New wineries to discover: Beaumont Family Estate Winery

By John Schreiner

December 14, 2008

Beaumont is the latest Okanagan winery to position itself as a producer of organic wines exclusively, a niche of rising importance.

Behind this family-owned winery are three vineyards in Westbank’s Lakeside neighbourhood (near Quails’ Gate and Mission Hill). The vineyards have been organic from the start, no doubt to the delight of the numerous homeowners who live next to the vineyards. When sharing a neighbourhood with farmers, it is always comforting if the farmers have chosen not to spray pesticides or herbicides.

The owners of Beaumont are former Albertans Alex and Louise Lubchynski.  In 1995, five years after moving to the Okanagan, they acquired a Lakeside cherry orchard and converted it to an organic vineyard. “We did not want the kids to be near the chemicals,” Louise says. They have two children, now both grown. Alana has become Beaumont’s winemaker, after training in the Okanagan and doing one vintage in Australia. This winter, she heads to New Zealand to work the vintage there.

They grow varieties well suited for Kelowna-area vineyards: Gewürztraminer (because it is a wine they like to drink), Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Gamay and Pinot Noir. “It is our favourite grape to grow,” Louise says of Pinot Noir.

Their grapes have shown up in the wines of a variety of producers, including Summerhill and Larch Hills. In the 2008 vintage several Similkameen producers also bought grapes from the Lubchynskis. “Our main source of income is definitely through selling the grapes,” Alex explains. “That is where we started and where we will continue.”

The winery, which is named for Louise’s home town in Alberta, began selling its wines to Okanagan restaurants in the fall. It has just now begun to explore Vancouver-area restaurants and wine stores. Since the winery currently is producing about 1,000 cases a year, there is not much yet to go around. Alex and Louise are not about to bet the farm, so to speak, on just selling wine, even though their organic niche and their reasonable pricing should give the winery some advantages.

The winery’s labels each include a musical staff, along with a musical reference on the back labels. It turns out that there is a musical history with the family.

When they lived on a farm in Alberta, Alex, a guitar player and a singer, teamed up with other musicians to form weekend bands, the most enduring of which was a group called The Twilighters. He put the musical career on hold after moving to the Okanagan. The plan now is to display some of his vintage guitars in the winery tasting room when it opens.

                             
                                            Alana (l), Alex and Louise (r) Lubchynski

These are the debut Beaumont wines:

Beaumont Pinot Noir 2006 ($16.95). The star of the line-up, this is a charming and generous wine, beginning with aromas of cherries, spice and vanilla and with notes of raspberry on the palate. The texture is the classic silky Pinot Noir texture. 88

Beamount Gamay Noir 2007 ($18.95). The pricing suggests that the Lubchynskis think this is the star of the first release. Indeed, it is a robust Gamay Noir, dark in colour with aromas and flavours of pepper, cherry and raspberry and with a hint of chocolate on the finish. 88

Beaumont Pinot Gris ($16.95). The hallmark of all the Beaumont wines seems to be a smoothness of texture and an absence of the tangy acidity often found in north Okanagan wines. This silky Pinot Gris is the best example. The quaffable wine, with flavours of lichee and ripe pear, would be ideal for a restaurant’s wine by the glass program. 87

Beaumont Gamay Rosé 2007 ($15.95). Another soft-textured wine, this has a lovely hue of dark rose petals. On the nose there is a touch of strawberry and candy floss. This fruity rosé is finished with just a hint of sweetness. 86

Beaumont Gewürztraminer 2007 ($16.95).  This wine is a bit timid for the variety – pleasantly fruity but not showing the spicy punch that would might expect. That said, this is a pleasant before-dinner wine. 85

This is one in an occasional series on new British Columbia wineries.

goodgrog@shaw.ca

                                                                         
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