This Meritage red blend consists of Merlot with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc and it was chosen as one of the Top 25 wines at the 2010 Whistler Cornucopia Food & Wine event.
Fort Berens owners Rolf de Bruin and Heleen Pannekoek borrowed the name of the Hudson's Bay Company's Fort Berens, a trading post used by gold prospectors flocking to the area 150 years ago. The couple, who moved from the Netherlands in 2005, built an estate winery on their property in the Fraser Canyon where the trading post of Fort Berens used to sit.
Initial aromas of chocolate cherries, smoked meat and raisin are quickly followed by succulent berries, fruitcake spices and coffee liqueur with faint chalky minerality. The palate is supple and fresh - blueberry and cherry flavours dominate with a seam of sweet licorice. It has a very appealing texture and approachable fruit that impressed me.
©copyright 2010 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - November 3rd, 2010

Fort Berens owners Rolf de Bruin and Heleen Pannekoek borrowed the name of the Hudson's Bay Company's Fort Berens, a trading post used by gold prospectors flocking to the area 150 years ago. The couple, who moved from the Netherlands in 2005 and planted vines on their property in the Fraser Canyon where the trading post of Fort Berens used to sit. Construction on the winery began this spring, in time for the first estate fruit to be crushed.
The Meritage is a blend of Okanagan, Black Sage Bench Merlot with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc.
This 2009 vintage offers engaging aromas of cherries, spiced plums, tobacco and vanilla with hints of mint. The palate offers cloves and dark berry flavours, licorice and spice. It has nice balance, a smooth texture and ripe tannins.

©copyright 2011 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - June 9th, 2011

Pioneering a new winemaking region near Lillooet, in the Fraser Canyon, Fort Berens is making wines from their estate vineyard supported by sourced fruit from the Okanagan Valley.
The Pinot Gris combines both estate and Okanagan fruit and this year it offers smoky pears, spiced oak, lemon, buttered toast and wild herbs on the nose. It's rounded and quite creamy in the mouth with loads of acidity and flavours of white fruit, citrus and toasted spice.
Pair with chicken, roasted or in creamy sauces and mushroom dishes.
©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - January 17th, 2013

Pioneering a new wine region in BC, Fort Berens is located at the base of the Fraser Canyon, near Lillooet.
Their vines are now old enough, that they are able to rely upon making this wine from their estate fruit.
This vintage is a paler cherry blossom pink colour, which I prefer. It's delicate and fragrant with vanilla, rose petals, sweet summer berries and orange blossoms. The palate is tangy and is reminiscent of a bowl of summer fruit spritzed with tangerine oil. Nice job this vintage. There is some backbone here and fine spice and cedar flavours on the finish, but the acidity and lively character will draw you back to your glass again and again.
Pair with a wide range of foods: salmon, a cheese platter, cassoulet, pork, turkey or grilled veggies.

©copyright 2013 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - May 3rd, 2013

Pioneering a new wine region in BC, Fort Berens is located at the base of the Fraser Canyon, near Lillooet.
Their vines are now old enough, that they are able to rely upon making wines from their estate, rather than sourcing all the fruit from the Okanagan Valley. As a bonus, the temperatures in the Fraser Canyon are slightly warmer than the Okanagan Valley and cooler at night - a win-win.

It's a brilliantly shaded rose (think cran-ruby) and offer aromas of rose petals, raspberry and vanilla, cherries and cedar and undertones of forest floor and smoke. It falls on the dry side - the flavours are tart cranberry and rhubarb with a crisp citrus peel finish. The tannin adds enough structure to partner with salmon, a cheese platter, cassoulet or turkey.

©copyright 2012 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Diva reviewed - June 29th, 2012