“The Vasanti Estate Winery story began in 1980, when our father embarked on a life-changing journey from India to Oliver, B.C. It was a new beginning, a fresh chapter in our family’s history. On the very first farm he ever owned, we now proudly present Vasanti Estate Winery, a testament to our family’s commitment to this sentimental land.
Each bottle we craft is a tribute to our father’s enduring legacy. Vasanti, derived from the Punjabi language, represents new beginnings and renewal—a chance to refine our craft with each passing year. We tend to our vineyards with care, honouring the land that sustains us and allowing its unique character to shine in every sip. The result is a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, crafted with love and commitment.”
Davinder Sidhu, Co-Proprietor
Before going to the tasting notes for the first wine releases, here is some background information on the vineyards, the winemaker and the 2022 harvest.
The Vineyards
West Bench Block, Monarch Vineyards, Osoyoos
West Bench receives an even distribution of heat from the morning and afternoon Okanagan sun. The lake’s proximity also helps cool the vines at night. This vineyard yields remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon single varietals, blends, and even rosé.
East Bench Block, Monarch Vineyards, Osoyoos
East Bench has deep sand that runs throughout the vineyard, encouraging plant stress. The nearby lake helps balance nighttime temperatures. Granite is intermingled in the sand, adding mineral depth – perfect for high-quality red wines – Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon.
Paradise Block, Monarch Vineyards, Oliver
Paradise Block is made up of silt from the Okanagan River and its floodplains. Pockets of this vineyard show gravel, sand, and glacio-fluvial soil. Flatter land allows a more balanced day for sunlight. The vines include Merlot, PinotGris, Gamay Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
The Winemaker
Jason Parkes is the award-winning Winemaker behind West Kelowna’s Crown & Thieves, Black Swift Vineyards, the Hatch, and the Hitching Post. He leads the team at Vasanti in wine production. Jason works with a creative and out-of-the-box approach that leads to unique and delicious wines.
During his spare time, Jason enjoys spending time with his family and jamming out with his band, Proper Man.
2022 Harvest
“2022 was a very interesting year that had some ups and downs like a rollercoaster. The season started around 2-3 weeks behind regular due to the delayed bud-break. Our team was quite worried when this was followed by more rain than usual in May and June. We also didn’t see the typical warm temperatures during those months which didn’t help things catch up during the summer months. Luckily, things were warmer and dry afterwards.
We made the decision to be slightly more aggressive than usual for the crop thinning this season, especially in our premium red blocks in Osoyoos. This was our focus in case the temperature cools quickly again in September and October. The last thing we wanted was grapes that aren’t ripening to the levels we expect to make a high-quality wine. Fortunately, we were hit with a warm September and October which every grower we know is thankful for! These lead to some amazing quality grapes that exceeded Brix expectations and were comparable to our historical numbers!
We were able to harvest our Pinot Gris and Gamay Noir at the Paradise Block in Oliver at the end of September. We were pleased that the Brix levels were normal but the harvest was about 7-10 days behind the norm. Our Merlot at this location took about 10-14 days longer than usual to reach our desired Brix level for harvest. The Gamay noir vines are younger so we do have some concerns as the vines are shutting down for dormancy much later than the usual growing year. We are hoping that the temperatures don’t drop too quickly and that the vines can shut down beforehand. Overall, we are quite pleased that all the varieties were able to meet and exceed expectations based on the start of this growing season!
For our West Bench block in Osoyoos, BC, we harvested some of our Cabernet Sauvignon for Rosé in early October. The remaining Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested about 2 weeks later. The grapes were able to ripen above-expected Brix levels with a favourable flavour profile as well. We have done some tank tastings which were exceptional. We CAN’T WAIT to see the final products.”
Davinder Sidhu, Co-Proprietor
The Wines
Vasanti Chardonnay 2022
The Chardonnay grapes are from the Jagger Rock Vineyard in the Similkameen Valley. The vineyard’s rocky terrain promotes warmth around the clock which cultivates grapes that yield a delightful flavour profile. This is an unoaked chard, fermented and aged in Stainless Steel.
Aromas of citrus and honeysuckle. A crisp, dry, and creamy medium-bodied chardonnay. Flavours of green apple, Anjou pear, pineapple and a subtle hint of minerality. 90 points
Vasanti Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2022
The Cabernet Sauvignon rosé comes from the West Bench block. The Eastern-facing slope and even distribution of sunlight produce a wine with exceptional elegance, refreshing acidity, and a captivating expression of fruit.
The grapes were pressed and settled for 3 days. Fermented at 180C in stainless steel tanks and aged in stainless steel.
Fragrant aromas of strawberry, watermelon, rhubarb and herbs. The wine has an inviting creamy texture indicating the juicy Rosé is food friendly. Flavours of strawberry, watermelon, pink grapefruit and orange zest with a silky finish. 91 Points.
Vasanti Cabernet Merlot 2021
The blend is 46.67% Cabernet Franc, 36% Merlot and 13.23% Cabernet Sauvignon. All of these wines were fermented in stainless steel tanks with three daily pump-overs. Then aged in barrels for 19 months.
Cabernet Sauvignon was aged 50% in New American Oak and 50% in Neutral Oak. Cabernet Franc was aged entirely in New American Oak. Merlot was aged 25% in New American Oak and 75% in Neutral Oak.
13.8% Alcohol. Vibrant aromas of blackberry and plum with a hint of smoke that vanishes on decanting. Flavours of blackcurrant, black cherries, dark chocolate, toasted oak and a touch of cranberry lingers on the palate. The red blend has fine-grained tannins and a seamless finish. Drink now! 91 Points
Vasanti Cabernet Franc 2021
The Cabernet Franc is grown in the East Bench vineyard. All of these grapes were harvested at 24.5 brix which allowed the grapes to develop an exquisite flavour profile. The wine was pumped over 3 times a day during the fermentation period and aged for 19 months in new American Oak barrels.
14.1% Alcohol. The Cabernet Franc opens with a beautiful red fruit aroma and a hint of violets. The medium-bodied wine has red cherry and ripe raspberry flavours with velvet smooth tannins and vanilla on the lingering finish. 91 Points.
Please visit the Vasanti Wines Website to purchase these premium BC wines.
This winery is very brave to start a new winery when the wine industry is showing signs of slowing down considerably. However, the 2022 crop was non existent for many wineries
which fortunately ties in well with the slow down. If Vasanti is one of the few fortunate wineries to have a very good 2022 crop, they should receive a grade ‘A’ plus for having the foresight and going for it.