Rompin' Through The Grapes
Wines from the Okanagan Valley:
Mission Hill Family Estate
by Dani Vargas, from the October 2003 Newsletter
I recently took a trip with my dad and brother up to Kelowna, British Columbia. Aside from the tragic fire, which consumed many acres of the beautiful Okanagan Valley, we had a great time. We played some golf (well, I attempted), ate some good food, and visited some wineries. The Okanagan Valley is a largely unknown wine Mecca. The diverse microclimate found in this region allows for many grape varieties.
Mission Hill Family Estates was one winery we visited and tasted some great wines. Located atop Mission Hill, overlooking Okanagan Lake lives the beautiful Mission Hill Estate. Anthony Von Mandl, proprietor, grew up with a passion for fine wines and great food. He had a dream to build a winery of his own and opted to put down roots in his native British Columbia. Anthony was convinced that the Okanagan Valley, with time and patience, could produce sophisticated wines for a broad audience. His determination and commitment to quality wines has led his winery to international acclaim.
In 1991 Anthony had the chance to meet John Simes. John was, at this time, the chief winemaker of Montana’s four wineries but was getting restless and needed a new challenge. It was this that led him on a visit to British Columbia. Upon meeting, Anthony and John discovered they both shared the same commitment to the quality of wine. In 1992 John joined the Mission Hill crew and took on the challenge of creating the perfect Grand Reserve Barrel Select Chardonnay. In 1994 his hard work paid off. The Grand Reserve Chardonnay won the IWSC (International Wine and Spirit Competition) trophy for “Best Chardonnay,” raising John to his second win in five years.
The Estate’s philosophy for winemaking is simple. They believe that what happens in the vineyard determines what the end product will be in the bottle. They focus on growing the best grapes in the best conditions possible. Many investments have been made in technology, irrigation systems, frost protection and weather stations. Keeping control of the growing conditions from planting to harvest is crucial.
The Mission Hill Wines are one of the few from this region that are in distribution here in the United States. We currently offer three of the wines from Mission Hill Family Estate. The 2001 Grand Reserve Chardonnay, the Cabernet Merlot 2001, and the Pinot Blanc 2001. All three are very affordable and outstanding. Tasting these award-winning wines celebrates the uniqueness and quality this region has to offer.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit this region you should tour the Mission Hill Vineyard. The Estate is magnificent; I could have spent my entire vacation up there gazing at the view and the architecture (and tasting the wine). The winery recently completed its five-year transformation under the thumb of one of the Pacific Northwest’s leading architects, Tom Kundig. Tom Kundig, a graduate from the University of Washington, has a great respect for the land, stating we are merely custodian of it. It is apparent in his design of Mission Hill; the building compliments the nature around and is secondary to the surrounding landscape.
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