The strength of our winery are the vineyards, which are among the best locations in the Okanagan.
Throughout the seasons we diligently tend to the land with insightful vineyard practices that optimize grape quality and varietal character. Pruning, trellising, tucking, canopy management, hand harvesting - all of it is hard, meticulous work - a true labour of love. When harvest time arrives, our goal is to intervene as little as possible with the grapes as they convert into becoming fine wines. The result is always gratifying - wines that we are genuinely proud to have handcrafted. Wines that honour our family's heritage.
By choosing ecologically oriented management, consciously low yield and hand picking, we can then produce the highest quality.
OKANAGAN FALLS
The landform was shaped by events and deposits related to deglaciation of the Okanagan Valley. The soil is non-stratified, loamy sand, uniform in texture and well drained.
The vineyard is located on the east side of the Okanagan Valley. The dominant western aspect exposes grapevines to sunlight for a longer period in the afternoon than morning. This sun exposure affects the diurnal temperature patterns of the grapes. This influences the growing processes of key elements that contribute to the flavour, aroma and mouthfeel of the wines. Cool air from high elevation to the east flows into the area at night. This reduces nighttime temperatures and enhances the development and retention of fruit acids and other constituents. These include flavor and aroma compounds that further contribute to the sensory quality of the wines.
NARAMATA BENCH
The soil is the Penticton silt loam has a well-developed profile with distinct organic matter. Underlain by a leached horizon where lime and salts have been removed to generate a highly favourable rooting zone up to 60 cm thick over the unweathered parent material. The fine-textured silt loam soils in the glaciolacustrine landscape have a relatively high water holding capacity. The western aspect of most sites provides an additional ability to accelerate fruit maturation of these red cultivars, as fruit clusters have extended exposure to afternoon sunlight. The conditions are also optimal for extending fruit hang time to further enhance flavour and tannin ripening and improve the body and finish of red wines.
An important climatic consideration is the temperature moderating influence of Okanagan Lake which results in longer frost-free periods on the Naramata Bench than in production regions to the south such as near Oliver and Osoyoos.
SUMMERLAND/ TROUT CREEK
The story of Trout Creek delta starts with the onset of this most recent deglaciation in southern BC at the end of the last ice age. The glacier filled the valley to an elevation of some 1200m above sea level (or about 850m above the current lake level). The soil that exists on the surface of the delta today comes from material deposited by overbank flooding and channel migration of Trout Creek that has occurred over the last seven or eight thousand years. Before dams were in place on Okanagan Lake and upper Trout Creek, the delta was subject to flooding each year. The vineyard location shows evidence of a periodic high-water table and the soils are composed of stratified silt and sand over gravel. The vineyard is located 350m off Okanagan Lake shore and during high Spring water tables, the vines dip the roots right into it. An important climatic consideration is the temperature moderating influence of Okanagan Lake which results in longer frost-free periods in Trout Creek than in the higher elevations.
