Canada Turns 144

For the most part that will mean British Columbia wine here in the West because frankly there are very few other Canadian wines available for sale in this part of Canada.

Lack of demand is the likely culprit. Few if any consumers are demanding Ontario, Quebec or Nova Scotia wine in B.C. retail wine outlets and the same goes for B.C. wine in Ontario. There is, however, a market to be built online, typically generated by newsletters or by inperson winery visits but to date provincial liquor monopolies have chosen to prohibit those sales. Given how easy it would be to buy wine online and have it shipped to your door, the only explanation must be the liquor monopolies can't figure out how to share the tax revenue between provinces.

Those with a much deeper understanding of the constitution would suggest interprovincial free trade in wine would open a Pandora's Box of provincial and federal trade regulations. Since shipping a few bottles of wine across provincial boundaries seems a benign act at best, I'm inclined to believe it's not wine at all that is at the root of the problem. As a result, wine growers across the country will endure another national birthday with no means to sell their wine to Canadians residing anywhere but in their home province.

But why spoil a long holiday weekend quibbling over wine regulations that will never change, and wines you can't buy? What you can do this Canada Day long weekend is drink 100 per cent British Columbia grown wine and revel in how far our local producers have come.

Today I have scoured B.C. liquor stores to reveal six excellent, affordable, grown in British Columbia wines that you should have little or no trouble finding wherever you shop.

Mission Hill's 'Five Vineyard' lineup continues to be consistent and really, for the money, hard to beat. The Mission Hill Five Vineyards Rosé 2010 has fresh fruit aromas and flavours mixing citrus, watermelon and strawberries with a dash of minerality and just the right amount of residual sugar. A good value rosé blend of Merlot and Pinot Noir for grilled chicken, potato salad, corn -you name it -they should all work.

It's been a while since we've seen any Gray Monk Pinot Gris 2010 in government stores but we are happy to see the winery's signature label more widely distributed. The 2010 is a very solid effort beginning with its dash of pale peach colour and rich, red apple, pink grapefruit, mineral nose. The entry is soft and welcoming with a touch of Alsace character and citrus, honey, melon flavours that finish with a twist of spice. Love the balance. Try this with hard white cheeses or creamy pasta dishes.

The Quails' Gate Chasselas - Pinot Blanc - Pinot Gris 2010 is the quintessential aromatic B.C. white. The nose is crisp, clean and tart with green apple, green peas and soapy/floral, mineral, citrus aromas. The attack is ultrafresh and clean with more floral, pear, grapefruit and honey flavours. A simple but refreshing summer sipper that is perfect with assorted sushi. Load up.

For something completely different consider the Inniskillin Okanagan Discovery Series Marsanne Roussanne 2008 and its spicy, floral, green apple, citrus, peach skin aromas. You will love its ripe, fresh, elegant palate and the lemon, orange, honey, ginger, spicy, baked peach flavours. Good finesse and elegance. The finish is on the ripe side but with fine acidity to balance. Spicy foods would likely work well with this southern Rhone-style white that provides a much needed point of difference with other Okanagan whites.

The CedarCreek Estate Syrah 2008 finally provides a softer, slightly riper style that will be welcomed by all. There is still plenty of cool peppery, floral, meaty aromas but with a savoury cherry/chocolate undercurrent. The entry is round and supple with spicy red fruits and chocolate pudding flavours spiced with floral, licorice root and cardamom. A much easier wine to sip but best with grilled lamb chops.

It's surprising, or maybe not any more, to see a high end signature B.C. red in government stores. You could drink the Painted Rock Red Icon 2008 this weekend, with a big steak, it will clearly benefit from several years of bottle age. Expect an intense smoky, meaty, gamy nose to precede a supple and fresh attack with light tannins and more cassis jam, black cherry, coffee, cedar, tobacco, savoury licorice and chocolate flavours. It is a bit warm and thin on the finish but there is fine intensity of flavour. The '08 Icon is a 30/25/25/20 mix of Merlot, malbec, cabernet franc and petite verdot -all aged 18 months in new French oak.

Finally, kudos to the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch for launching a very useful iPhone App: BCLIQUORSTORES. We recommend you download it and use the "My Cellar" feature to store your favourite Vancouver Sun wine picks. Happy Canada Day.

Price: $15

UPC: 00776545995872

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Alive with citrus, watermelon and strawberry flavours.

Gray Monk Pinot Gris 2010, Okanagan Valley

Price: $17

UPC: 778829110209

Score: 88/100

Remarks: A touch of Alsace character with citrus, honey, melon flavours.

Quails' Gate Chasselas - Pinot Blanc - Pinot Gris 2010, Okanagan Valley

Price: $18

UPC: 0077856110050

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Simple but refreshing summer sipper, perfect with sushi. Load up.

Inniskillin Okanagan Discovery Series Marsanne Roussanne 2008, Okanagan Valley,

Price: $25

UPC: 00620654018376

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Lemon, orange, honey, ginger, baked peach, quince flavours.

CedarCreek Estate Syrah 2008, Okanagan Valley

Price: $25

UPC: 778913038594

Score: 88/100

Remarks: A savoury cherry/chocolate undercurrent attracts here.

Painted Rock Red Icon 2008, Skaha Bench, Okanagan Valley

Price: $56

UPC: 0062699095385

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Rich cassis jam, black cherry, chocolate, cedar, savoury liquorice flavours.