A Quintessential Vertical

In 2004 Kim Pullen purchased Victoria Estate Winery in Saanich and renamed it Church & State. The endeavour grew rapidly and eventually shifted production to the Black Sage Bench, from where it became one of BC's most well-known and respected wineries. From 2005-2013 Church & State produced a highly regarded icon red blend - Quintessential - and the BCWAS has spent many years collecting every vintage. It's high time to share this carefully-conserved vertical collection with our membership! Please join us next month - Sunday, October 20th - to celebrate a historical BC wine and the enterprising family behind it.

First, some back-story: the Pullen family sold the Church & State brand, winery, and (Saanich & Black Sage Bench) tasting rooms in 2017, while retaining selected South Okanagan vineyards. The Pullens have now launched Second Chapter Wine Co., producing a new range of wines from those same premium vineyards that helped to produce Quintessential and other Church & State gems for many years. Kim, and/or his son John (former Church & State Sales Manager) will be joining us for this vertical, sharing their knowledge and history of the early days and the evolution of Quintessential.

As an extra-special treat, to start our evening we'll enjoy the extremely rare 1999 Church & State Sparkling - a traditional method Pinot Noir that is now 20 years old! Some members may recall our Bus Tour visit to Church & State in 2016, when we received the first public taste of this special wine, and were even given the opportunity to buy some before release. A few bottles in the BCWAS cellar have been waiting for their time to shine and this is the perfect opportunity!

The first vintage of Quintessential - 2005 - was produced with help from consulting winemaker Bill Dyer, who also helped Burrowing Owl make a name for themselves in the early days. In 2014 the name was changed to Coup D'Etat as part of a label refresh, but even that version was subsequently discontinued by the winery's new owners; so we have a rare opportunity to investigate a BC wine in its entirety, from sunrise to sunset. Learn more about the history of Quintessential, including it's many prominent awards, from John Schreiner's informative article in 2017. WineAlign members can also read reviews of several vintages online, as well as see the various National Wine Awards medals and other accolades received over the years. For those who enjoy powerful and complex red blends, this is the tasting for you!

Date: Sunday, October 20, 2019
Time: 7:30 - 9:30 pm
Place: False Creek Yacht Club, 1661 Granville Street (at the foot of Granville Street); take stairs or elevator to 3rd floor​
Price: $80/$90 for members/guests via e-transfer (to [email protected]) or cheque, or $85/$95 by Paypal.

Directions:  We strongly urge you to use taxis or transit. From the bus stop on Granville Street there is a short walk down to the waterfront. An alternate way to start your evening is with the Aquabus from Granville Island to the Hornby Street Dock. Check with the Vancouver Aquabus or Translink to find your appropriate access route. Although driving is not recommended, there is a limited quantity of spots at the Yacht Club for parking during the event.

Please note - there are no paper tickets for our events. Once your purchase is completed you will be added to our attendees list. Please check in when you arrive.

Please make sure you have a safe way home: take transit, call a cab, or ask a friend to be a designated driver. We will have free transit tickets on hand for those who take transit home.

Please note that we are unable to provide refunds. If you purchase a ticket but cannot attend the event, please let us know with as much advance notice as possible and we’ll try to re-sell your ticket, but we cannot guarantee this.