Sandhill’s Howard Soon. (Supplied Photo)

There’s a saying in winemaking circles that it takes a lot of beer to make great wine. Usually it’s the volume of lager and ale consumed during harvest by thirsty winery workers that inspires that adage, but in the case of Sandhill’s Howard Soon it speaks to his prior work experience.

He spent five years at Labatt Brewing Company before landing in the Okanagan Valley in 1980 to start his winemaking career at Calona Vineyards.

Over the course of three decades, the pioneering Soon has seen the British Columbia grape and wine industry evolve from producing blended wines with Germanic and French-sounding names from hybrid varieties like Okanagan Riesling and De Chaunac to award-winning varietal wines from Shiraz, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Soon’s work at Sandhill, the upscale sister winery to Calona which was established in 1997, has helped define the character and expression of wines from the southern Okanagan. The vision for the winery is to produce single vineyard wines from four sites, the winery’s own estate and three independently owned vineyards including the Phanton Creek Vineyard.

“It’s where our future is,” Soon says of the single-minded, site-specific focus that Sandhill employs. It’s equally implied by Soon that making wines from specific vineyards and specific places is the future of British Columbia’s industry as a whole.

To hear Soon talk about his new releases like his Single Block Chardonnay and Single Block Merlot from the Sandhill Estate, it’s clear Soon hasn’t lost any of his interest or passion for winemaking. It’s also clear Soon firmly believes Sandhill’s next wine will be better than what was produced in the past. “It’s not passive like watching television,” Soon says of winemaking. “You have to be involved. You still have to think about things and make decisions.


 “That’s why computers can’t make (wine).”

Soon’s visit to Toronto marked his first time back in the market in almost a decade. It was timed to launch Sandhill’s estate bottled Chardonnay and Merlot at Ontario liquor stores. Production has developed to a point where the wines enjoy distribution in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

Wine lovers need have some Sherlock Holmes in them to acquire Sandhill’s top wines, which are produced under its Small Lots label. Demand easily outstrips the 200 to 600 case production of these rare bottlings, including an otherworldly Viognier and a spicy and distinctive Syrah. They are tightly allocated to specialty shops and a handful are currently available online in Ontario through a special offer from Vintages.

Wine of the Week


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Sandhill 2007 Chardonnay Sandhill Estate Vineyard

Okanagan Valley

BC AB SK $17.99 | MB $16.99 | ON $16.95 (157982)

According to Soon, preserving freshness and maximizing fruit intensity are two keys to producing this flavourful and nicely balanced Chardonnay. Oak aging imparts some appealing vanilla and spice notes to the pleasant peach and tropical fruit flavour. It’s a style that every winery in the Okanagan should consider. sandhillwines.ca