The Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery is located on the famous Golden Mile Bench between Oliver and Osoyoos in the South Okanagan Valley. Walter and Gordon Gehringer own and operate the Oliver Winery.
After their father Helmut and his brother Karl completed a seven-year micro-climate evaluation, the present vineyard site was purchased in 1981. In 1985 the winery was built and the first vintage produced. The past 30 years of passionate winemaking on the Golden Mile Bench is reflected in the unparalleled level of consistency.
The vineyard’s southeast aspect and gentle slopes give the vines excellent exposure to sunshine. The elevated location on the bench keeps the vines safely above the fall frost zone. The high mountain slopes behind the vineyards to the west provide evening shade. This provides rapid cooling during summer, which in turn prevents the grape acids from dropping.
Today, the winery boasts an impressive line-up of 20+ wines consisting of the following labels:
- Gehringer Brothers Classic
- Private Reserve
- Optimum
- Dry Rock Vineyard
- Minus Nine and
- Signature Icewines.
The Gehringer style combines terroir, ripe sweet fruit and firm acidity.
What sets us apart?
The things that set us apart…is what we are trying to do is make a wine that isn’t really intense and heavy. We are trying to make a wine that fits very pleasantly into your mouth, is very enjoyable and really suits almost everybody’s palate. And along with that, we are creating a high level of consistency. That means understanding your vineyard, your site for what you can do during the growing season to manipulate the fruit to maintain very good maturity and flavours from vintage to vintage. Really good value and over delivering on the quality of the wine by a long shot. Word of mouth has been our best Marketing tool.
Walter Gehringer
The Winemakers
The Gehringer brothers’ dream of an estate winery dates back to 1973. After high school, Walter Gehringer went to West Germany for five years, where he acquired his fine wine-making skills. He graduated from the world-renowned University of Geisenheim with an Engineering degree in viticulture and oenology.
Gordon Gehringer also spent four years in West Germany studying the wine master’s art and graduating from the State College and Research Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture in Weinsberg.
The Wines
Gehringer Brothers Private Reserve Dry Riesling 2022 ($16.99)
The 2022 BC Rieslings are fantastic. The low yields have imparted vibrant fruit flavours to the wines.
The Private Reserve Dry Riesling results from a specially selected site and exceptional vineyard care. The reduced crop load and intensive leaf canopy management have yielded a positive difference in taste.
Alcohol 13.0% / pH 2.94 / TA 6.5 / RS 7.6
Apple blossom and stone fruit aroma. This rich fruit-forward wine has perfectly balanced acidity and a rounded mouthfeel. Its flavours include apple, white peach, tropical fruit, honeycomb, a wet stone mineral backbone, and a slightly bitter sour lime finish. It’s a perfect crisp sipper on a hot summer day. 93 Points.
Double Gold medal at the 2023 All Canadian Wine Championships.
Gehringer Brothers Classic Riesling 2020 ($16.99)
Alcohol 13.0% / pH 3.0 / TA 6.1 / RS 13.2
Delicate aromas of peach and honey mingled with apple, kiwi and floral notes. Flavours of white peach, green apple, Key Lime, honeycomb and a hint of minerality. Its unique acidity stimulates the taste buds and is balanced by a subtle sweetness, enhancing flavours. 91 Points
The 2019 vintage was a double Gold medal winner at the All Canadian Wine Championships.
Gehringer Brothers Old Vines Auxerrois 2022 ($16.99)
It is a classic wine with soft, mellow acidity, rich in subtle fruit flavours and vinted in an off-dry style. Each fall brings this grape to maturity with a perfect acid balance. A wine to serve when one is not sure of one’s preference. A taste profile that doesn’t tire a palate.
This wine style is not intense fruit but a rich, mellow wine bouquet. The wine has a pleasant, dry mouthfeel, with just a little sweetness to polish the finish. <1>
For other wineries that produce Auxerrois wines and have a background on the grape, please visit Little Straw Vineyards for Tapestry. There are only 48 acres of Auxerrois grapes planted in British Columbia.
Gehringer Brothers Dry Rock Chardonnay 2017 (Unoaked)
The Dry Rock Vineyards is known for its unique microclimate, southern exposure and rocky soils. Maintaining lower crop levels offers higher concentrations of intense flavours.
Chardonnay’s slow and cool fermentation with extended sur lie development contributes to its complexity and creamy texture. Distinctive nuances of pear and pineapple show on the palate. <1>
For the complete portfolio of Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery’s BC wines, please visit the winery website.
Source: Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery provided the vineyard information, photos where credited and BC wine tasting notes if shown with <1>.