During the 1980s the BC wine industry, which had encountered severe difficulties in the years past, saw substantial development with the introduction of new varities. The new focus was on quality of locally grown grapes. Since then British Columbia has become famous as one of North America's most exciting new wine regions. British Columbia is fast becoming the California of the north in its production of exceptional wine. To be assured of the finest quality and 100% BC grapes, look for Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) wines. Due to political, economic, and social changes, the B.C. wine industry has ermerged as a strong competitive industry.

British Columbia's Wine Country is located in two distinct wine-growing regions: the coastal areas of Vancouver Island and the Fraser Valley, and the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys in Southern British Columbia. Most of British Columbia's wines come from the 150-mile-long Okanagan Valley. While the southern end of the valley, which is the only classified desert in Canada, offers an ideal climate for growing grapes, it also qualifies as one of the most northern wine regions in. the world. British Columbia is known mainly for its white wines like Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer. In addition, more rare varieties like Ehrenfelser and Bacchus (from Germany), Auxerrois (from France), and Chasselas (from Switzerland) are grown in the province as well. While the quantity of red wine grown is relatively small, initial indications are that great process has made. It is too early to know how well the locally grown varieties like Pinot Noir and Merlot will do competing with other well known red wine produced in other countries.

In the last few years British Columbia has become renowned for specialty wine known as ice wine. You may wish to try this truly unique BC wine - a sweet dessert wine fermented from grapes left on the vine to freeze. The frozen grapes are pressed and the sweet, high-acid juice is separated from the ice. The ice is thrown away, and the resulting wine is made solely from the super-intense juice which makes the wine miraculously high in both sweetness and acidity.

While British Columbia's wine producing area is relatively small by comparison to California's, the quality of our wines does compare well. In 1993, wines from eight British Columbia's wineries were awarded three gold, thirty-two silver and forty-five bronze medals at some seventeen international competitions. In more recent years numerous other awards have been added to that total.

Most wineries welcome visitors to tour their operation and offer you the opportunity to taste and purchase their wines. In addition, there are many vineyards that also offer on-site restaurants where experienced personnel will be only too happy to suggest the appropriate wine to match the choice of your food. There is one foolproof way to experience the wines of British Columbia, however: go there, enjoy a pleasant day and take home a memory of an enjoyable experience.