Mission Hill Oculus Okanagan, British Columbia, 2020

Mission Hill Oculus 2020 is the crown jewel of Mission Hill Family Estates’ Legacy Collection and is considered one of the greatest red wines ever produced in Canada. This iconic Bordeaux-inspired wine represents the very best the Okanagan Valley has to offer, and the 2020 vintage has already made history by earning a perfect score of 100 points from Canadian wine critic John Schreiner.

Oculus was first created in 1997 as a vision to prove that the Okanagan Valley could produce wines on par with the world’s greatest wine regions. Mission Hill’s uncompromising approach to vineyard management and winemaking has since made Oculus Canada’s most prestigious red wine. The name comes from the distinctive round window—an oculus —that channels daylight down into the spectacular underground barrel cellar, just like in the Roman Pantheon.

The 2020 vintage is crafted from carefully selected grapes from Mission Hills’ finest plots in Osoyoos (90%) and Oliver Black Sage Bench (10%). The grapes are handled with the utmost care and optically sorted before being gravity-fed into custom-built French oak barrels and concrete tanks for fermentation. The wine is then aged for 19 months in small French oak barrels and rests for an additional 24 months in the bottle before release. The result is a wine with impressive depth, a silky-smooth texture, and enormous aging potential.

Mission Hill Oculus 2020 is a luxurious Canadian red wine that can easily hold its own in a blind tasting alongside great Bordeaux wines. It combines power, elegance, and complexity at a level that has made it a true cult wine among wine collectors worldwide.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Intense and complex with cassis, ripe black currants, black cherries, and dark plums. These are complemented by elegant notes of cedar, cigar box, tobacco, dark chocolate, vanilla, and subtle spices from barrel aging.

Palate: Full-bodied, concentrated, and silky smooth with layer upon layer of dark berries, ripe plums, and black cherries. The tannins are dense but perfectly integrated, while the fresh acidity creates balance and elevates the wine’s elegant structure.

Finish: Extremely long, with notes of cocoa, licorice, cedar, espresso, and a lovely mineral finish. A wine with aging potential spanning several decades.

The Estate’s History

Mission Hill Family Estate was founded in 1981 and is today among Canada’s most famous and award-winning wineries. Located in the Okanagan Valley, the estate has helped put Canadian wine on the world map through uncompromising quality, modern winemaking, and a deep respect for the region’s terroir.

The Legacy Collection brings together the winery’s most exclusive wines, and Oculus is undoubtedly the finest of them all. Only the finest grapes from Mission Hill’s own vineyards are selected for this wine, which year after year demonstrates why the Okanagan Valley is today considered one of North America’s most exciting wine regions.

• Producer: Mission Hill Family Estate
• Wine: Oculus
• Vintage: 2020
• Type: Red wine
• Country: Canada
• Region: Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Vineyards: 90% Osoyoos, 10% Oliver Black Sage Bench
• Grape Blend: Bordeaux blend (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot)
• Fermentation: French oak barrels and concrete tanks
• Aging: 19 months in small French oak barrels and 24 months in the bottle before release
• Award: 100 points – John Schreiner
• Contains: Sulfites
• Volume: 75 cl
• Alcohol: 14%