The little country road twists and turns, winding an inviting path from the highway above to the idyllic riverfront below. By the time you leave the pavement and pull up in front of the tasting room, you’re in precisely the state of mind Forbidden Fruit owners Steve and Kim want you to be in: relaxed, inquisitive, and somewhat overwhelmed by the lush beauty around you. A canvas is my canvas, for my art”, says Kim, “but for Steve it’s out there.” What Kim is referring to is the 25 acres of high-density fruit tree plantings (with around 80 varieties) and three acres of grapes – all Certified Organic. Apple names like Sumac and William’s Pride are dropped here and there as we sip our way through the 17 fruit and grape wines in Forbidden Fruit’s lineup.
This is where you’ll find the unusual and the extraordinary, all because of Steve. He prides himself on collecting uncommon fruit types with which to craft their award winning wines. Because they have both tree fruits and grapes, harvest at Forbidden Fruit runs June through November.
As for the wines, there is something for almost every palate. We began with the soon-to-be-released 2011 Pearsuasion ($17.95) that won Double Gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships, and I can see why. It’s fresh pears in a glass. Their 2011 Sauvignon Blanc also won a Double Gold at the same competition – more red grapefruit (and more grassy) than your typical BC Sauvignon Blanc, in an incredibly tasty way. We sampled wines called “Crushed Innocence” ($21.95) and “Impearfection” ($21.95), as well as a Cabernet Sauvignon (Earth Series, $26). All grape wines are Certified Organic, too.
Winemaking is part knowledge and experience, part artistry, and a large dollop of nature. In a place like Forbidden Fruit you can see those elements happily intersect, naturally.
Photo:Co-proprietor Kim Brind-Amour is also an accomplished artist and her work is displayed in the Forbidden Fruit Tasting Room.
~ Jeannette Montgomery