Bordertown Vineyards and Estate Winery: A Young Winery with an Exceptional Reputation
At Bordertown Vineyards and Estate Winery, you’ll find the Gills, a fifth-generation farming family working a 35-acre vineyard that produces award-inning wines.
For Mohan Gill, the opening of Bordertown in May, 2015 was the culmination of a lifetime dream.
Mohan and his family built their reputation as growers, supplying some of the Okanagan’s best fruit to a select few wineries and winemakers. Their vineyards are some of the most highly regarded in British Columbia.
Bordertown has 100 acres of vineyards. The Osoyoos vineyard grows Chardonnay, Riesling, Muscat, Gewürztraminer and Viognier and Pinot Gris. Mohan also has Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Gris and a young block of Grüner Veltliner. The Peachland vineyard, a cooler terroir, is planted primarily in white varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Riesling but also includes Pinot Noir.
Renowned for integrity, attention to detail and impeccable farming skills, it’s Mohan’s passion for quality coupled with their experience and familiarity with the land we farm that sets us apart from the rest of the other wineries.
Mohan took his passion for wine, decided to follow his heritage – and turned his dream into a reality by building a family-owned and operated winery. Over the years, Mohan talked about starting a wine brand of his own and in the fall of 2013, those conversations became a reality with the harvest of the first grapes destined for Bordertown Estate Winery and Vineyards.
The Secret of Our Success
It’s the quality of the fruit. For over twenty years, the Gills have supplied some of the Okanagan’s best fruit to select wineries and winemakers. They’re well-known for their reliability, farming skills, and incredible attention to detail. Their legendary consulting winemaker Daniel Bontorin is devoted to crafting wines that reflect their varietal character.
“Our wines reflect the bounty of our 100 percent family-grown grapes, cultivated in our own soil.”
Mohan Gill – Bordertown Winery Owner
Due to increasing popularity of our wines, the family is expanding our production. This doesn’t mean a change in the quality of our products. Customers can still expect the very best. At Bordertown, we will never sacrifice quantity over quality.
Currently, Bordertown is more than doubling our production and storage facilities.
Accolades
One of the newest wineries in Osoyoos, Bordertown has already made an impressive name for ourselves with fans like: Canada’s most prolific wine writer, John Schreiner; Vancouver-based wine consultant, Kurtis Kolt; famed wine writer Dr. Jamie Goode; and Natalie Maclean, wine expert and recipient of the James Beard MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing awards. Not bad for a winery that’s only six years old.
Bordertown has won a bevy of medals including an array of Lieutenant Governors awards, National Wine Awards of Canada, Pacific Rim Wine Competition, Okanagan Wine Fesrtival Best of Varietals, and Cascadia International Wine Competitions. We were also listed as one of the WineAlign Top 10 B.C. wineries as well as one of their Top 25 Wineries in Canada.
The Rock Star: Bordertown’s Cabernet Franc
Traditionally in the South Okanagan, the Cabernet Franc grape was used to create fine Bordeaux blends. Until of late it was never considered a stand-alone grape. Meet Bordertown’s Cabernet Franc, the game-changer.
“The turning point came when noted UK wine critic Jamie Goode discovered Bordertown Cabernet Franc at Germany’s Pro Wein trade show and alerted other wine writers to taste it.” Tim Pawsey, Vitis magazine.
Ocean Wise Executive Chef Ned Bell wowed guests at NYC prestigious James Beard House by pairing it with BC salmon with mushrooms, celery root and hearts, and black truffle dressing. According to Pursuitist magazine, “the avant-garde pairing by Chef Bell enhanced the black truffle in the salmon and made the dish shine.”
The wine features flavours of tobacco, dark spice, herbaceous green pepper, and a tiny hint of mint. All of this is achieved while maintaining supple tannins and dark berry flavours. The finish is pleasant and lengthy. It’s a steal at only $24.00.
Our Cab Franc along with all our other wines are available for purchase in our Tasting Room, select liquor stores, restaurants, and directly here from our online wine store while supplies last.
Bordertown’s Living Desert Red (a Cab Franc dominant blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) also receives regular accolades. Our 2013 vintage was a recipient of the much coveted BC Lieutenant Governor’s Award, at the time bestowed on only 12 wines in BC in any given year.
“The winery was so fast out of the gate with quality wines that it won a Lieutenant Governor’s Award of Excellence last year for its flagship red, a meritage blend called Living Desert Red.” John Schreiner