Ocean conservation is a pretty frightening reality these days, and although it’s a different kind of spooky than what we usually associate with Friday the 13th, which happens to be the upcoming date for this year’s Wine for Waves event, it certainly is the perfect night to drink for all the right reasons!
If this is your first year, Wine for Waves is a mouthwatering charity event that pairs Ocean Wise seafood with local B.C. wines from the Naramata Bench Winery Association, with all proceeds going to the Vancouver Aquarium‘s Ocean Wise seafood program. It is a sensory overload with an ethical twist; you get sustainable seafood treats, prepared by some of BC’s most renowned seafood and winery restaurants, paired with the first sips of Naramata Bench winery spring releases, from 25 different wineries that nest right in our own BC backyard. And, your participation aids in research and development of programs to keep our beautiful oceans healthy.
While you juggle silent auctions and flutes of Bella sparkling gamay noir with Nomad’s Berezan Pacific Shrimp Ceviche, keep your eyes peeled for these four family-owned Naramata wineries that hold a special place in our oenophilic hearts:
daydreamer wines. A family-owned winery on the bench, owned by second-generation winemaker Marcus Ansems (MW) and his wife, Rachel. Their winery is sustainable, their grapes are free of systemic pesticides, herbicides or fungicides, and their wines are vegan friendly! Make sure to taste Marcus Ansems Signature "Rachel’s" Viognier!
vanwesten vineyards. Brother and sister duo Margaret and Robert Van Westen run this B.C. winery with decades of family farming in their genetic back pockets. They focus on sustainable farming and cool climate winemaking, and their Vivacious (Pinot Blanc with a splash of Pinot Gris) is a crisp and crunchy treat, showcasing orchard fruits, with subtle undertones of spice and pepper. Crushable.
black widow winery. A boutique family winery, run by Dick & Shona Lancaster, that specializes in single vineyard and small production wines, and they have a gravity flow winery! Sneak a sip of their 2017 Pinot Gris, that gets some time on its skin, giving it a slightly pink hue, and making for a rich and refreshing summer sipper!
kettle valley winery. One of the founding wineries on the Naramata Bench (they were the third license granted on the Naramata Bench and the twenty-third in the entire province) and their name represents the railway that first tied Naramata with the rest of the world. Their new release Pinot Gris, another slightly pink gem, will be a hit with so many of the seafood bites at Wine for Waves!
Tickets for the event are $110 (plus tax) and available here. See you there! —Laura Starr
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