Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery
October 20, 2021
Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery

I’m excited to share my experience of wine tasting at Spirit Hills Winery. When I found out there was a winery so close to home , I knew I had to check it out.

Winery + Alberta are not usually 2 words you hear together when you are talking about the province of Alberta. Most wineries around here produce Mead. Mead is a fermented beverage made from honey. Spirit Hills wines rival traditional grape wines and have been praised by many top sommeliers and chefs, including Eric Beaumard from the 3-star Michelin restaurant, Le Cinq

Located 75km south west of the city of Calgary, in about a one hour drive from the city centre, you can be sipping on wine in the stunning foothills of the Rocky Mountains. 

This summer my bestie and I headed there to taste some of these delicious wines.

Keep reading to learn about my experience..

 

Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery

Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery

Disclosure:  This is not a sponsored post. I paid for my own tour of Spirit Hills Winery and was not asked to write about my experience. All opinions are my own as always, but photos may not! Please see the respective photo credits.

Sue's Juice

 

About Spirit Hills Winery

 

If you drive south of Calgary, about 75km’s, you will find Hugo and Ilse Bonjean, owners of Spirit Hills Flower Winery. From a lineage of French wine makers, the Belgium natives settled in Alberta in 1997, with a dream of living off the land. 

Fast forward 20+ years, they own and operate award winning Spirit Hills. They raise and grow all their own food including their own meat, and of course their own wine.

Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery
Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery
Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery
Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery
Sue's Juice

 

Spirit Hills Winery –

About the Wine

 

Spirit Hills wines are mead wines, meaning they are made from honey instead of grapes.  Adding wild flowers of the Canadian Rocky Mountain foothills, make their wines one of a kind.

Because they are made from honey and not grapes, they never spoil which means if you haven’t finished the bottle, you don’t have to worry about it going bad. But let’s be honest, I rarely have any left in a bottle! 

All their wines are very high in antioxidants with Dande being the highest at 120 times that of grape wine.

And they have less tannins, which means less of a hangover! 

Sue's Juice

Spirit Hills Winery –

About the Tour

 

Hugo, head of the family, started our tour. We began in a beautiful wine tasting room (although not where our wine tasting happened) where he told us the story of Spirit Hill Winery and it’s accolades.

Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery
Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery

 

In the next room we learned about the bees, how they are raised and how the nectar from Alberta’s wild flowers is used to produce the honey, the main ingredient in their wines. We also saw the original labeling, and until about four years ago, it was all done by hand.

Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery
Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery

Words of Wisdom that my bestie, Melanie and I live by!

 

As we walked into the next room, the sun shining through large rooftop windows lit up the space. The most important room, this is where the wine is produced! And under the most precious of conditions. Crystals placed lovingly and strategically under the large vats, and soothing music playing 24 hours per day create an ideal environment to keep the wine happy and positive energy flowing throughout the process.

Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery
Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery
Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery

 

Finally, and my favourite part, the wine tasting! The tasting was led by Ilse. We sampled their 5 core wines, Saskwatch, Dande, Yee-Haw!, Wild Rosy, and Bonfire, plus 2 limited editions, ℿ and ℿ  Reserve.

Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery

 

Once the tasting was finished, we could ask any questions we had and were able to purchase their wines and some other products they have available.

The more wine you buy, the better deal you get!

Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery

Photo by @meet_melanie (Instagram)

 

Tours are offered from April until December on Friday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s and take approximately 1 hour.

Reservations are recommended and can be made online. Cost is $10 per person and is paid at the winery. Children are free.

Sue's Juice

 

Spirit Hills Winery –

The Core Wines

 

We sampled Spirit Hills’ 5 core wines, Saskwatch, Dande, Yee-Haw!, Wild Rosy, and Bonfire, plus 2 limited editions, ℿ and ℿ Reserve. Ilse explained in detail the type of wine they were, their flavour profile, and what food(s) they pair best with. 

Here is a brief description of each of their ‘core’ wines.

Saskwatch – Dry red. Blackcurrants and Saskatoon berries are added. Although very versatile, it pairs best with red meats.

Dande – Medium dry white. Dandelion flower petals are added to give a unique flavor. Pairs with white meats and seafood. And my favourite!

Wild Rosy – Semi sweet red. Wild rose (the flower of Alberta) petals are added in to give its flavour. Pairs with ham and pulled pork, as well as chocolate and cheese.

Yee-Haw – This is a sangria type wine with extra dandelion honey, and apple and cinnamon added. Best served over ice. Pairs with BBQ. Great to enjoy on a hot summer afternoon!

Bonfire – Think mulled wine! Extra dandelion honey is added, as well as cinnamon and cloves. Serve warm on a cold day, or over ice on a warm one.

Sue's Juice

 

Spirit Hills Winery –

Shop

 

There is no shop or gift store, however after the tour, you have the opportunity to purchase their wines, as well as other items including a cookbook of recipes to use their wines in.

Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery
Sue's Juice

 

Spirit Hills Winery –

Getting There

 

To get there you need to head south from Calgary. Depending exactly where you are, that could be down Deerfoot Trail, Stoney Trail, or MacLeod Trail.  Once you hit Hwy 22X go west. You will then want to go south on Hwy 22 past Millarville. Vear right onto Range Rd 32. This gravel road isn’t very well marked but there is a sign pointing to Spirit Hills Flower Winery so keep your eyes open for it. At Township Rd 203B take a right, then at Range Rd 32A take a left. Next is a right on Township Rd 203A, which will turn into Township Rd 203. The road up to Spirit Hills will be on the left side.

Sue's Juice

 

Overall

 

A tour of Spirit Hills Winery is a perfect way to spend a summer afternoon, or any afternoon, really! It’s dreamy setting in the foothills makes you never want to return to the city. 

And what is better than knowing that because your wine was produced from all natural and organic ingredients with no tannins, you won’t have a hangover the next day in case you ‘accidentally’ drink a whole bottle!

 

Love, Sue

 

Other Information
Spirit Hills Winery
240183 2380 Drive West
Millarville, AB
(403) 933-3913

 

Pin for Later!

Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery
Wine Tasting at Spirit Hills Winery

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