Church & State Winery Aims High

I first discovered Church and State Winery a few years ago while visiting Victoria. The facilities were impressive but the wines were average at best. New owners and a new direction have put the winery on the map and a move to the Okanagan has increased the visibility of Church & State. The wines are outstanding now due to the hands on approach that is the philosophy of owner Kim Pullen and winemaker Bill Dyer. Kim Pullen’s lofty goal is to become one of the top three wineries in BC in terms of quality. What I like about Church & State is that their wines are not priced out of context unlike other BC wineries that are charging double or more for the same level of quality.

The winery produces only 14,000 cases of premium and ultra premium wines from about 121 acres, a large majority sourced from Coyote Bowl vineyards in the South Okanagan. The premium grapes are just the starting point, a skilled and experienced winemaker is also important. Enter Jim Dyer, a winemaker from Napa, California, who has 27 years of experience producing top wines.

They produce a line of wines named Church Mouse for under the $20 range which is a bargain. The rest are all premium and ultra premium offerings. Last week I had the opportunity to sample the wines of Church & State and have reviewed my favourites.

A super smooth and off dry Rose, the Cabernet Franc Rose 2008 is an approachable wine with cranberry and light strawberry notes. It is creamy and quite full on the palate ending in a clean finish. 87 Points.

A stellar example of what BC Chardonnay can offer is the Gravelbourg Chardonnay 2007. It is light golden in colour with a peach, pineapple and tropical nose. Very creamy and full bodied in the mouth it picks up flavours of vanilla, toast and hazelnut. Very well balanced, this wine was aged in used French oak for 12 months. 90 Points.

On to the reds and one of the best Merlots I’ve ever encountered from BC. The 2007 Merlot is an intensely perfumed wine with aromas of dark cherry and plum overlaid by a bouquet of olive, spice and toasty vanilla and cedar notes. The palate is an explosion of ripe, juicy, fruit with a long lingering finish and polished tannins. Don’t miss out on this one! 92 Points.

The Coyote Bowl Syrah 2007 has a deep ruby colour and the aroma of cassis, black cherry, pepper, spice and a meaty, earthy flavour. Very smooth ending in a long, expressive finish. 88 Points.

The Quintessential 2006 is Church & States’ top priced wine and is only available in high end restaurants or at their winery. A classic blend of Bordeaux grapes, it offers up brambly black fruit, coffee, cedar and a smoky, leathery finish. It is beautifully balanced with a long extracted finish. 93 Points.

Church & State Winery aims high and delivers. Stay tuned because Kim Pullen and Bill Dyer are not far away from their ultimate goal.