Latest News
Party In the Park - Tix on Sale Now!
April 13, 2018
.jpg)
Every year we look forward to this event - great food, great entertainment, great view - and of course, great wine!
Do not delay - get your tickest today and we will see you there!
Sacrosanct Saturday ~ Spring Festival Event ~ May 12
April 4, 2018
Join us at Blasted Church Vineyards between 10am and 5pm for a divine tasting of the exclusive Sacrosanct Cabernet Franc 2016 and the rest of the Small Blessing series. Learn the unique way these small lot wines were produced and bottled to allow the fruit to shine! Our winemaker, Evan Saunders, will be on hand to preach the amphora and handmade terracotta bottles, sharing his passion project with faithful followers from far and wide. Spontaneity is welcome - gather early for pizza, stay til the afternoon for live music. This event is free. Click here to view the event poster.
We are hiring for the upcoming season!
March 26, 2018
BCV is now hiring for 1 Full Time and 1 Part Time position to work in the winery tasting room over the months of July and August.
Good sense of humour and fun loving personality required.
Must be 19 years or older and able to obtain a Serving it Right certificate.
Please email your resume to Tanya Martin: tanya@blastedchurch.com
We will be OPEN for Easter Tastings & Treats
March 5, 2018
MARCH 30 - APRIL 2
Rejoice! The Easter bunny brings wine!
The Tasting Room at BCV will be open for the four-day Easter weekend. Join us for Easter treats and divine wine tastings March 30 – April 2 from 10am – 5pm.
Jumping Jehosaphat! The WINE SHOP will be CLOSED
February 8, 2018
PLEASE NOTE: the Wine Shop will be CLOSED from February 11 - 17 due to road construction. We will resume business again after the weekend, as usual, on February 19th.
This means we will not be shipping out orders over this week. Please order wine as you please, but we will not be able to ship it out until the the week of the 19th.
OMFG Has Been Sent From Above!
January 31, 2018
The 2011 OMFG Sparkling Wine is now available.
Order before Valentine's Day to receive free shipping on your entire order.
2017 Vintage Review
January 19, 2018
The 2017 vintage got off to a slower start with cool days and a lot of precipitation leading to flood conditions throughout the Valley. Bud break started around 14 days later than either 2015 or 2016, but only a couple of days off of the average of the last 15 years. Once the weather turned we were in for months of hot, dry conditions and the vineyards had no problem catching up, hitting all of the key developmental stages as expected. However, with the drought conditions came several forest fires throughout BC, Washington State and California. The smoke provided a mixed bag; it had the beneficial effect of buffering the heat through the most intense days of the summer helping to moderate the accumulation of sugars and loss of acid, but it also lead to more humid days and increased disease pressure – extreme diligence in the vineyard was rewarded by healthy and clean fruit. Warm days and cool nights signalled the approach of harvest, allowing for great evolution of flavour without any spikes in sugars while maintaining bracing acidity in the fruit.
Harvest brought a few surprises as yields were down across the Valley due in part to small berry size, we came in 10% under estimate, and an early cold spell put the vineyard manager and winemaker on edge. Patience was rewarded however as the temperatures never dropped too low and we were able to hang some fruit well into the fall to really develop flavour and phenolics. The final pick of the season came with a significant snowfall on the horizon, we were fortunate to harvest all fruit just hours before the snow started flying.
In the cellar, the white wines are showing great purity and balance with beautiful, natural acidity. The red wines have amazing phenolic ripeness with balanced natural acidity and lower alcohols – the Holy Grail in winemaking!
Every vintage comes with its own unique character, and 2017 was no different. Careful attention in the vineyard and a steady approach in the cellar yielded some beautiful wines which will continue to amaze for years to come.
Show your #BlastedPride
January 12, 2018
Show your #BlastedPride
Blasted Church is a proud supporter of the 26th Annual Whistler Pride & Ski Festival once again!
Experience our most exalting wines as we kick off the festivities at the Welcome Reception on January 21, and again at the Bearfoot Bistro on January 22 for an intimate wine pairing dinner.
Share your event photos over social media using #BlastedPride for the chance to WIN gifts!
A Toast to Our Partnership with the Fairmont Chateau Whistler
December 21, 2017
Fairmont Hotels was one of the winery’s very first clients. It was such an honour for this boutique winery to have their wines served at the most iconic and prestigious addresses in Canada.
In honouring Blasted Church’s 15 year anniversary with Fairmont, the winery commissioned their inaugural artist, Monika Melnychuk to create a new label for Fairmont Chateau Whistler.
The newly released Pinot Gris 2016 (label pictured below) in all its glory is now available throughout the hotel.
Please enjoy this delicious British Columbian wine, and raise a glass to wonderful relationships!
Free Shipping = Happy Holidays!
December 21, 2017
Free Shipping ends December 31st!
Order your favourite wine and have them shipped across Canada at no charge.
Wishing you and yours a fantastic holiday season!
From all of us at Blasted Church
HOLIDAY CHEER OPEN HOUSE
November 16, 2017
Join us in the wine shop for tastings and holiday cheer on November 18 & 19 from 11am - 4pm.
We are opening some special bottles to share with you! Come in to sample our wines, enjoy some Christmas baking and sip on some holiday mulled wine.
Also, please note we are collecting non-perishable food items this weekend for Helping Hand’s Christmas Food Hampers.
Event presented by the Okanagan Falls Winery Association and enjoyed by all! See you soon.
A Heavenly $250 Gift Card Awaits You!
October 20, 2017
Contest Alert
Join the Blasted Church Flock before November 13th and be entered for the chance to WIN a $250 Gift Card!
You will also be among the first of our devotees to view the exclusive Small Blessings series available to new Flock members only for a limited time.
New Vintages of Revered Series Have Arrived
October 12, 2017
For over fifteen years, Blasted Church has quietly produced a heavenly stash of Revered Wines for some of our most discerning and passionate collectors. A selection of very special wines that garnered many awards and accolades from a legion of devoted followers.
Three years ago, our newly appointed Assistant (and now full-fledged) Winemaker, Evan Saunders set us on a course to further outdo ourselves beyond our wildest beliefs. In the vineyards, small parcels of vines had been fastidiously identified as our very finest-of-the-finest. Throughout the growing seasons, these vines have been nurtured with utmost care and attention. During harvest, these divine grapes were prioritized for specialty small batch winemaking. In the cellar, we smartly invested in world class craft winemaking equipment, and Evan teamed up with the highly esteemed Pascal Madevon to help us unleash the fullest potential of our collective abilities.
All of this effort culminated in the creation of this year’s launch of our entirely new Revered Series wines and introduced labels inspired by contemporary tattoo art expressing our devotion to the heavens. A selection of exalting wines that exemplify the very best that we can achieve.
Take the time to explore this rare Revered Series offering, and perhaps try some of your favourite varietals. They’ll make a believer out of you.
BC Wine Awards Announced
September 29, 2017
The BC Wine Awards have been announced! Blasted Church took home the following hardware:
Gold - 2015 Holy Moly
Silver - 2015 Cab Merlot
Silver - 2015 Nothing Sacred
Bronze - 2016 Big Bang Theory
Bronze - 2016 Pinot Gris
Bronze - 2012 OMG
Bronze - 2015 Merlot
More Awards! - National Wine Awards of Canada
July 11, 2017
We've been blessed with more awards! From the National Wine Awards of Canada, we recieved:
Gold - Merlot 2014
Silver - Sauvignon Blanc 2016
Silver - Holy Moly 2014
Silver - Cross to Bear 2014
Silver - OMG 2012
Bronze - Rose 2016
Hallelujah!!
Awards from the All Canadian Wine Championships
June 20, 2017
The results for the 2017 All Canadian Wine Championships have been announced and Blasted Church has taken home seven awards!
Double Gold – Holy Moly 2014
Gold – Sauvignon Blanc 2016
Silver – OMG 2012
Silver – Mixed Blessings 2016
Silver - Unortodox Chardonnay 2016
Silver – Nothing Sacred 2014
Silver – Cross to Bear 2014
Congratulations to our hard working team!
Celebrate Blasted Church’s 15th Anniversary!
June 1, 2017
On June 22nd, Blasted Church will be hosting a party to celebrate our 15th Anniversary!
From 10am to 5pm, our wine shop will be open for free wine tastings and give-aways! In addition, we will have free pizza samples for the masses thanks to Stoked Embers Wood Fired Pizza. Our pool will be open to the public all day, so don't forget your swim habit and towel!
The Block Party will begin at 5pm to 9pm with live music, more free wine and pizza!
Blasted Church Now Offers Food!
May 19, 2017
Blasted Church Vineyards has teamed up with Stoked Embers Wood Fire Pizzas to offer our winery pilgrims a drool-worthy menu of fresh gourmet pizzas! Come visit the winery for a heavenly wine experience, relax on our patio overlooking the lake, drinking wine and eating heavenly pizza. Pure Bliss.
For more information, please visit our Winery Store page.
Best of BC Wine Awards by Okanagan Life Magazine
May 11, 2017
Okanagan Life Magazine’s May 2017 issue features the Okanagan Life Best of BC Wine Award Winners. We were blessed to receive four awards for the following wines:
Gold – Other Red (Over $25) – Holy Moly 2014
Silver – Bordeaux Style / Meritage Red (Over $25) – Nothing Sacred 2014
Bronze – Other Dry White – Bible Thumper 2015
Bronze – Chardonnay – Swear to God 2015
For the full article, pick up the May 2017 issue or download a digital copy.
Nine Awards Won at the Best of Varietals!
May 4, 2017
We are so proud of the talent we have in the cellar along with our hard working vineyard team - and all their passion has paid off! Winemaker Elaine Vickers was presented with numerous wine awards at the Best of Varietal Awards. They are:
Best of Varietal – Holy Moly 2014
Gold – Nothing Sacred 2014
Gold – Cross to Bear 2014
Gold – Sauvignon Blanc 2016
Gold – Rosé 2016
Silver – Mixed Blessings 2016
Silver – Pinot Gris 2015
Silver – Big Bang Theory 2015
Silver – OMG Sparkling 2012
.jpg)
Winery Store Open for the Season!
April 14, 2017
Our Winery Store is now officially open, welcoming wine believers from 10AM to 5PM every day.
New this year are two heavenly picnic areas for you to casually enjoy sipping Blasted Church wines at. One overlooks our breathtaking vineyards, and the other is by our serene poolside.
Even more exalting is that the Okanagan’s legendary Stoked Embers Wood Fire Pizza will be operating full blast at Blasted Church throughout the entire spring and summer season! Perfection!
Do drop by Blasted Church next time you are in the glorious Okanagan. We look forward to welcoming you and your friends!
John Schreiner Critiques Blasted Church Wines
April 12, 2017
The Okanagan Falls Winery Association was please to host wine critic John Schreiner at our OFWA Spring Launch for a sneak peak of our 2016 vintages, as well as some of our earlier vintages. He took the time to share his notes on our wines:
Blasted Church OMG 2012 ($24.90). This sparkling wine is 66% Pinot Noir, 22% Chardonnay and 12% Pinot Blanc. It begins with aromas of pear and apples that are echoed in the flavours, along with a hint of brioche from the yeast lees. The finish is crisp. 90.
Blasted Church Hatfield’s Fuse 2015 ($17). This is a 10-grape blend: 22% Gewürztraminer, 21% Pinot Gris, 20% Viognier, 13% Optima, 8% Ehrenfelser, 5% Pinot Blanc 4% Chardonnay, 4% Chardonnay Musqué, 2% Orange Muscat and 1% Riesling. The wine, as a result, is a big, delicious fruit bowl. 90.
Blasted Church Pinot Gris 2015 ($20.50). This is a crisply dry wine, with aromas and flavours of melon and green apple. The finish is refreshing. 89.
Blasted Church Big Bang Theory 2015 ($19). This is a blend of 50% Merlot, 15% Malbec, 10% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, 9% Lemberger and 6% Syrah. Here is an accessible red, ready for the barbecue this summer. The aromas and flavours of cherry and blueberry mingle with generous, toasty oak. 90.
Blasted Church Nothing Sacred 2014 ($45). This is the winery’s flagship Bordeaux blend: 40% Merlot and 20% each Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a full-bodied wine with aromas and flavours of blackcurrant, blackberry, and spicy fruit cake. 92.
For the complete article, visit John Schreiner’s blog.
Blasted Church & Marquis Wine Cellars Celebrate Gay Marriage
July 11, 2016
Join us on Saturday July 16, 2016 from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. at Marquis Wine Cellars on Davie Street, Vancouver as we celebrate Pride with a unique sampling.
Assistant winemaker, Evan Saunders, will educate guests on the limited edition wines, Holy Matrimony and Marital Bliss which proudly celebrate contemporary wedding scenes on each bottle’s label.
There will also be a miniature chapel for attendees to partake in their very own mock wedding ceremony officiated by our Blasted “Minister". Guests that take a “wedding” photo and post to social media will be entered to win many great prizes, including Dinner for Two at The Keg Steakhouse + Bar and will be given a “marriage” certificate which will entitle them to 10% off participating Blasted Church wines at Marquis Wine Cellars during the event.
This is an event you won't want to miss! RSVP on Facebook
Check out our Instagram for #BLASTEDPride contest details!
Can't make it to Marquis Wine Cellars to get your Holy Matrimony & Marital Bliss? Visit our other retail partners:
Vancouver:
Denman Wines & Spirits / Highpoint Beer Wine Spirits / Toby's on Commercial Drive / Swirl VQA / Viti Wine and Lagers
North Shore:
Dollarton Liquor Store / Jack Lonsdales Beer & Wine / Everything Wine North Van
Port Moody / Coquitlam / New West / Burnaby:
Jakes Crossing Liquor Store / Quayside Wines / Bainbridge
Squamish & Whistler:
Sea to Sky Liquor Store / Blackomb Liquor Store / Nesters Liquor Store
2016 Whistler Pride & Ski Festival
January 22, 2016
Blasted Church Vineyards is delighted to announce their winery’s sponsorship support for the 24th annual edition of the 2016 Whistler Pride & Ski Festival.
“The LGBT community has long been a big fan of our church, and we find that this is a lovely opportunity to give back, and say thank you to this cherished community” says Blasted Church Vineyards co-owner Evelyn Campbell. "We also look forward to crashing many Whistler Pride events to see firsthand what all this fantastic buzz is about!” she added.
Concurrent to this endeavour, Blasted Church is also launching a very special limited edition wine that proudly celebrates two contemporary wedding scenes. One version will be called “Marital Bliss” and the other, “Holy Matrimony”. Both wines are identical and feature a festive marriage of Pinot Blanc, Ehrenfelser, Viognier and a whole lotta love. Only 500 cases produced. The wine will be available exclusively in select restaurants and wine stores across British Columbia, as well as via Blasted Church’s online wine store.
“We anticipate a fast sell out of this inaugural edition of Marital Bliss and Holy Matrimony wines” states Brent Hayman, the winery’s Sales Manager, “and I’m confident that you will see many more exciting initiatives from Blasted Church as our relationship with Whistler Pride grows mutually richer through the years”.
For more information relating to Whistler Pride
Dean Nelson
Media Relations, Community
2016 Whistler Pride & Ski Festival
dean@gaywhistler.com
Ph: 604 288 7218
For sales information relating to Blasted Church Holy Matrimony and Marital Bliss Wines
Danielle Andrews
Brand Evangelist
Blasted Church Vineyards
Vancouver, BC
sales@blastedchurch.com
blastedchurch.com
Ph: 604 803 5326
When Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh won’t do
November 30, 2015
Seeking the perfect Christmas gifts can be a stressful mission. Let’s finally agree once and for all that gold, frankincense & myrrh are bewildering Christmas gifts. Gold is good, but what to do with the other two? Can one re-gift frankincense & myrrh?
Gift shoppers are much wiser to seek unique, and more treasured items for this Yuletide Season.
Consider either of our two euphoric offerings: the 12 Yeahs of Christmas selection, or our Answered Prayers gift pack. And don't forget, as always, we're offering FREE SHIPPING for the month of December from our online store!
Twelve Yeahs of Christmas
A miraculous assortment of twelve heavenly Blasted Church wines. Certain to bring joy to everyone at the Holiday gathering.
The 12 Yeahs of Christmas is comprised of:
2014 Mixed Blessings
2014 Gewurztraminer
2014 Hatfield's Fuse - sneak preview release
2014 Unorthodox Chard - awarded Best of Varietal at Spring Okanagan Wine Festival
2014 Sauvignon Blanc - rare find, sold out everywhere
2014 Pinot Gris
2012 Syrah - exclusive, sold out everywhere
2012 Merlot - desirable find, sold out + Gold medal at All Canadian Wine Championship
2012 Cabernet Merlot - exclusive, sold out everywhere
2014 Big Bang Theory
2011 OMG Sparkling Wine
NV Amen Port de Merlot
Only 48 cases available BUY NOW $234 + tax & deposit
Answered Prayers
The chosen ones. Four glorious nectars of the gods, solemnly gathered together to create the gift of all gifts.
Answered Prayers features:
2011 Revered Series Nothing Sacred
2012 Revered Series Holy Moly - exclusive, sold out everywhere - Lieutenant Governor Award winner + Gold medal at the All Canadian Wine Championship
2012 Revered Series Cross to Bear - exclusive, sold out everywhere
2012 Revered Series Swear to God - exclusive, sold out everywhere
Only 24 cases available BUY NOW $118 + tax & deposit
Vintage Synopsis 2015
November 16, 2015
Once again harvest brought all sorts of firsts for us that will cultivate into interesting wines for you to discover! We started harvest early this year, Aug 25th-26th, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, destined for sparkling wine, so early in fact that one of our crew leaders, Greg, was still on summer holiday! Our vintage staff arrived the beginning of Sept (also a first) in anticipation of the early harvest and we were able to get through training week before we brought more fruit in (another first). We were quite fortunate this year to have all vintage staff with winery experience (you guessed it - a first!). We welcomed Dave - a local, Alex - from the east coast, Ihan - originally from Korea but Ontario based now, and Queenie - from Hong Kong. They teamed up nicely with crew leaders Greg (his third vintage) and Evan (his second as crew leader but first as Assistant Winemaker). Many grape varietals reached sugar ripeness early but it was around mid-Sept before flavours started to develop. Grapes started rolling in fast on Sept 10th with Pinot Gris, and within the week we had processed 110 tonnes. With our total intake of 340 tonnes processing almost a third in just a week was definitely a first! We kept that pace up for the following week in which we processed another 110 tonnes of fruit that included reds, starting with Pinot Noir, some Syrah and some Merlot. It was the first time since 2009 that red varietals were harvested in Sept (other than Pinot Noir destined for sparkling). After that the last 100 tonnes of fruit came in more slowly throughout October and we finished with our Riesling being harvested on the 27th of Oct. This year some of the whites were over tonnage but reds seemed pretty accurate. Brix were on the high side and pH and TAs seemed to vary depending on variety. With sugar and flavour ripeness we decided to allow lots of tannin extraction especially for our revered reds. Amoung the firsts of this vintage was our first ferment of Pinot Gris on skins, first Cab Franc ferment in barrels with heads removed, first co-ferment of Cab Franc, Merlot and Malbec, and our first ever vintage harvest staff winemaking competition where harvest staff from each shift got a half tonne of Lemberger grapes to make wine however they wished! The cold weather now brings us inside for barrel work, clarifying and blending of the wines!
In summary, this vintage was a bit early with many firsts but turned out great due to our Vineyard Manager's, Trevor, support; Chris' reliable grape transportation; Tanya's checking on us to make sure we were still sane; and Evelyn's help in the lab with grape and juice analysis; and especially due to the knowledge and hard but careful work of all our Crew Leaders and vintage staff. We can't wait until you can taste the fruits (think tropical) of our labour.
Wishing you a joyous winter!
Elaine Vickers, Winemaker, and Evan Saunders, Assistant Winemaker
Harvest Report 2015
November 14, 2015
The 2015 season started off mild with very little snowfall in the higher elevations which created the possibility for a drought season. Spring arrived all at once, and life came back to the vineyard in a rapid pace that offered the most growing degree days for the Okanagan Valley in such a short period of time. The buds swelled early which put pressure on us to monitor for cutworms and early frost. The season kept going without any speed bumps, and many in the industry were already calling it a “vintage year”. In the vineyard, we saw green practices being executed with the addition of pomice material and compost being used as soil amendments, as well as new plantings of Chardonnay and Viognier. Above average temperatures throughout mid-spring and summer months, allowed the vines to flourish throughout the growing season. Long hot sunny days provided ample opportunity for increased photosynthesis and Brix accumulation. 2015 set a new record at Blasted Church for earliest harvest, with our sparkling grapes coming off first. Most of the grapes were analytically ready, but were still developing their flavour characteristics so we began to play a game with mother nature to see if the Brix/TA/pH would still rise as the flavours began to develop. Even with the above challenges, the vineyard team brought in clean, flavourful fruit for our winemaking team to create a wonderful vintage.
Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence
June 16, 2015
Fourteen wines have been chosen for the 2015 Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in British Columbia Wines, the Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, announced today.
And Blasted Church's Holy Moly - Petit Verdot 2012 is one of them! Congratulations to our hardworking cellar and vineyard team!
Holy Moly is one of Blasted Church's Revered Series wines and a wineshop-only product. But fear not! You can purchase Holy Moly from our online store
View the full press release of the 14 winners.
Free Shipping on Wine Orders
November 28, 2014
Free shipping is now available on online store orders through to the end of December! Head on over to the online store to take full advantage.
Vintage Synopsis 2014
November 25, 2014
This years harvest was quite unique and kept everyone on their toes. It started with processing our first grapes Sept 11th, before any of our crush crew arrived! This was actually a blessing in disguise as it enabled our eager Crew Leaders, Greg and Evan, a chance to make sure equipment was running smoothly before things got hectic. This was Greg's second year as Crew Leader but Evan's first as he joined our team in June of this year. The remainder of our harvest staff joined us Sept 15th. We had the benefit of girl power as Jacklyn, Ally, and Paula joined us from Niagara, Calgary, and South Australia respectively. We were lucky to have one of our bottling staff, Wade, join us as well. The crew went through training for a couple of days before they saw grapes, then things were pretty steady as the whites rolled in and throughout the first week and a half of October. Our first red harvested this year was Syrah from Osoyoos on the 7th of October, followed by a steady intake of red grapes until mid-October when we had to pause for a week as all our tanks were full! Once we managed to press off some reds and barrel them down, we continued harvesting through October and ended with our own Cabernet Sauvignon on November 10th. Grapes came in heavy throughout the entire Okanagan Valley this year and, like many other wineries, we were forced to be creative with tank space as we were over on our tonnage and under on our tanks! We also saw a range in grape analysis from average brix with some high TAs and some low TAs, to high brix with high TAs. However, ferments progressed nicely to finish with no outrageous alcohols. We processed 356 tonnes in total this year. Now onto barrel work, clarifying and blending of the wines!
In summary, this vintage was a bit longer and quite unique, but the grapes came in at a very high quality due in large part to our new Vineyard Manager, Gordie Sidhu, and his knowledgeable and conscientious team. We also had great support from Chris who transported all our grapes, from Brooke and Evelyn who supported us in many ways, but especially with their non-stop supply of coffee., and Tanya sent her support long distance as she was away, trekking across Spain. Lastly and especially, we are very grateful for the knowledge and hard but careful work of all our Crew Leaders and vintage staff. We cannot wait until you taste the fruits of our labour.
Wishing you a joyous winter!
Elaine Vickers, Winemaker
Mark Wendenburg, Winemaker
