John and Virginia at Orofino Vineyards are one reason the Similkameen Valley is becoming a hot wine destination in BC.
We picked up this bottle of 2005 Pinot Noir during last year's Southern Exposure trip, giving it not quite a year of bottle age. Not that it would have mattered. This is a delicious wine, and a room full of friends agreed. This smooth red tastes of ripe Okanagan cherries with a hint strawberries, along with the 'earthy complexities' their website boasts.
We just ordered a case of their Spring releases, including the 2006 Pinot Noir.
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Mike Klassen is a Vancouver city councillor, communications professional, and long-time advocate for British Columbia’s wine industry. He co‑founded BC Wine Lover in 2007 with his wife Stacey, sharing stories from their travels through the province’s wine regions and spotlighting the people and places that make B.C. wine distinctive.
In 2015, Mike led the BC Wine Appellation Task Group, guiding a province‑wide consultation that produced recommendations—later endorsed by industry plebiscite—that strengthened B.C.’s appellation standards and helped establish today’s sub‑GIs.
His writing has appeared in the Vancouver Sun, Huffington Post, and Daily Hive, blending history, policy insight, and personal experience. Alongside his work on Vancouver City Council, Mike continues to explore vineyards across the province, champion local producers, and celebrate the evolving culture of B.C. wine.
