If you ever find yourself driving around Osoyoos, the winding roads can be treacherous. Beautiful scenic views of rolling vineyards are plentiful. Scenes that are captivatingly distracting. Driving to Adega on 45th, I felt like I was being transported through time and place. The scenery evoked impressions of a Spanish countryside, which makes sense when you look at the history and inspiration of Adega on 45th.
Proprietor Alex Nunes was born and raised in Portugal. And these fond childhood memories influenced this winery's design and colour scheme. Finally, in 2011, with his brother-in-law, Fred Farinha opened Adega on 45th Estate Winery with their wives as owners. A large tasting room and wine shop sit on rolling slopes, providing their guests divine views of the town.
The European influence is visible everywhere, from the colour scheme of the tasting room to the bells they have in their bell tower. Did you know that Adega means cellar in Portuguese. Both Alex and Fred found their way into the tree-fruit farming community in the Southern Okanagan via their Portuguese immigrant roots. Little did they know that this path led them to a pivotal decision in 2005….continue as tree-fruit farmers or change to grape growing. The decision to plant and transform into vineyards resulted in 28.5 acres (11.5 hectares). Growing up in a culture where there was always wine on the table highlights fate's course for them. Alex and Fred are both very hands-on with all aspects of the business.
What impressed me about their re-creation of a European countryside was that I even felt my pace slow down to be more fitting of a Spanish countryside. Just relax and enjoy the moment. I was so relaxed and in the moment that I failed to get the name of my wine host. The wine host was still opening the wine shop, allowing us to choose which whites to open for tasting.
Before I get to the wines, I first want to bring up their wine shop. Aside from the typical shelves lined with bottles of wine, there is a plethora of artwork by local artists, such as painted tile, canvas, painted slate, pottery, and woodwork. Also, locally-made purses, knitted scarves, and blankets are available. It's nicely laid out, forcing you to explore the area. Walking around, I noticed a little cabinet with family pictures. But prominently displayed at the top is an older pic framed of a couple. The picture looks like it was taken in the 1950's or 1960's. Our wine host shared that there is a red blend called Manuel and a white blend called Felicidade among their wines. These are named after the original owners of the land, who have kept this land in family hands for over 50 years. Alex and Fred named these blends after them to honour them. I continued my exploration, and it was during this time that I discovered a fridge with an assortment of cured meats and cheeses. I asked my wine host about this, and she informed me that guests can buy meat and cheese and enjoy it on their patio, which has a lovely panoramic view of the town. After you're done tasting, spend time exploring the shop.
2022 Pinot Gris: As we were the first tasting of the day, my wine host started us off with some good advice. With toothpaste and coffee on the palate, use the first two sips to clear/refresh the palate so that sip number three will give you the flavours of the wine. This advice was also provided for whenever we move on to the next taste of wine. This Pinot Gris shows a fresh and crisp flavour profile with flavours of apple and apricot. I picked up a green-vegetal note that reminded me of Sauvignon Blanc. I loved the acidity of this wine - mouthwateringly delicious.
2022 Riesling: The aromas of this wine are classic. On the palate, this Riesling was slightly different; it was good but different. A floral flavour element is present, but it's dusted with spice, all blending with pear. That is the best I can describe. I was intrigued by this flavour profile. Off-dry with a perfect level of perceptible sweetness. This is a bottle that is perfect for chilling on a patio. Our wine host says this wine is worthy of popcorn salt & vinegar chips or even a little spicy Thai dish. This Riesling is only available in the winery.
As I was tasting this wine, a thought occurred to me. Riesling is most commonly grown in the north Okanagan, and I thought I noticed on the sign for the winery that it's an Estate winery (all grapes are grown in vineyards they own). So I asked. And yes, even all of their whites are grown on this parcel of land on which the winery sits. There is another parcel that grows primarily red. Knowing this makes their whites more impressive as harvest must be timed more carefully.
2022 Rose: The two-sip buffer the wine host suggested became essential for this transition. It was impressive to perceive the change in sweetness. The Riesling tasted sweeter with the rose and then got drier as the Riesling was washed off the palate. Wine mouthwash is what my wine host called this technique. This rose is comprised of Merlot and Viognier. This rose is off-dry due to the crazy volume of ripening these grapes undergo in the South Okanagan. Richer colour and heavier than other Okanagan Valley roses make this unique player among Okanagan roses. However, it is only available at the winery because they make a small production. The flavour profile is overflowing with berries. Fruit forward with a dry finish. This wine screams casual enjoyment with pizza.
2022 Manuel: A blend of Merlot and Viognier with a splash of Malbec. Soft tannins greet you on this red blend. What surprised me was the fruitiness of this wine and how easily approachable it is for a red—flavour of dark plum and black cherries. The fruit flavours also make this a red wine that could be chilled and enjoyed on a patio. This wine also has a cellaring potential of 4-7 years.
2019 Malbec: At first sip, I was lifted by flavours of vanilla, followed by blackberries and plum—much smoother tannins in a Malbec than I've experienced in a while. But the aromas on this were heavenly. I must apologize, as I didn't note the aromas because I was carried away by enjoying them. The cellaring potential for this wine is 5-7 years. Some food pairings suggested for this are lamb (or any gamey meat) and pizza.
2019 Quarteto Tinto: This is their Bordeaux blend comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon (69%), Malbec (12.5%), Merlot (12.5), Cabernet Franc (6%). This wine would best be enjoyed with a big juice steak or a tomahawk. The fruits on this were dark, accentuated by anise, black pepper, and hints of cocoa. It has a lovely tannin profile, but the acidity on this was a welcomed component. The approachability of the acidity was unexpected for a wine that would be great with a steak. But that just reflects the winemaking craft contained in the bottle. This wine has cellaring potential of 5-7 years.
Portao Da Adega Branco (White Style Port): Comprised of Muscat and Gewürztraminer. I'm glad I noticed they have a port because they offer white chocolate to experience port and chocolate pairing. If they could bottle the aroma into a cologne… I'd wear it. This aroma is so captivating. A detail I loved is that the neutral spirit used to fortify this wine is distilled from grapes from their land produced offsite for them. Using this "moonshine" instead of brandy made this SO MUCH smoother than I ever experienced with a port. Even for a port novice, this is so approachable that it can be used as an entry into the port world.
This winery captured that European and Portuguese ambiance. I'm glad we showed up at the opening, as we thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful views. Their wines are lovely and enhance the moment. What do I mean? When I tasted the white port at the winery, it felt like it had an elegant rustic composition which matched my surroundings and the moment. When I opened the bottle at home to enjoy it on the patio after completing some gardening at home, it didn't feel rustic; instead, it felt familiar and relaxed. I haven't opened any other bottles yet to see if this environmental chameleon effect applies to their wines. I will need to visit Oliver to revisit and ensure I have a few bottles of roses for the summer. If you're looking for a wine experience that'll take you back to an old-world winery in the European countryside, this is the place to slow down and enjoy the moment.
Cheers 🥂
-BC Wine Nerd
Website: Adega on 45th Estate Winery
Address: 7311-45th Street (Osoyoos, BC)
Phone #: 250-495-6243
Instagram: @adegaon45
Tasting Fee: Donation to the BC Children’s Hospital
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