This Is What 45 Years on One Bench Tastes Like.

Taste some of Canada's oldest vines from one of BC's pioneer wineries, Hillside Winery. 100% Naramata Bench grown, perched above Penticton, BC. 

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This week we're featuring one of the most storied wineries on the Naramata Bench: a true pioneer that helped change BC wine law in 1989. 

 

We're talking crisp whites, excellent Merlots, a pure Cab Franc, and a 93+pt Gamay from Canada's oldest Gamay vines. 

 

100% Naramata grown, minimal intervention, and built on 45 years of pure conviction. 

 

I've put together a Discovery Pack and a Collector Pack, or build your own mix.

 

Cheers,
Carl Boucher

Chief Wine Officer

Founder, Carl's Wine Club

Choose Your Own Bottles Here (click or tap)
6 Bottles: Your Hillside Discovery Pack

6 Bottles: Your Hillside Discovery Pack

$185.00

Six bottles that showcase what Hillside can do from Naramata Bench vines as old as 40+ years. Includes exclusive releases only available here for a short time. 

 

2025 Unoaked Pinot Gris | 91pts | $26

2025 Unoaked Sauvignon Blanc | 91+pts | $26 | Exclusive Release!

2025 Muscat Ottonel | 92pts | $26 | Exclusive Release!

2021 Hillside Merlot | 90+pts | $27

2020 Malbec | 92pts | $45

2021 Cab Franc | 91pts | $40
5 Bottles: Cellar Worthy Collectibles from Hillside🔥

5 Bottles: Cellar Worthy Collectibles from Hillside🔥

$255.00

Discover five bottles that have earned a spot in your cellar and at your table for special occassions. 

 

2022 Ochii Dolci Vineyard Merlot 🔥92+pts | $50

2018 Mosaic 🔥94pts | $70

2022 Montage | 92pts | $55

2025 Below The Road Rose | 91pts | $35

2022 Gamay Noir🔥93+pts | $45

Here's exactly why I scored these wines the way I did (scroll to the end to place your order, or click here). 

2022 Hillside Gamay Noir🔥93+pts
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2022 Hillside Gamay Noir🔥93+pts

$45.00

THE most fantastic Gamay Noir in Canada! No offense to the outstanding works of Thomas Bachelder with this grape varietal. Made from the oldest Gamay vines in Canada, planted in 1983, this Gamay is otherworldly, layered and complex. Expect potpourri, violet, crushed raspberry, red currant and lots of oak spice. Absolutely spectacular. Only 180 cases made. (Carl Boucher, May 2026). 

 

93+pts Carl's Wine Club 

BC Okanagan Valley Naramata Bench VQA

100% Gamay

Dry Wine | Drink from 2024 to 2032

Pairings: herb-crusted lamb, beet salad
2020 Hillside “Heritage Series” Muscat Ottonel - Carl's Wine Club

2025 Hillside “Heritage Series” Muscat Ottonel | 92pts

$26.00

There is almost a cult following for this wine, and you sure can count me as one of them. Floral, textural,  crisp and long, this is truly a special wine. The Muscat Ottonel vines are from the original planting of 1983. Every year, I'm excited to try this wine. After following it for nearly a decade now, I must report that 2025 was one of the very best to date. 

 

92pts, Carl's Wine Club

BC Okanagan Valley VQA Naramata Bench

100% Muscat Ottonel

Dry Wine | Drink from 2026 to 2029

Pairings: spot prawns, Thai green curry
2022 Hillside Unoaked Pinot Gris - Carl's Wine Club

2025 Hillside Unoaked Pinot Gris | 91pts

$26.00

One of my very favourite Okanagan Pinot Gris.  The slight skin contact (2-4 hours) brings a beautiful light pink color, charm and layers.  This is fruity and complex with amazing brightness. 

 

91pts Carl's Wine Club | BC Top 50 Award Winner

 

Dry Wine | 13.2% ABV | Drink from 2026 to 2029

Pairings: shrimp salad, BBQ chicken skewers
2025 Unoaked Sauvignon Blanc | 91+pts

2025 Unoaked Sauvignon Blanc | 91+pts

$26.00

I believe this is the first Sauv Blanc release at Hillside. 100% Naramata Bench fruits, and fermented and aged exclusively in stainless steel. Pure, crisp, energetic: this is unmistakenly Sauvignon Blanc.  This is a buy by the case type of wine!

 

91+pts Carl's Wine Club | 92pts John Schreiner 

 

Dry Wine | Drink from 2026 to 2029

Pairings: burrata and tomato salad, grilled halibut

 

91+pts Carl's Wine Club | 92pts John Schreiner

 

Dry Wine | Drink from 2026 to 2029

Pairings: shrimp salad, BBQ chicken skewers
2021 Hillside Merlot | 90+pts

2021 Hillside Merlot | 90+pts

$27.00

A good, affordable BC red just around the $25 mark is a rarity these days. Made from the 4 main Merlot vineyards (Hidden Valley, Goja, Dickinson, Ochii Dolce). Hillside delivers a medium body, crowd pleaser, well balanced Merlot, featuring cassis, dark chocolate oak spice and nice weight on the mid palate for the price.

 

90.5pts Carl's Wine Club | BC Okanagan Valley Naramata Bench VQA

100% Merlot

Dry Wine | Drink from 2024 to 2028

Pairings: braised short rib tacos, aged cheddar
2021 Hillside Cabernet Franc | 91pts 🔥Exclusive Release

2021 Hillside Cabernet Franc | 91pts 🔥Exclusive Release

$40.00

A great BC Cab Franc. Soft and round, this exclusive wine shows the great potential of this varietal in the Okanagan. Black cherry,  vanilla, red pepper jelly, soft tannins and spicy finish highlights the profile of this little beauty. 

 

91pts Carl's Wine Club

BC Okanagan Valley Naramata Bench VQA

100% Cabernet Franc

 

Dry Wine | Drink from 2024 to 2029

Pairings: lamb kofta, grilled portobello
2020 Hillside Malbec | 92pts 🔥 Exclusive Release

2020 Hillside Malbec | 92pts 🔥 Exclusive Release

$45.00

Malbec is a rare varital to grow on the Naramata Bench. This one has 17 months of aging in French oak barrels, including 30% new. This wine is full. Full but not invasive, not too much. The bright acidity keeps everything balanced. Cassis, black cherry, violet, mocha and some kind of charcoal like minerality on the finish.  A very complete and satisfyingly complex Malbec. I'm a big fan! 170 cases made. (Carl Boucher, May 2026). 

 

92pts Carl's Wine Club 

BC Okanagan Valley Naramata Bench VQA

100% Malbec

 

Dry Wine | Drink from 2024 to 2028

Pairings: beef empanadas, smoked brisket
2022 Ochii Dolci Vineyard Merlot 🔥92+pts

2022 Ochii Dolci Vineyard Merlot 🔥92+pts

$45.00

Sitting right on the cliff off the Naramata Bench, next to Munson Mountain, Ochii Dolci is one of the four single vineyard Merlots of the Hillside portfolio. From the spectacular 2022 vintage, this wine can age for another 10 years easily but it is also starting to open up right now. Aged in French oak barrels including 42% new barrels, for a total of 16 months, this wine delivers blueberry, dark currants, black plum, dark cocoa, graphite...and spice. This wine offers a lot. Only 180 cases made. (Carl Boucher, May 2026). 

 

92+pts Carl's Wine Club 

BC Okanagan Valley Naramata Bench VQA

100% Merlot

 

Dry Wine | Drink from 2024 to 2030

Pairings: wild mushroom gruyere tart, venison with blackberry sauce
2018 Hillside Mosaic 🔥94pts

2018 Hillside Mosaic 🔥94pts

$70.00

A stunning Meritage and entering its prime window of drinkability. This wine is all in finesse and definition. Black cherry, black currant, cedar, expresso coffee and savoury edges. The tannins are soft, the finish is extra long. Worth every single penny. 280 cases made. (Carl Boucher, May 2026). 

 

94pts Carl's Wine Club 

BC Okanagan Valley Naramata Bench VQA

35% Malbec, 29% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot

 

Dry Wine | Drink from 2024 to 2030

Pairings: duck breast with cherry compote, short ribs
2022 Montage | 92pts | $55

2022 Montage | 92pts | $55

$55.00

A really cool collaboration with one of our other favourite wineries on the Naramata Bench,  Tightrope Winery.  Tightrope provided most of the Merlot, while Hillside showcased the Cab Franc. Both varietals were aged 2 years in premium French oak barrels.  (Carl Boucher, May 2026). 

 

92pts Carl's Wine Club 

BC Okanagan Valley Naramata Bench VQA

Dry Wine | Drink from 2024 to 2030

Pairings: lamb burger w caramelized onion, osso bucco
2025 Hillside Below The Road Rose | 91pts

2025 Hillside Below The Road Rose | 91pts

$35.00

Pinot Noir grapes, from below Naramata Bench road - a section constituted of ancient lake deposits.  This rosé is exceptionally complex with raspberry, light red cherry, white peach and citrus flavours on the edge. (Carl Boucher, May 2026). 

 

91pts Carl's Wine Club 

BC Okanagan Valley Naramata Bench VQA

Dry Wine | Drink from 2024 to 2030

Pairings: watermelon feta salad, grilled salmon

Available until June 21. Don't miss it!

Frequently Asked Questions

How does this work?

Carl's Wine Club is Canada's first pan-Canadian, direct-to-consumer wine club.

 

Being a member of the wine club is FREE and you have access to our informative emails and our live virtual events with Carl to learn more about Canadian wineries.

 

We feature a different Canadian winery every 1-2 weeks with a specially curated mix of wines. You choose if and how much wine to purchase, with winery direct pricing and shipping deals. 

 

On Wednesdays (yes Wine Wednesdays!) we also go LIVE on our social media platforms to chat about Canadian wine and often interview winemakers. Cheers!

How does shipping work?

The wineries ship these wines to you via couriers like Canada Post, UPS, Purolator, ATS or GLS and the wines arrive right to your doorstep! No need to spend time or gas or manpower to visit a store.

 

Your wines will ship within 1-2 weeks of your order date, as wineries ship out our club orders all together in a few batches. You'll receive a tracking number from our system and sometimes also from the winery's system.

 

Someone over the legal drinking age must be present at the time of delivery and provide ID to the delivery driver (this is a legal requirement). Please do your best to ensure that an adult is available to receive the order on the anticipated delivery date.

What if there's a problem with my order or wines?

We will be very happy to assist you if there are any issues, and find a suitable solution. Please contact us at carl@carlswineclub.com or call 587-899-8249.