The Gold Hill Winery was opened in 2009 by the founders, brothers Sant and Gurbachan Gill. However, their story begins 8,000 years ago when agriculture first blossomed in the Indus Valley, a fertile strip in the Punjab of Northwest India. Fruit growing conditions in the Indus Valley are very similar to the Southern Okanagan region. A magical combination of temperature, elevation, soil and airflow.
Sant and Gurbachan chose their prime vineyard on the slopes of a hill along the Golden Mile, between Oliver and Osoyoos. They called it Gold Hill because of its location along this famous stretch and because they wanted to produce the very best wine possible, the Gold standard, a moniker which challenges their wine-making year after year.
Val Tait, Winemaker and General Manager
As a practicing hands-on viticulturist and winemaker in the Okanagan wine industry for almost 3 decades, Valeria Tait brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to her role as General Manager and Winemaker for Gold Hill Winery.
Her analytical focus started with undergraduate training in Molecular Genetics and Plant Biochemistry at SFU and then she went on to earn an Enology and Viticulture degree from the University of California, Davis, Napa.
Involved with a number of the iconic wine producers in the valley, including Poplar Grove, Painted Rock and Bench 1775 Winery, Tait brings her experience to an artisanal approach to wine-growing, focusing her skills as she comes full circle to now create small-lot, handcrafted wines from fruit grown at the exceptional Gold Hill Estate Vineyard.
Vintage 2016 & 2017
“2016 was a bit of challenging year as the summer was hot and dry but the real challenge came from a cool wet Fall which did not allow the grapes to fully develop the flavours we came to expect from previous years. The season for red grapes was cut short by about 1 to 2 weeks because of early frost and cold weather. In that same token, previous years have been very exceptional.
2017 is looking very challenging. The wet cool spring delayed bud break and some vineyards experienced flooding with other properties in the valley. The combined excess moisture and sudden hot weather are generating humid conditions in the vineyard which are keeping the viticultural teams on their toes to spot infection and pests.”
Navi Gill, Gold Hill Winery Business Manager
Wines
Gold Hill Merlot 2013
Soft and silky red with notes of cherry, vanilla, plum, jam and blackberries. This medium to full-bodied wine has soft tannins and a tobacco and cocoa finish. Aged in French Oak barrels for 18 months. This wine was a Double Gold winner at 2017 All Canadian Wine Championship.
Gold Hill Meritage 2014
The Bordeaux blend uses the four royal varietals of Bordeaux. The wine is a big, robust blend with complex flavours and aromas of spice, floral, black currant, cherry, anise and hints of cocoa and vanilla. This full-bodied red has firm but soft tannins with a smooth and creamy finish and long-lingering notes of tobacco, vanilla and berries. This wine was a Gold winner at 2017 All Canadian Wine Championship.
Gold Hill Syrah 2013
This full-bodied Syrah is a rich and complex red wine with nuances of lavender, spice, anise and vanilla and delicate hints of raspberry, cherry and pepper notes. Aged in French Oak barrels for 18 months. Pairs well with grilled meats or medium-rare cuts, including beef, lamb, ribs or duck, as well as goat cheese and sheep cheese. This wine was also a Double Gold winner at 2017 All Canadian Wine Championship.
Gold Hill Cabernet Franc 2015
This juicy red was aged 18 months in French oak and then 24 month in the bottle before release. The alcohol is off the charts at 15.9%.
“With the warmer than normal year, this Cabernet Franc is definitely a richer, bigger, bolder expression of our normal Cabernet Franc. “
Gold Hill Winemaking team.
Deep ruby red in colour. When you open the wine it’s like walking into a blackberry jam factory at full production!
The wine is bold and rich, with aromas of floral violet, raspberry, blackberry, black cherry and cassis. There are layers of brambly fruit on the palate, with dark chocolate, pepper, tobacco, velvet smooth tannins and spice on the lingering finish. 93 Points
For the full portfolio of Gold Hill wines please visit their website here.
Future Plans
“Our focus has mainly been on the Bordeaux varietals and Chardonnay. We believe these grapes have done exceptionally well over our experience in farming over 30 years in the Okanagan. Our focus on Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay as our main varietals have helped establish Gold Hill as is and we are continuing to advocate for these varietals. We produce roughly 5,000 cases a year and farm on 65 acres. Only 25% of our grapes are allocated to the winery. We have started to experiment with new varieties over the years. The most exciting varietal we have growing now is Tempranillo. “
Navi Gill
Notes
- Wine tasting notes (except where scored) and Photos courtesy of Gold Hill Winery.
- The original 2017 article was updated in December 2020.