I was honoured to be invited to a recent select gathering at Fort Berens Winery in Lillooet. The occasion was to celebrate Fort Berens Cabernet Franc Reserve 2020 which recently won one of only 13 BC Lieutenant Governor’s PlatinumWine Awards for 2023. This will come as no surprise to loyal fans who have seen what the winery has accomplished with this estate-grown signature variety.
“The Cabernet Franc grapes were the very last to be harvested from our 2020 vintage. After a long ripening period, our vineyard team hand-harvested and hand-sorted these grapes to select the highest quality grapes to showcase in this Cabernet Franc Reserve. The wine was aged for 15 months in carefully selected 100% French oak barrels, 50% of which were new barrels, and 50% which were second-fill barrels. The wine then spent a further 12 months again in bottles,” states Rolf de Bruin Co-founder and Co-owner of Fort Berens.
Upon arrival, guests were greeted with a refreshing glass of Dry Riesling – lime zest, pear and apple, and lemon cream. Very good balance and a creamy texture. Bright on the palate with a medium-plus finish. The day I was there clouds drifted in over the sky but the heat was evident. Great conditions for the vines.
Founded in 2009, Fort Berens is situated along the eastern shore of the Fraser River. Majestic mountains tower over the lush 40 acres of estate vineyards. This location captures the afternoon sun and the mountains reflect their stored heat when the sun goes down. Construction on the current winery was begun in 2013 and it opened the following year.
Rolf de Bruin spoke to the group and talked about the move to certified sustainable practices and Fort Berens’ values of being good land stewards, responsible neighbours, and helping create employment in the area. He mentioned how proud the winery was to have helped raise over $160 000 for “Lytton Strong” to help rebuild the neighbouring village that was razed by fire in 2021.
MLA for Fraser-Nicola, Jackie Tegart was on hand for the occasion. She mentioned that she takes great pride in serving wines from the region and introducing people to the wines of Fort Berens. She explained that wines that win an LG award are often served at formal government dinners in Victoria and help to showcase the quality of wines produced in this province.
Rolf continued to recognize and thank all those who helped create the dream, especially Harry McWatters and Dick Cleave who had the original idea that quality grapes could be grown in the Lillooet Valley. Their vision and encouragement are now realized in the impressive world-class wines from this emerging region.
Fort Berens has the capacity to produce 14 000 cases. The vines are fastidiously tended to by vineyard manager, Chris Marquardt. Seth Jex is a new addition to the cellar crew.
Next, winemaker, Alessandro (Alex) Nel spoke to the audience and explained why he is so passionate about the region and Fort Berens in particular. First, it has a good diurnal shift, with warm to hot daytime temperatures with cool evenings. This temperature shift is essential to create wines with good balance. Second, Lillooet is a rather isolated wine region which means that there is no pest or disease from neighbouring vineyards to worry about. Third, the shape of the valley means that there is always good airflow through the vineyard which helps keep it healthy. Fourth, the season tends to cool down right around ‘veraison’ which is the time the grapes begin to turn colour. This ensures fresh fruitiness in the grapes and lots of time to properly ripen.
Of course, there is always the threat of smoke from forest fires, but the wind often helps to keep the smoke away from their vines. Fort Berens tends to focus on single variety wines – Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chardonnay and Grüner Veltliner for the whites and Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon for reds. The great conditions mean that the winemaker can take a minimal approach to winemaking, intervening as little as possible.
Alex arrived in BC in December 2020 and completed his first vintage at Fort Berens in 2021. Alex comes to Fort Berens with an extensive and impressive background having completed his degree in Viticulture and Oenology at Elsenburg University in the Western Cape region of South Africa. He then spent a decade at Cederberg Private Cellar, the sole winery in the region and the highest in the Western Cape at around 1,030 meters. Alex also had gigs in the Northern Rhone, Stellenbosch, California, and New Zealand.
Over the years, I have watched with interest as this winery has grown and come into its own. From, “What? There is a new winery that opened in Lillooet?” To them honing in on which grapes were best suited to their site, to winning regional, provincial and national awards, and garnering two Platinum LG awards, the first for their 2014 Riesling. This winery has come a long way since opening its doors ten years ago.
Get your orders in ASAP for their Cabernet Franc Reserve 2020 before it disappears (though truth be told, I tend to always be impressed with their Cab Franc, no matter what the vintage).
A trip to Fort Berens is a must-do for any BC wine lover. They consistently deliver quality wines for reasonable prices. Now that’s a hard combination to beat.
(All photos – Sam Hauck)
