The holidays are the perfect time to reach for a dependable BC red blend, the kind of bottle that delivers comfort, richness, and remarkable value whether you’re hosting a festive dinner, wrapping a last-minute gift, or simply settling in beside the fireplace.
This guide has now been refreshed with three new standout additions for 2025, showcasing just how diverse and exciting the category has become. From Meritage favourites to bold Similkameen reds and Rhône-inspired blends, these wines overdeliver in flavour, balance, and price — proving once again that great BC reds don’t have to break the budget.
If you’re looking to stock up for holiday gatherings or discover a new weeknight favourite, these are the blends that shine brightest this season. Cheers to sharing great wine and even better moments. 🍷✨
For readers curious about lesser-known BC red grapes, Baco Noir is worth exploring.
Why Are Red Blends Such A Growth Category For BC Wines?
One reason for continued growth is that it is an open, freewheeling category. Red blends offer a versatile palette for winemakers to mix grapes and mimic other styles.
Millennial wine drinkers are not as hung up on wine traditions or knowing how to pronounce certain grape varieties. Many are intimidated by them. Red blends, bearing easy-to-pronounce, familiar-sounding names, remove that intimidation factor.
What is Red Meritage Wine?1
Red Meritage wines have historically been among the world’s most highly rated. They are prized for their smooth, silky texture and complex, robust structure. While they age beautifully – often for decades – most are also very drinkable in their younger years.
A Red Meritage is a blend of two or more of the red “noble” Bordeaux varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot and the rarer St. Macaire, Gros Verdot and Carmenère. If the blend includes any other grape variety, it is, by definition, not a Meritage. Also, to qualify as a Meritage, no single grape variety may account for more than 90% of the blend.
Without further preamble, here is a list of my favourite BC red blends that offer solid value.
Hester Creek MERITAGE — Columbia Valley Collection 2024 – ($22.99)
Red Mountain AVA — Medium-bodied & exceptionally smooth for the shorter barrel aging
Sourced from Washington’s prestigious Red Mountain AVA, this Meritage reflects Hester Creek’s hallmark craftsmanship. The wine is medium-bodied with impressive, smooth tannins, given only 8 months of oak maturation.
Winemaking Notes
Red Mountain AVA fruit · Co-fermented Cabernet Franc and Malbec · Separate fermentation for Cabernet Sauvignon · Cold-soaked 1–2 days · ML completed · Aged 8 months in French and American oak · Bottled July 2025
Technical Specs
- Blend: 62% Cab Sauv, 22% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 7% Cab Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
- Alcohol: 13.6%
- pH: 3.83
- TA: 5.89 g/L
- RS: 0.86 g/L
- Brix: 24.1
Tasting Notes
Aromas of ripe blackberry, Lapin cherry, and vanilla lead into a palate of cassis, blackberry, cedar, and subtle vanilla spice. The tannins are soft, silky, and very approachable, making this a perfect holiday dinner table wine for mixed company.
Holiday Pairing
BBQ striploin, grilled vegetables, casual holiday meals, or a festive turkey sandwich platter. Turkey and cranberry sliders, ham with maple glaze or baked pasta after-ski comfort meals.
Please visit Hester Creek Estate Winery to see their current portfolio of BC wines.
Nagging Doubt The Leap 2016 ($22.90)
43% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc and 19% Malbec. 14.3% alcohol. The Cabernet Franc and Malbec come from the Red Brick Vineyard managed by Chris Hansen in the South Okanagan, and the Merlot from the Hiwanda vineyard in Naramata.
Aged in new, first-pass and neutral French oak for 24 months. Although the wine was a little colder than you would normally serve, it still had a fabulous blueberry and blackberry aroma with lovely floral notes. The wine has great fresh juiciness to the taste from the Malbec with smooth tannins and a soft palate feel from the extra aging. Flavours of black cherry, plum and blackberry. 92 Points
For more elegant Nagging Doubt releases, see Nagging Doubt takes “The Leap”
Mayhem Cabernet Merlot 2022 ($24.44)
The fruit was hand-picked from two unique vineyard sites in the South Okanagan. Picked on October 21st from Anarchist Mountain Vineyard in Osoyoos, initially planted in 1994, and on October 14th from Ryegrass Road Vineyard in Oliver, planted in 2009.
The fruit was whole berry destemmed into stainless steel fermenters and co-fermented. It remained on the skins for 14 days with a 5-day cold soak before being pressed to the barrel. Aged for 11 months in seasoned French oak barrels, a natural malolactic fermentation occurred in the Spring. The wine was bottled, unfined and coarsely filtered at the end of August. It is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc.
Alcohol %13.7 / TA 6.63 / RS 0.49
Vibrant aromas of cranberry, blueberry, and blackberry linger on the palate, followed by flavours of blackcurrant, black cherries, roasted coffee, and toasted oak. Beautifully balanced, this wine has velvety smooth tannins and a seamless finish. 91 Points.
River Stone Stones Throw 2020 ($36.90)
Stones Throw is a premium red blend of Merlot (73%), Cabernet Sauvignon (11%), Malbec (12%), and Petit Verdot (4%). All varietals are grown in the estate vineyard within a “Stones Throw” of each other.
Alcohol 14% / pH 3.71 / TA 6.9/ RS 2.05
The wine opens with vibrant aromas of cassis, black cherry, and a hint of tobacco. A juicy mouthfeel with flavours of fresh blackberry, cherry, blueberry,cassis and savoury notes. The tannins are not as velvet smooth as Corner Stone but still a terrific Bordeaux-style red blend. 92 Points.
Silver Medal Winner, SavorNW Wine Awards 2024
Moraine Cliffhanger Red 2018 ($19)
The 2018 Cliffhanger Red is a Merlot-dominant wine from the Anastasia vineyard, with a small addition of Malbec. Bottled after a 3-month bath in French oak.
This creates a mouthwatering aroma of raspberries, blackberries, and smokey oak. Flavours of black fruit, dark chocolate and a hint of mint and white pepper. For a young wine, the tannins are soft and easy to approach.
This easy-drinking red is best paired with Summer BBQ fare and friends. 90 Points.
Osoyoos Larose Pétales d’Osoyoos 2019 ($33)
Merlot 70 %, Cabernet sauvignon 13 %, Cabernet franc 12 %, Petit verdot 3 %
Pétales 2019 is a very fruit-forward Merlot-dominant Bordeaux blend that hits above the price point. Cherry aromas with a touch of vanilla and toasty oak. The palate is well-balanced with red berries, cassis, vanilla, smooth tannins, and a long finish. This wine can be enjoyed now or cherished for up to 5 years. 92 Points.
Enjoy BC Red Blends with grilled meats and best wine friends!
Noble Ridge Noble Meritage 2020 ($26.99)
Nothing like a $26 Estate Meritage to pique your interest. You definitely won’t be disappointed!
81% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec
De-stemmed and crushed. Cold soaked for 3 days. Fermentation kept between 25°C and 28°C, 12 months in the barrel, 75% French, 25% American; 20% new oak.
Alcohol 14% | pH: 3.55 | TA: 6.5 | RS 2.2
A fabulous bouquet of ripe blackberries and blackcurrants with dark chocolate and coffee. Medium-bodied and creamy texture, and fine-grain tannins. Flavours of blackberry, red plum and licorice with a hint of pepper in the long finish. 92 Points
Please visit the Noble Ridge website to purchase this premium BC wine.
Terralux Meritage 2018 ($27.49)
The Meritage is a classic blend of Okanagan Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a touch of Malbec that has developed beautifully in the bottle.
The wine has a luscious redcurrant and ripe blackberry aroma with a hint of cocoa and tobacco. The Meritage has red cherry, blackberry, dark chocolate, tobacco and leather flavours. This is a medium-bodied red blend with a lush texture and fine-grained tannins. 91 Points.
Pair with a juicy beef burger for a well-seasoned flank steak.
To purchase this premium Meritage, please visit the Terralux Estate Winery Website.
Winemaker’s CUT Bohemian Cuvée Rouge 2020 ($35)
The grapes are from the Chahal and Quails Wayside vineyards in Oliver. 58% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Only 400 cases were produced. Hand-harvested in late October 2020 at an average 25.2 Brix and 4.7 tons per acre yield.
Cold-soaked for 2 days. Full malolactic fermentation for 18 days. Aged for 10 months in American, French and Slovakian oak.
14 % Alcohol / 3.64 pH / 6.5 TA /3.5 RS free SO2 16mg/L / total SO2 40
A spectacular red blend. The dominant Merlot blend is a gorgeous deep garnet colour that opens up a blackberry bouquet infused with hints of pepper, herbs, leather, and smoke. A full-body wine with flavours of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, leather, cured meat and espresso linger throughout the finish. Complex layers of fruit and polished tannins. Can be cellared for 10 Years. + 93 points
Black Market Collusion Series GSM 2024 ($28)
Blend: 51% Grenache · 29% Syrah · 20% Mourvèdre
Region: Wahluke Slope AVA, Washington State
Winemaking: 9 months in 2nd and 3rd fill French oak; unfined & unfiltered
13.6% alc / pH 3.6 / TA 5.9 g/L / RS 0.2 g/L
Production: 250 cases
In the glass: a dark, brooding ruby. The nose is immediately expressive, bursting with fresh black cherry, ripe raspberry, cracked black pepper, and a lift of violet. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied yet impressively layered with juicy red and black fruits wrapped around notes of Mediterranean herbs, warm spice, and a subtle savoury edge. Fine, silky tannins frame the finish, giving the wine both elegance and quiet power. 92 Points.
A natural holiday pairing wine for roasted meats, herb-rubbed poultry, and winter comfort dishes.
Church & State Meritage 2018 ($37.38)
Fermentation and maceration in stainless steel tanks for 21 days. Aged in French oak for 12 months with 20% new oak. 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Alcohol 14.5% | TA 5.3 gm/L | RS 3.6 gm/L
A dominant Merlot blend has a deep red colour with aromas of ripe black fruit and notes of black pepper, anise, and cedar. On the palate, blackberry, black cherry, chocolate, and oak and the supple tannins are balanced by fresh acidity. 92 Points.
Vasanti Cabernet Merlot 2021($39.99)
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 linger on the palate. The red blend has fine-grained tannins and a seamless finish. Drink now! 91 Points
Township 7 Provenance Series Cabernet Merlot 2022 – $29.97
Blend: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot
Vineyards: Raju Vineyard (Osoyoos) & Front Yard Vineyard (Naramata)
Aging: 18 months in American & French oak
Style: Fruit-forward, smooth tannins, structured and balanced.
Alcohol 14.2% | pH 3.58 | TA 6.5 g/L | RS 2.0 g/L | Vegan
Tasting Notes
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with inviting aromas of cassis, black cherry, and a touch of eucalyptus. The palate is smooth and well-balanced, featuring juicy black cherry and cassis, elegantly framed by supple tannins and nuanced layers of cedar box and cocoa. 91 Points
For Township 7’s outstanding sparkling wines, see Township 7 Rings in the Holidays with Sparkling Brilliance