Vasanti Estate Winery has come a long way since I first tasted and wrote about the family’s inaugural releases in 2023. What began as a new winery backed by decades of South Okanagan farming experience is quickly developing an identity of its own.
Harb Sidhu arrived from India in 1980 and began farming in Oliver. For more than two decades, the family grew premium wine grapes for other wineries before releasing its first wines under the Vasanti label with the 2021 vintage.
The name is particularly appropriate: Vasanti means “spring” or “new beginnings” in Punjabi.
That long history gives the family something most young wineries don’t have: decades of experience understanding how its vineyard blocks respond to the Okanagan’s changing growing conditions. Vasanti’s tasting room opened in June 2024, making 2026 just its second full season welcoming visitors.
A Strong Return in 2025
The 2025 vintage marked an important comeback following the devastating winter freeze that essentially eliminated British Columbia’s 2024 grape crop.
Vasanti describes 2025 as a long, warm growing season, with most varieties harvested one to two weeks earlier than normal. Despite larger yields across the valley, the vineyard team aggressively thinned the crop to concentrate flavours and improve phenolic development.
The team also delayed fertilizer applications to slow sugar accumulation and allow flavour development to keep pace. At harvest, pH, acidity, YAN and Brix were where the winery wanted them, with early fermentations showing vibrant flavours and well-developed tannins.
The recovery also brought changes in the vineyard. Vasanti replanted Syrah, expanded Cabernet Franc and replaced a significant portion of its damaged Merlot acreage with Riesling.
And 2025 brought something entirely new: Vasanti’s first Sauvignon Blanc.
The Family Behind Vasanti
Vasanti remains very much a family operation. Founders Jasbir Sidhu is retired and Harb Sidhu participates in some of the vineyard practices to stay busy and active, a lifelong farmer has trouble relaxing. Gordie Sidhu, who holds a Certificate of Viticulture from Okanagan College, manages the vineyards.
Davinder Sidhu, Director of Operations, is an optometrist and published wine biochemist whose research includes cool-climate viticulture and methoxypyrazines — compounds responsible for the green and herbal characteristics found in varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Vik Sidhu, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, works alongside the winemaking team.
A New Winemaker and Direction
Another significant change came in spring 2026 when Petar Djuric joined Vasanti as lead winemaker after working at French Door Estate Winery.
Djuric spent close to two decades in hospitality before moving into wine production. He is certified through the Court of Master Sommeliers, holds a Certificate in Viticulture from Okanagan College and has worked harvests in the Okanagan and Chile’s Maule Valley.
His philosophy centres on a straightforward question: “What makes this place unique?”
Rather than trying to make Okanagan wines resemble Bordeaux or the Rhône, Djuric wants the vineyards to lead. That means lower-intervention winemaking, gentle handling and accepting vintage variation rather than trying to engineer it out of the wines.
One tangible change will be Vasanti’s oak program. The winery is moving away from its previous combination of new American and French oak toward French and other European oak, with less new wood. The objective is to let oak provide structure without overwhelming the fruit.
We’ll get our first real taste of that new direction with the 2026 vintage, Djuric’s first complete vintage as Vasanti’s lead winemaker.
It is important to note that Djuric did not make the four 2025 wines reviewed below. They were already well underway when he arrived, although he helped finish them before bottling.
That makes these releases an interesting snapshot of Vasanti today and a useful baseline for seeing where the winery goes next.
Here are the 2025 Vasanti wines.
Vasanti Paradise Bubbles 2025
100% Pinot Gris | Okanagan Valley | Paradise Vineyard
Alcohol: 11.6%
Residual Sugar: 4.78 g/L
TA: 6.6 g/L
pH: 3.20
Cases Produced: 322
Paradise Bubbles is produced from Pinot Gris grown at Paradise Vineyard, Vasanti’s coolest vineyard site in Oliver.
The grapes were harvested at 21 Brix. Following harvest, the wine underwent a cool fermentation designed to retain as much of the fruit’s aromatic character as possible before undergoing forced carbonation.
Tasting Notes
The dry sparkling wine opens with inviting aromas of citrus, apricot and a delicate touch of honey. An abundance of fine bubbles quickly settles into a lively, refreshing effervescence. The palate is crisp and beautifully balanced, with bright Key lime, lemon and pink grapefruit complemented by juicy white peach. Fresh, vibrant and remarkably easy to enjoy, this is a really good-value sparkler. 91 Points
Vasanti Sauvignon Blanc 2025 ($24.99)
100% Sauvignon Blanc | Okanagan Valley | Paradise Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.6%
Residual Sugar: 1.78 g/L
TA: 5.74 g/L
pH: 3.42
Cases Produced: 185
This is a milestone release for Vasanti — the winery’s first Sauvignon Blanc.
The fruit comes entirely from Paradise Vineyard in Oliver. After harvest, the grapes were gently pressed before undergoing a cool fermentation designed to retain the natural aromatic character of Sauvignon Blanc.
The wine was matured entirely in stainless steel before bottling on April 13, 2026.
Production was tiny at just 185 cases.
Tasting Notes
The Sauvignon Blanc opens with fresh aromas of lemon and lime, complemented by green apple and a subtle touch of fresh hay. The palate is dry and refreshing, with mellow flavours of crisp green apple, white peach and citrus. A subtle texture softens the wine’s bright acidity, giving it a mellow, balanced character rather than the more aggressive style sometimes associated with Sauvignon Blanc. The finish is clean and medium-length, with lingering lemon and lime notes. 90 Points
Vasanti Pinot Gris 2025 ($24.99)
100% Pinot Gris | Okanagan Valley | Paradise Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.4%
Residual Sugar: 1.89 g/L
TA: 5.65 g/L
pH: 3.61
Cases Produced: 339
The Pinot Gris also comes entirely from Paradise Vineyard and marks the variety’s return following the disastrous 2024 growing season. After harvest, the grapes were whole-cluster pressed and cool fermented to encourage aromatic development while maintaining a delicate style. After fermentation, the wine was left on its fine lees for two weeks with regular bâtonnage, adding texture before it remained in stainless-steel tanks until bottling.
Tasting Notes
On the nose, bright orchard fruit, ripe peach and delicate citrus blossom leap from the glass. The palate is wonderfully expressive, bursting with crisp green apple, juicy mandarin orange, ripe peach and apricot. Fresh and vibrant, the Pinot Gris combines a crisp, juicy mouthfeel with beautifully balanced acidity and a distinctive mineral backbone. The finish is long, refreshing and seriously delicious. An outstanding Okanagan Pinot Gris. 92 Points
Food Pairing
Chicken Souvlaki, pan-fried potato and grilled eggplant.
Vasanti Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2025 ($24.99)
92% Cabernet Sauvignon / 8% Cabernet Franc | Okanagan Valley | Granite Lake Vineyard
Alcohol: 12.3%
Residual Sugar: 0.79 g/L
TA: 6.3 g/L
pH: 3.44
Cases Produced: 535
The Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé returns for 2025 with a noticeably different stylistic direction. At only 0.79 g/L residual sugar, the latest vintage is considerably drier than its predecessor.
The wine is composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc. Most of the fruit comes from Vasanti’s Granite Lake Vineyard, while the Cabernet Franc was grown by Maverick Estate Winery.
The wine was produced using the direct-press method with minimal skin contact, giving it a light, translucent pink colour. Fermentation took place in stainless steel to maintain freshness.
Tasting Notes
The Rosé opens with bright aromas of fresh strawberry and cranberry, accented by a subtle touch of thyme. The palate is crisp, dry and refreshing, with juicy strawberry, mandarin orange and tart cranberry flavours balanced by lively acidity. A delicate texture adds a surprising softness through the mid-palate, giving the wine a little extra weight without sacrificing freshness. Medium-bodied, with a clean, lingering berry finish. 91 Points
Where to Buy
All four of these 2025 releases are available directly from Vasanti Estate Winery. With production ranging from just 185 cases of Sauvignon Blanc to 535 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, quantities are limited.
You can purchase the wines online through the Vasanti Estate Winery online shop.
Looking Ahead
Vasanti is still a remarkably young winery, but it possesses something most young wineries cannot manufacture: decades of experience farming the land beneath it.
The 2025 wines represent both a recovery from the devastating 2024 freeze and another step forward for the Sidhu family. With Petar Djuric now leading the winemaking and bringing an emphasis on vineyard expression, lower intervention and more restrained European oak, the 2026 vintage should be particularly interesting to follow.
For a winery whose name means “spring” or “new beginnings,” the timing seems particularly fitting. These four 2025 releases provide an excellent snapshot of Vasanti today — and a useful benchmark for seeing where this next chapter takes it.