Image from the C&C archives

It sounds like the east-facing bench of vineyard land south of Oliver, known as the Golden Mile, may be rooting out other fan favourites, such as the Naramata Bench and the Black Sage Bench, to become the first official sub-DVA (Designated Viticultural Area) of the Okanagan Valley. In a new post, John Schreiner says that word broke at this past weekend’s Banée 2010, put on by the South Okanagan Winery Association. The reasoning is that the Golden Mile’s soil and other growing attributes are definable and consistent enough throughout to give it an official label. This area is warmer than Okanagan Falls and the Naramata Bench to the north. The soils are well-drained gravel, with clay and sand, much different than the deep sand soils of the Black Sage Bench across the valley.

This will be great news for Road 13, Fairview Cellars and other Golden Mile wineries who will no doubt gain more attention from an official designation.

Should Golden Mile be a sub-DVA? Should there even be sub-DVAs? What do you think?