What's Changing in the Vineyard Pt.1: New Grape Varieties

The history of winegrowing on the Black Sage Bench helps to explain the grape varieties that are planted today. The paradigm shift to Bordeaux red varieties in the early 1990s dramatically increased the acreage of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc over the next decade. By the early 2000s, Merlot was the most widely planted grape variety in the Okanagan – and it still is today.

Merlot’s dominance makes sense in the context of that era. The question remained whether Bordeaux reds could reliably ripen every year. So, the focus was not just on maximizing fruit ripeness in the vineyard but also planting earlier ripening Bordeaux varieties like Merlot.

Now, over 30 years later, we are re-evaluating the grape varieties that we think are ideally suited to the Black Sage Bench. We know that changing climatic conditions in the South Okanagan mean we need to adapt and evolve our winegrowing practices. Planting the right grape varieties is both the easiest – and most challenging – solution.

Grape varieties that are well-suited to their climate require less intervention both in the vineyard and cellar. Our aim is for the fruit to be naturally balanced coming into the winery. Replanting comes with a big cost, though. It takes three years before new plants yield their first small crop. It’s a decision that you only make after much consideration. You also have to look at both the present and future – what will thrive today as well as 30 years from now. 

In the Okanagan, our growing seasons are getting warmer, with more frequent extreme heat events. The advantage of Merlot in the past has now become one of its challenges. In warm vintages, it quickly accumulates sugar while also struggling to retain acidity. This can translate to wines with high potential alcohol levels that lack freshness and don’t have the longevity that we expect for our wines.

Nota Bene will continue to be centred around the three principal Bordeaux red varieties. However, in the vineyard, we are shifting towards a greater emphasis on Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. We now have the heat units to reliably ripen Cabernet Sauvignon, especially when combined with meticulous winegrowing practices. It’s slower to ripen and has excellent acidity, which means it thrives even in our warmest growing seasons.

Cabernet Franc falls somewhere in between. It’s been an important component of Nota Bene since the start, and we’re increasingly impressed by its versatility and adaptability. It adds beautiful aromatics to our blends, both in warm and moderate vintages, with a combination of lavender-like florals and peppery spice. It can also be the star of the show. Per Se has been built around Cabernet Franc since the inaugural vintage in 2013. Nota Bene has also been led by Cabernet Franc in recent vintages like 2020.

In addition, we are increasing our acreage of Syrah, Carménère, and Tempranillo. Syrah is one of the top performing grape varieties in the South Okanagan, but it has the most question marks, too. It is particularly cold sensitive, and was one of the hardest hit varieties over the past two winters. It’s been a core part of our portfolio since 2009 and we intend to keep it that way – it’s too good not to.

We’re prioritizing our warmest hillside blocks for Syrah moving forward. It not only thrives in the heat of summer, but needs protection from extreme cold temperatures in the winter. Our steepest vineyards maximize sun exposure while preventing cold air from pooling. It’s not risk-free, but our experience suggests it’s the most sustainable solution.

Since 2005, we’ve never been able to keep up with the demand for our Carménère. So, we’re excited to add to the 16 acres planted in British Columbia. Carménère is similar to Cabernet Sauvignon in many ways. It’s late ripening and does well in the heat – there’s a reason it’s the signature grape variety of Chile. Black Sage Bench Carménère maintains freshness and its trademark high aromatic intensity in our warm desert climate, ripening with moderate levels of potential alcohol. These characteristics make it well-suited to our current and changing climate.

We’ve been farming Tempranillo since the 2015 vintage. And, each year, we are more convinced of its potential in the Okanagan Valley. We’re a long way from its ancestral home in Spain, where it is the most widely planted grape variety. There are only 21 acres of Tempranillo throughout British Columbia, accounting for just 0.17% of all vineyard plantings.

It may be rare here, but it’s far from a novelty. Tempranillo has proven to be well-suited to the South Okanagan thanks to climatic similarities to benchmark regions like Ribera del Duero. It thrives in our dry, desert-like growing conditions, with an ability to retain freshness even in the warmest vintages. Its climate resistance is just one reason why it is a crucial part of our vineyard redevelopment plan.

In the next blog post, we’ll discuss what else is changing in the vineyard as we adapt our viticultural practices to climate change.

Ross Wise MW, General Manager & Director of Winemaking