VineRoutes’ 2024 Wine of the Year takes centre stage at a celebratory dinner, reaffirming Oculus as Canada’s premier icon red
On a warm spring evening in April, Toronto’s Harbour Sixty temporarily transformed into the ‘House of Oculus,’ welcoming VIP guests and select wine journalists for a special celebration. This wasn’t just a wine dinner—it was a tribute to a Canadian milestone.
Mission Hill Family Estate’s 2020 Oculus had recently become the first red wine made in Canada to receive a perfect 100-point score. And just a few months prior, it had been named VineRoutes’ Most Outstanding Red Wine of the Year for 2024.
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The evening was an elegant convergence of culinary magic and viticultural achievement, hosted by Taylor Whelan, formerly of CedarCreek and now head winemaker at Mission Hill, and Bram Bolwijn, the winery’s guest and VIP experiences manager. The intimate affair offered guests a chance to taste not only the celebrated 2020 vintage but also the 2010, 2014, and 2016 Oculus, along with Mission Hill’s flagship chardonnay, the 2021 Perpetua.
Canada’s most collected red
For VineRoutes, the recognition of the 2020 Oculus came after our senior editorial team’s first-ever blind tasting showdown – which determined not just the year’s top reds, but also whites. The wine emerged as the top red in a diverse and competitive field, submitted in advance for consideration.
Oculus was named VineRoutes’ Wine of the Year for 2024, back in December.
A masterful blend of merlot (49%), cabernet sauvignon (24%), cabernet franc (22%), and petit verdot (5%), sourced primarily from Osoyoos in the Okanagan Valley, it showcases structural depth and complexity, flavour and elegance, and the very best of what Canadian winemaking can achieve.
Aged for 19 months in French oak, the wine opens with a bouquet of ripe black cherries, blueberries, and cassis, layered with violet, sage, cedar, and mocha. Plush and fresh on the palate, it’s medium-to full-bodied with beautifully integrated oak, refined tannins, and a mineral-driven acidity. The finish lingers with notes of dark chocolate, graphite, and smoke—an age-worthy wine, to say the least.
But the 2020 vintage is only the latest chapter in a much longer story. Oculus was first released in 1997 as part of Mission Hill’s vision to create a world-class Bordeaux-style red from the Okanagan Valley. In the years since, it has steadily earned its place as Canada’s most collected red wine, gaining prestige among collectors and wine lovers alike. Each vintage reflects not only the progression of the winery’s vineyard practices and winemaking philosophy, but also the evolving maturity of the region itself.
Read more about the legacy of Oculus here.
A menu worthy of a milestone
Harbour Sixty’s executive chef Solomon Mason curated a thoughtful four-course pairing menu that elevated the evening’s experience:
First Course: A delicate yet flavour-packed collection of canapés—Fresh Oysters with Smoked Buttermilk Dressing, Kampachi Tartare Croustade, Smoked Sturgeon Rillettes, and Kristal Caviar Tart—was paired with the 2021 Perpetua, showing just how dynamic Canadian chardonnay can be in the right hands.
Second Course: Grilled Toro, rich and meaty, was served alongside both the 2014 and 2016 Oculus. The pairing demonstrated not only the wine’s depth and evolution over time, but also its versatility with unexpected textures and flavours.
One of Harbour Sixty’s private dining rooms was decked out for the evening affair.
Third Course: The main attraction: A5 Wagyu Striploin and USDA Dry-Aged Striploin, paired with both the 2020 and 2010 Oculus. Served with Perigourdine sauce, confit potato, and white asparagus, it was a study in contrast and harmony—a decade apart, the two wines conversed seamlessly across the table.
A Buttermilk Pannacotta with Strawberry and Rhubarb dessert closed the evening. Bright, creamy, and refreshing, it was a fitting end to an unforgettable night.
This rare evening at Harbour Sixty served as both a toast and a testament to how far Canadian wine has come—and how Oculus, after more than two decades of evolution, continues to lead the charge. With the 2020 vintage now wearing the crown of a perfect score and VineRoutes’ highest red wine honour, the legacy of Canada’s iconic, and most collected, red has never burned brighter.
To keep up with the announcements of this year’s Most Outstanding Red and White Wines, subscribe to our free Uncorked Newsletter!
– Carmelo Giardina is principal editor of VineRoutes
