Blasted Church Vineyards is celebrating its 20th anniversary tomorrow, Saturday Aug. 20. And to mark the event, the winery team is throwing a party from 6-10 p.m. at their Okanagan Falls winery. The anniversary party is themed “7 Deadly Sins” and the team asks attendees to come dressed as their favourite sin (and there will be prizes for the best costume).
There will be live music from Jon Bos and spins from DJ Lady of the Mist, entertainment by Cosmic Co-Motion, and poolside bites featuring Shucked Oyster Co, Purdy’s Chocolate, and the winery’s own Chef John Burke. Add the lineup of Blasted Church’s favourite wines to all of this and this sinful party will be one to remember. Tickets are $150 per person.
You might know Blasted Church Vineyards for its fun labels (Renaissance labels, modern wine) or the many awards the winery continually receives, but did you also know these fun facts on how Blasted Church has helped push our local wine industry forward?
Blasted Church was the first BC winery to use screw cap closures, make its wines available on tap at restaurants and grow chardonnay Musqué.
Under new ownership since 2020, the winery is located on the eastern shores of Skaha Lake at Okanagan Falls and is creating a blast among wine circles for making a lot of noise about the heavenly quality of its wines. Blasted Church was named #2 Winery in BC and #3 Winery in Canada at the 2021 WineAlign National Wine Awards. This year it is among the Top 25 Wineries in Canada!
Where did that blasted name come from? In 1929, a crew from Okanagan Falls journeyed to a deserted mining camp to dismantle an old wooden church and bring it to OK Falls. The plan called for a controlled blast inside the church to loosen the nails. The resulting out-of-control explosion blew out the wooden walls but spared the wood from damage during dismantling. Now the century-old church stands proudly in its second home in the Okanagan.
If you won’t be able to attend the 7 Deadly Sins party tomorrow, you will be able to purchase Blasted Church wines at Richmond Brighouse BC Liquor Store. The 2020 Blasted Church Gewurztraminer ($17.99; 89 points, Very Good) is a delicious aromatic white with a floral nose reminiscent of a rose garden.
Expect lychee fruit flavour with fresh grapefruit and minerals. Excellent with sushi, especially with a Dynamite Roll. The crisp acidity cleanses the palate of the wasabi on the roll!
If you’re in the mood for a red, the Blasted Church 2020 Big Bang Theory ($21.99; 90 points; Outstanding) is a smooth blend of 47% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 9% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Pinot Noir, and if that weren’t enough, 1% Refosco, a red grape from Croatia, Slovenia, and north-eastern Italy.
The fruit came from their estate vineyard on the Skaha Bench as well as vineyards in Oliver, Osoyoos, and the Similkameen. The complex aroma has plum, black cherry, cassis, raspberry and blueberry with cocoa, a gentle kiss of smoke, in a medium body with ripe tannins, ending on a juicy balanced finish. Delicious with a teriyaki rib eye, and surprisingly good with the prawn sunomono!
In a recent column I reviewed The Blasted Church Vineyards 2019 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon ($28.00; 89 points, Very Good). It’s a tasty blend of 66-per-cent Sauvignon and 33-per-cent Semillon and is now available at Ironwood’s Save on Foods VQA store. Delicious with jerk chicken with coconut rice!
You can also pick up another white, the Blasted Church 2020 Viognier ($24.00; 90 points, Very Good) full of ripe peach, apricot, orange and citrus with a gentle herbal character. It paired well with my jerk chicken and coconut rice but it would a perfect partner with Pad Thai or a Lamb Tagine and apricots.
One of the best red grapes from the Okanagan is Merlot, and Blasted Church’s 2018 Merlot is a winner ($34.00; 91 points, Outstanding).
Deep garnet in the glass, there’s a bountiful aroma of dark fruit with toasted oak, tea leaves, and dark chocolate with a pinch of graphite. Tasting this full-bodied wine you get to savour the rich and elegant black plum, blackberries, and cherries with slightly grainy tannins and minerals.
Delicious with the “Party Steak” I cooked using grilled filet mignon over a bed of roasted pimentos, garlic butter, and the reduced Merlot, with a side of roast potatoes. The ‘Blasted Church Merlot, Viognier, and Sauvginon-Semillon are all available at Ironwood’s Save on Foods.
Happy 20th, Blasted Church, and here’s to you and your heavenly wines!
