Naramata Bench Sub Appellation plebiscite. Those results are expected any day.
To sum up…
Curator and wine educator DJ Kearney briefs the judges, with Sid Cross and David Stansfield looking on
“The annual Judgment of BC allows us to gain insights and knowledge into how we compare internationally. Introspection is a critical part of ensuring we continue to make high-quality wines, and also allows us to collectively celebrate as an industry. We have so many reasons to be proud, and the future is very bright.” says DJ Kearney.
Kearney also suggests: “Competitions like this capture a moment in time. That is all. A big moment in time—but that’s the beauty of judging.”
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SPARKLING WINE RESULTS – Tabulated by the BC Wine Institue
1. Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut NV California | 12% | $46.99
2. Champagne Veuve Clicquot Brut NV France | 12% | $69.99 Champagne
3. Champagne Pierre Paillard Les Parcelles Bouzy Grand Cru Extra Brut XIII France |12.5% | $67.99 Champagne
4. Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars Blanc de Blancs R.D. 2010 Okanagan Valley, BC | 12.5% | $39.90
5. Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery The One 2012 Okanagan Valley | 12.0% | $47.90
6. Sperling Vineyards Brut Reserve 2011 Okanagan Valley, BC | 11.5% | $50
7. Graham Beck Brut Zero 2011 South Africa | 12% | $29.99
8. Tantalus Vineyards Blanc de Noir 2015 Okanagan Valley, BC | 12.0% | $30
9. Segura Viudas Heredad Brut Reserva Spain | 12% | $33.99
10. The View Winery Pearls Traditional Brut 2016 Okanagan Valley, BC | 11.8% | $30
11. Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards Fitz Brut 2015 Okanagan Valley, BC | 11.6% | $32.99
12. Mumm Napa Brut Prestige NV California | 13% | $25.99
RED BLEND RESULTS
1. Poplar Grove Winery The Legacy 2014 Okanagan Valley, BC | 14.0% | $52
2. Laughing Stock Vineyards Portfolio 2015 Okanagan Valley, BC | 14.9% | $50
3. Blackbird Arise 2015 Napa Valley, California | 14.5% | $86
4. Dominus Estate Napanook Napa Valley Red 2014 California | 14.5% | $125.99
5. Intersection Estate Winery Axiom 2014 Okanagan Valley, BC | 13.9% | $39
6. Chateau Poujeaux 2015 Moulis-en-Médoc, France | 14% | $65
7. CedarCreek Estate Winery The Last Word 2014 Okanagan Valley, BC | 14.6% | $84.99
8. Osoyoos Larose Estate Winery Le Grand Vin 2015 Okanagan Valley, BC | 14.0% | $45
9. DeLille Cellars D2 2013 Columbia Valley, Washington State | 14.3% | $85
10. Clos du Soleil Winery Signature 2014 Similkameen Valley, BC | 14.8% | $45
11. Chateau de La Dauphine 2015 Fronsac, France | 14.5% | $50
12. Chateau d’Armailhac Grand Cru Classé 5th Growth Pauillac, France 2015 | 13.5% | $90
A note on spelling. ‘Judgment’ was the spelling used for the Judgment of Paris, hence its use here.
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