A local winery in Keremeos is joining the Made in Canada campaign as they release new products in the midst of the trade war with the U.S., even with a key ingredient stemming from south of the border.
Clos du Soleil Winery in the Similkameen Valley has released a new series of wines that are made in B.C. and fall under the Buy Canadian movement as tariff threats loom. They are also working hard to explain to their customers, as well as their partners in the wine trade, that these new products do fit within the Made in Canada and Buy Canadian campaigns, despite being made with Washington grapes.
The Washington Series wines include Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Chardonnay 2024 and Rosé 2004, and although all three were made with grapes sourced from Washington, Clos du Soleil is ensuring that every step of the winemaking process, from fermentation to aging and bottling, was done at their Similkameen winery in B.C. by their own winemaking team.
"What customers should understand is that when they buy one of these wines, they are supporting a Canadian business and are helping to keep Canadian workers employed during what is a very challenging time for our whole industry," said Clos du Soleil managing director and winemaker Michael Clark. "When customers purchase one of these bottles, not a dollar is leaving this country — it is purely to support Canadian jobs."
Clark added that customers should also understand that the grapes for these wines were purchased long before the current U.S. administration was in place.
With the unpredictability of the weather, including deep freezes in December of 2022 and January of 2024, the winery had to adapt in order to maintain its high standards. Sourcing grapes from Washington was one adaptation to those extreme weather conditions, which has allowed them to continue maintaining their high standards.
The vineyards in Washington have similar landscapes, soils and climates as those of the Similkameen Valley, allowing Clos du Soleil to maintain consistency in every bottle. The grapes from down south also travel fewer distances from Washington to the winery in Keremeos than many B.C. grapes travel within the province, which is in line with Clos du Soleil's commitment to sustainability and quality.
Clark went on to say that Clos du Soleil has been clear in their labelling and marketing about where exactly the grapes come from, as they take pride in being honest and transparent.
"It is important to us to communicate openly with our customers about every aspect of the wines we make every year," he said. "Our customers understand that purchasing them, including similar wines made by other B.C. wineries, is a way of supporting a Canadian industry that truly needs support in these difficult times."
