Canadian Winery Spotlight: JoieFarm

For over ten years now, British Columbia’s JoieFarm winery has been producing wines that can be considered ‘the Okanagan in a glass.’ Though that sounds cliché, from where I’m swirling my glass – I consider it to be true. First, the wines always carry the region’s hallmark acidity, keeping things well-balanced and refreshing. Second, they’re quite expressive of the Okanagan’s mineral-rich soils, the remnants of glacial movement thousands of years ago. Finally, those long, sunny days are reflected in the ripeness and purity of fruit no matter the label. Vintage 2015 was a good one here in B.C., long and sunny, allowing for fruit to properly ripen without the threat of winter frost coming early. There were fires in the area at times during the summer, but vineyards and grapes were fortunately unscathed.

A good handful of new releases are now available right here at My Wine Canada, let’s take a look at a few:

JoieFarm 2015 ‘Think Pink’ Rosé has aromatics of wild strawberry, cherries and a hint of sage. On the palate, those elements are echoed along with a rush of nectarines, peaches and red currants and a tiny hint of sweetness on the finish. Generous acidity keeps all of that fruit buoyant and bright. Perfect for food that may harbour a little heat or spice, Thai curries and the like.

JoieFarm 2015 Un-Oaked Chardonnay offers a nod to the crisp, lively wines of Chablis. Tropical fruit on the nose continues onto the palate with plenty of mineral-driven citrus and maybe a Granny Smith apple or two towards the end. Perfect with summery salads, seafood, or simply on its own.

JoieFarm 2015 ‘A Noble Blend’ is a tribute to the pristine wines of Alsace, in this case a blend of Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc and Schoenberger. A boatload of fruit is jam-packed into the bottle, lychees, Honeycrisp apple, lemons, peaches and pears with a pinch of ginger on the finish. A perennial charmer.

Have you had the chance to join My Wine Canada’s wine club yet? If you hop to it, you’ll be doing so just in time to receive a fun selection of JoieFarm wines as your first delivery. All the details are right here!

Buy JoieFarm's new releases by clicking on each bottle below!

Kurtis Kolt is a Vancouver-based wine consultant, writer, competition judge and enthusiast. Track him down at KurtisKolt.com, or on Twitter and Instagram @KurtisKolt.