Selecting Vanessa Winery for a visit
Similkameen Valley is often called a hidden gem of the British Columbia wine trail. It is not well-known yet, but it is getting popular. It is home to independent wine growers and 14 small wineries with humble and lesser-known names. The majority of these wineries are run by proprietors who are self-taught winemakers, relatively unknown outside of the Similkameen winemaking community. Among them, Vanessa Winery stands out due to its close association with two individuals famous in the wine world.
The first such person is Richard Cleve, a renowned and somewhat eccentric viticulturist who oversaw the planning of Vanessa’s vineyards. Among other things, Cleve gets the credit for planting and nurturing the vineyards that have become the backbone of Phantom Creek Estates, renowned for producing exceptional wines.
The second name is Howard Soon, a pioneer winemaker in British Columbia who has been Vanessa’s Master winemaker since 2017. Soon’s contributions to the Canadian winemaking industry were so significant that he was one of the first to be honoured with the Order of Canada.
Surely with such great individuals on the team, this winery can’t possibly disappoint! This was the thinking and the reason why we added Vanessa to our itinerary on our recent trip to the Similkameen Valley.
Vanessa Winery, a brief history
Many wineries in the region were established by individuals who recognized the unique qualities of the Similkameen Valley and its potential for producing high-quality wines. Vanessa Winery is no exception.
Originally, Vanessa’s vineyard was an alfalfa pasture until Suki Sekhon, the CEO of the GRS Group of Companies, discovered and recognized its potential. The story goes that when Suki first laid eyes on the pasture, now home to Vanessa’s vineyards, it was full of beautiful butterflies.
The name “Vanessa,” which means “butterfly” in Greek, pays homage to the day when Suki first saw the land.
The property, currently part of GRS’s portfolio, underwent conversion to a vineyard in 2006. Until 2012, Vanessa Vineyards focused solely on growing quality grapes and selling them to other wineries. One such winery is Sandhill Winery, which we visited on our recent trip. The presence of a vast properties portfolio of Vanessa-sourced wines on Sandhill’s wine roster tells us of the continued ongoing partnership with Vanessa Vineyards.
In 2012, the team at Vanessa took a significant step by expanding their role from grape growers to becoming both growers and winemakers. The vision was to establish Vanessa Winery as the top producer of premium red wines in the Semilkameen region. With a plan to become winemakers came a need to build a wine tasting room. In 2017, Vanessa’s wine tasting room welcomed the public for the first time, providing a space for wine enthusiasts to sample their offerings.
Vanessa Wine-tasting room visit
The wine tasting room at Vanessa Winery is located in a single-level building where they also make their Merlot wine. The exterior of the building follows a traditional style, painted in a dark grey colour that harmonizes with the surrounding landscape. Despite its relatively large footprint, there is no purpose-built outdoor space for patrons to enjoy wine tasting in the open air. In our opinion, it is a missed opportunity.
As you step inside, the room is expansive and adorned with glitzy decor dominated by shades of grey, brown and gold. We were surprised that they did not take advantage of the natural environment during the wine tasting room design and construction, as it lacks larger windows and a patio area.
The wine tasting room prominently highlights Vanessa’s association with Howard Soon, almost to an overwhelming extent. For those unfamiliar with Howard, there is a prominently placed explanation that cannot be missed when approaching the bar.
During our visit, which coincided with a long weekend holiday, the wine tasting room was not overly crowded. Despite not having a reservation, we were able to proceed with the wine tasting shortly after our arrival.
Vanessa Winery does not offer winery tours. At Vanessa Winery, their wine tasting experience offers a selection of 6 pre-determined wines, including a white, a rosé, and four reds. The wine tasting comes at $10 per person. Vanessa waives this fee when a patron makes a purchase.
Vanessa wine-tasting room wine line up
The white wine in their wine tasting lineup is the 2022 V Series ($30.99*) white blend, which combines Sémillon (57%), Marsanne (23%), Viognier (16%), and Gewürztraminer (4%). It’s a crowd-pleasing, easy-going white wine that is exclusive to the wine tasting room.
Their 2022 Rosé ($30.99) is a delightful pale salmon-colored blend of Syrah (56%) and Merlot (44%). It offers a highly enjoyable experience and, like the V Series, is only available for purchase at the wine tasting room.
For red wine lovers, Vanessa Winery offers the 2019 Merlot ($43.99), made from 100% Merlot grapes grown in their vineyard. This is a spicy wine that showcases distinct flavors of red cherry and has soft tannins. We were compelled to comment on the spicy notes in this wine. However, we were swiftly corrected by a rather abrupt response from the tasting room attendant: “Merlot is not meant to exhibit any pepper notes!” Okay then! Moving on.
Another red wine option on the wine tasting menu is the 2017 Syrah ($43.99), which includes a 10% Viognier blend to mellow out the peppery characteristics of the Syrah.
The last two red wines offered at Vanessa Winery share similarities in terms of the grape varietals used, including Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. However, they differ in the specific percentage composition of these varietals.
The 2018 Right Bank ($47.99) is a highly enjoyable blend primarily composed of Merlot (70%), complemented by Cabernet Franc (20%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%). This wine is aged for two years in a combination of French and American oak barrels, resulting in distinctive toasty notes.
On the other hand, the 2018 Meritage ($47.99) is another excellent blend showcasing Cabernet Franc (45%), Cabernet Sauvignon (28%), and Merlot (27%). It possesses high tannin levels and is well-suited for cellaring.
*all wine tasting room prices are as of May 2023
Wine tasting room experience
While we patiently waited for our turn to partake in wine tasting, we couldn’t help but witness an amusing encounter between a visitor and the wine tasting room attendant. The unsuspecting patron confidently declared, “Ah, I detect a hint of ginger in this V Series blend.” Well, that was a mistake. The attendant’s response was swift and merciless, a verbal slap in the face: “No, no ginger, Gewürztraminer is only 4% in this wine”. Ouch, that was awkward.
Our own exchange with the attendant was rather concise, consisting of brief and awkward interactions: Us: “Hmm… This is quite an interesting wine.” Attendant: Nods in agreement. Us: “It’s an easy-drinking choice.” Attendant: ” Yup, friends to everyone.” Us: ” Yes, friends to everyone. “
As we attempted to spark a conversation, we innocently inquired, “Is your winemaker the same person behind the wines made at Sandhill Wines?” The attendant’s response, delivered with an unexpectedly dismissive tone, caught us off guard: “No, nope, no. Not the same.”
Our entire experience lasted a brief 20 minutes, but it felt like an eternity of awkwardness. Despite enjoyable wines, we were eager to make our escape.
Curiously, the following day at another winery, we overheard a group of visitors discussing their visit to Vanessa. One comment that caught our attention was, “The wine tasting room felt a bit transactional, don’t you think?” We couldn’t help but agree, finding solace in the fact that we were not alone in our assessment.
Conclusion
Let’s get straight to the point: Is the Vanessa winery experience worth your time? And what makes a winery visit truly great? Is it the quality of the wines or the way the staff treats you?
Well, at Vanessa, they do have some of the best wines in Similkameen.
However, our wine tasting experience left us feeling unimpressed. It felt transactional, as if we were on a conveyor belt, with measured wine pours and scripted commentaries that seemed straight out of their website. We couldn’t wait to leave the wine tasting room. In fact, we were so eager to escape that we didn’t even bother buying any wine, which is a missed opportunity for both us and the winery, as Vanessa does make genuinely good wines.
This story of our winery visit is not only about the specific winery but also an exploration of the elusive “secret sauce” that transforms a winery visit into a memorable experience that makes visitors want to return.
As we discovered firsthand, if a winery plans to have a wine tasting room and become a part of wine tourism, they cannot rely solely on the quality of their wines. The ambiance of the tasting room and the ability of the staff to genuinely connect with visitors are two essential ingredients that form the core of this “secret sauce.”
Unfortunately, both were lacking during our time at Vanessa Winery.