Do you know that there is a winery in New Westminster? Before you ask where their vineyard is, they don’t have one; Pacific Breeze Winery is Canada’s first “garagiste” (garage) winery. Do not dismiss them though just because they don’t have a vineyard of their own, there are plenty of wineries in the Okanagan that source grapes from other growers, Pacific Breeze has just taken this liberating practice to the next level. Because they are not tied to a particular vineyard they are able to go to where each grape varietal grows best. Pacific Breeze sources their grapes from the Okanagan, Washington, Oregon and California and they have spent more than a decade cultivating relationships with their growers. They have won over 50 international medals and in 2010 they were declared Winery of the Year at InterVin. Pacific Breeze has an extensive range of wines available (I count 16 different wines currently available for sale on their website) including several blends and some reserve, small lot, single vineyard wines.
Pacific Breeze Winery was founded in 2005 by Maurice Hamilton and Frank Gregus who met at a wine club in Coquitlam; together they have more than 50 years combined experience producing wine in their own garages and basements. Their business model was inspired by the many garagiste wineries in Woodinville, Washington: “[they] gave me the idea [that I didn’t] have to grow grapes to have a winery. So that was really the a-hah moment, the revelation that, wait a minute, I can do this” recalls Maurice Hamilton.[1] Pacific Breeze Winery released their first vintage in March 2007.
I spent the better part of a recent Sunday afternoon with Daniel from Pacific Breeze on a walking tour of the winery. We began in their tasting room where I tried their 2012 Can’t Remember White which is an unconventional, yet pleasant, blend of grapes: Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat from California and Pinot Gris from Oregon. Next we entered their production room where the winemaking takes place. Daniel explained to me that even though they don’t have their own vineyards they are constantly in touch with their growers to find out where the vines are at and, later in the growing season, where the grapes are in terms of their sugar and acid levels. Closer to harvest the wine makers are anxiously watching the weather in each region to determine when they should ask the grower to pick. For example, if they know rain is coming they may be able to pick beforehand, but if not, they know they will have to wait at least a week longer to harvest. Pacific Breeze has developed strong relationships with their growers ensuring that they buy quality fruit and that it arrives in good condition. Grapes are picked as whole bunches and all the fruit is crushed and destemmed on site at Pacific Breeze. Any stems and leaves that make it through the crushing process are removed by hand and all waste is composted.
We took a break from learning about winemaking to taste the 2013 Reserve Chardonnay from Sonoma. This wine was barrel fermented in old and new French Oak resulting in good integration of oak. After some time with the lees, this wine was aged in new French Oak for 24 months, but it’s not an oak-bomb, it’s quite a balanced wine with good acidity, making this wine different from a lot of Chardonnay’s I have tried recently, and I mean this in a good way. Daniel takes this opportunity to talk about the wine making team at Pacific Breeze which includes Devon Stewart and Dylan Hamilton, highlighting their attention to detail and commitment to producing wines that are balanced.
We finished the walking tour in the barrel room where we tasted the 2014 Can’t Remember Cabernet Merlot, which is a blend of Merlot from Kaleden, BC and Cabernet Franc from Osoyoos, BC. Next we tried their 2012 Serious Syrah which is 100% Syrah from Washington and California, vinified separately, barrel aged separately and then blended before bottling. Finally, we tried the 2013 Reserve Petit Verdot from Washington. I happen to love Washington wines and we do not get nearly enough of their products here in BC, thus Pacific Breeze offers sort of a “backdoor” to the wonderful wines from this region. This particular wine is made from a single vineyard in Sagemoor, Washington.
Visit Pacific Breeze Winery in their tasting room: