The burgeoning wine industry in the far west of Canada has been marked by noticeable ebullience and a level of achievement unappreciated by the rest of the world but has recently been dealt a heavy blow. In the early days of this month it lost no fewer than three of its leading figures – Brian MacDonald, Frank Supernak and Victor Manola. According to leading wine writer John Schreiner
We all know that excessive consumption of this fascinating liquid has its downside, but often forget how dangerous it can be during the fermentation stage.Brian MacDonald, 49, the co-founder of Edgemont Village Wines, died on 4 November after a year-long battle with a malignant brain tumour. Victor Manola and Frank Supernak died on 10 November in an accident at Manola's Silver Sage winery south of Oliver.
According to newspaper reports, Manola fell into a tank of wine, most likely having been overcome by the carbon dioxide given off by fermenting wine. Supernak, who was helping in the winery, perished while trying to rescue Manola.
Meanwhile, The Economist, no less, reported the opening of North America's first-ever native-owned winery in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley. Nk'Mip (that's the name of the winery, pronounced in-ka-meep apparently) is a joint venture between the Osoyoos Indians and Vincor, Canada's biggest wine company by far, owning such names as Inniskillin and Jackson-Triggs.
The population of Vancouver is so proud of these wines that only a small proportion of them are exported but there is certainly huge potential here in BC.