In 1986, businessman Ross Fitzpatrick purchased a struggling winery overlooking Lake Okanagan; he named his new winery CedarCreek. Ross Fitzpatrick was born and raised in the Okanagan and he believed in its potential as a wine region.
For ten years Ross ran CedarCreek remotely, while he and his son Gordon operated a mining company in Vancouver. In 1996, after their mining company merged with another, Gordon turned to focus on the winery.
Gordon’s work at CedarCreek resulted in its complete overhaul. The winery’s focus switched from inexpensive table wines, to premium wines that would put CedarCreek on the map.
Gordon’s presence at CedarCreek also allowed Ross to focus on a new-found political career. In 1998, Ross became Senator Fitzpatrick. He was appointed to the Canadian senate, representing the senatorial district of the Okanagan-Similkameen.
Over the next decade CedarCreek flourished, gaining various accolades including being awarded Canada’s Winery of the Year, not just once, but twice.
In 2014 it was announced that CedarCreek was purchased by von Mandl Family Estates; a holding company belonging to Anthony von Mandl, owner of Mission Hill Winery.
CedarCreek’s Greata Ranch vineyard was excluded from the von Mandl acquisition. The Fitzpatrick family has since established Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards at Greata Ranch. Their aim is to create terroir-driven still wines, and grower-style, traditional method sparkling wines.
CedarCreek continues to operate independently with its own identity and retaining its own staff, including Winemaker Taylor Whelan who joined CedarCreek in 2012. Since the acquisition, CedarCreek’s Home Block vineyard has become certified organic. They have also opened a beautiful new tasting room and the critically acclaimed Home Block restaurant.
Although I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting Home Block restaurant, I was able to acquire this wonderful wine and soup pairing from them. When was the last time you enjoyed a delicious, steaming bowl of French Onion Soup?
2017 CedarCreek Meritage $24.99
The 2017 CedarCreek Meritage is a blend of 42% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec and 13% Cabernet Franc. It was fermented for 30 days in stainless steel and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels.
Although ready to drink as soon as you open the bottle, I wrote my tasting notes after the wine had been in the decanter for four hours. There is a fairly pronounced nose of blackcurrant, blackberry, black plum, forest floor, liquorice, white pepper and vanilla. This wine is dry with a medium+ body, medium+ acidity and medium tannins. The palate offers blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry, herbaceousness and savory, white pepper with a medium finish.
The CedarCreek Meritage is a wonderful accompaniment for this French Onion Soup recipe from Chef Neil Taylor, at Home Block restaurant.
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
4 red onions-peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves-peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
2 springs of rosemary
2 springs of thyme
½ bottle CedarCreek Estate Meritage
4 tbsp all purpose flour
2 liters beef stock (the best you’ve ever made, or the best you can buy. Try your local butchers shop for real, house-made stock.)
200g raclette cheese (or any other strong cheese, such as gruyère or comté)
1 baguette, sliced into 10-12, 2cm slices
Directions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
- Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are almost dry, about 5 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaves, rosemary and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium-low so the flour doesn’t burn. Stir quite frequently and cook for 10 minutes or until flour has cooked out and there is no raw flour taste.
- Now add the beef stock, bring the soup back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer and cook for a further 15-20 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Preheat your broiler to high and put the baguette slices onto a sheet tray. Cover each slice with the grated raclette and put under the broiler until the cheese has melted and become golden brown.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and put 1 or 2 of the raclette croutons on top and serve. Enjoy with a glass of CedarCreek Meritage.
CedarCreek is currently offering complimentary shipping on orders of two bottles or more. Home Block restaurant is open daily with a reservation.
CedarCreek Estate Winery
5445 Lakeshore Road
Kelowna, BC V1W 4S5
References
Schreiner, J. (January 24, 2014) Anthony von Mandl Purchases CedarCreek Winery. Retrieved from: http://johnschreiner.blogspot.com/2014/01/anthony-von-mandl-purchases-cedarcreek.html
“Ross Fitzpatrick.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, January 6, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Fitzpatrick