Background
The St Hubertus & Oak Bay Vineyards were planted in 1928 by J.W. Hughes, during a time when good agricultural land was plentiful. The vineyards of St Hubertus and Oak Bay are some of the oldest in the Okanagan Valley.
In 1984 Leo Gebert, originally from Switzerland, came to the Okanagan to start a winery. Two years later his younger brother Andy joined him. Since 1984 the Gebert Family uses sustainable farming practices on their vineyards to produce wines that reflect the terroir of the north Okanagan Valley under the St Hubertus (50 acres) & Oak Bay (26 acres) Label.
Wines aged in stainless steel tanks are bottle under the St Hubertus label while those aged in French and American oak barrels are bottled under the Oak Bay label.
In 1991 the owners changed direction and started producing their own wines. Today the winery produces on average 14,000 cases of wine annually. All wines created by St Hubertus and Oak Bay are made with estate-grown grapes and crafted and bottled on site.
For Andy Gebert thoughts on the 2019 Harvest see this post – Winemaker’s Thoughts on BC Harvest 2019
I had the opportunity to visit the Kelowna winery during a busy Valentine’s Day and taste their BC wines. The tasting room was very well done with enough room for the large groups that attended this weekend.
The Wines
St Hubertus Pinot Blanc
100 % Pinot Blanc delivers an abundance of ripe apple, poached pears and peach aromas and flavours. Well balanced acidity, smooth mouthfeel and a long juicy finish with 12% alcohol.
St Hubertus Riesling
The vineyard has some old Riesling vines that date from 1978. This makes for a classic Riesling with a strong mineral base and herbal aromas and flavours of citrus. It is a nicely balanced wine with a moderate 12.2% alcohol.
St Hubertus Frizzante Rosé
The Rosé is made from 95% Gamay and 5% Pinot Noir. Fresh strawberry, cherry, orange segments and violets with a hint of pineapple. It is mouth-watering and slightly sweet rose but the acidity keeps it lively. Tangy red fruits dominate along with hints of fine spice and tobacco. Good structure, lightly sparkly (frizzante) silky in texture and a nice bit of backbone to stand up to heartier dishes with oily fish and white meats but also perfect for spicier cuisines.
Oak Bay Gamay Noir
The Gamay grape is thought to have appeared first in the village of the Gamay, south of Beaune, in the 1360s. In contrast to the Pinot Noir variety, Gamay ripens weeks earlier and is less difficult to cultivate. The Oak Bay Gamay Noir is gorgeous ruby colour with enticing aromas of black cherry, plum, black pepper, grapey, toast, anise. The palate is smooth and dry with a long savoury and fresh herbs finish. A very nice medium-bodied Gamay in an iconic Beaujolais style.
Oak Bay Marechal Foch
This variety has always produced one of the biggest reds from St. Hubertus. A delicious example of this early-ripening French hybrid, Oak Bay’s Foch brings deep, dark presence and a big, bold palate (14.8% alcohol) with velvety nuances of ripe currants, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate, toasty oak and vanilla.
For the complete portfolio of St Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Wines please visit the winery website
If you are interested in a broad selection of great value BC wine make sure to check out St Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery.
Note: The original article was updated in February 2020.