Naramata Bench

Nestled below the granite cliffs of the historic Kettle Valley Railway overlooking the sweeping majesty of Okanagan Lake ... since 1993, Nichol Vineyard has been creating hand-crafted specialty wines from estate-grown Okanagan grapes. The winery was orginaly owned by Alex and Kathleen Nichol

Ross Hackworth learned that the Nichols might be interested in saling the winery so in 2004
he started to work at the winery under the watch eye of winmaker Alex Nichol. The idea was that Ross would take over the operation in 2006

His plans are to continue hand crafting small vinatge varietals

Signature wine Syrah. They took a risk by planting Syrah and St. Laurent. It was a good risk; the Syrah has won them numerous awards.

Winemaker: Ross Hackworth
Winemaking Philosophy: The gentle handling of the wine from must through to bottling is paramount. An approach that is best done manually when possible. This style is labour intensive, but one that better allows the winemaker to assist the wine in expressing its natural traits and seasonal characteristics.

 

website

In 1996 Bob Ferguson and Tim Watts opened their winery. The winery being named after the old railway that used to run along the eastern shore. They started operations in a three car garage focusing more on the quality of the wine than expansion. They own several vineyards on the bench equaling 20 acres.
In his book British Columbia Wine country author John Schreiner states Kettle Valley makes some of the boldest and longest lived wines on Naramata Bench. Ferguson describes their wines as big, robust and full bodied .
Old Main Red is one of their signature wines; a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon,Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

website

Located in Naramata on Okanagan Lake's east shore among the fruit farms. Crafting fine fruit wines has been a tradition in the Wisnicki family for more than four generations. Coupling this rich history with the international training and experience of consulting oeanologist, Christine Leroux, Proprietors, Miranda and Del Halliday named their winery after Elephant Island paying tribute to Miranda's Grand Parents ( Wisnicki ) who built their retirement home on the Island.

Wine-maker Christine Leroux who trained at the L'Institut D'Oenologie de Bordeaux, in Bordeaux, France.

Website

Overlooking Okanagan Lake, Lang Vineyard has a magnificent view of the valley. Winemaker Guenther Lang: We must produce the highest quality wine possible, losing quantity if necessary, in order to achieve quality. Wine tastings are by appointment only.
Guenther and Kristina Lang moved to the Okanagan from Germany in 1980, and began the hard work of replanting the vineyard. They have the distinction of being the first farm winery in Canada.*

Lang makes a White Maple Wine - a blend of classic vinifera varietals, including Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Riesling. Produced in stainless steel, the wine is blended with premium quality syrup from the maple trees of eastern Canada.

The winery was purchased in Nov 2005 by Holman Farms

Winemaker: Ross Mirko
Winemaking Philosophy:
We strive for the highest quality grapes possible by controlling every step ...especially thinning. We harvest as late as possible to achieve a high degree of ripeness.

Website

Icewines

Located on a 5 acre parcel in Naramata Laughing Stock is the long term dream of David and Cynthia Enns.Given their background in the investment industry, this move from Vancouver to the Okanagan to open a winery has resulted in their trading in financial stocks for grape stocks.  In the eyes of their peer group, this venture could be interpreted as a whimsical, romantic, and well, ... foolish investment. A financial decision that could make Cynthia and David the outright laughing stock in the eyes of their workmates in the financial industry. David often humorously refers to having made a Vow of Poverty when he decided to build a winery.

Laughing Stock is a name that will raise an eyebrow or two in the Okanagan Valley. It counters the traditional approach to wine marketing - largely based on elegance, refinement, stature, heritage etc. It also magnifies the vulnerability that Cynthia and David must bear. Every morning, they wake up motivated NOT to do anything that would validate their winery name. With a name like Laughing Stock, they have no choice but to produce exceptional wines.

The Enns' purchase included some vineyard planted to Merlot and they have since planted additional acreage, Bordeaux varietals such as Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot & Malbec. The first crush was completed in 2003 and they will be releasing a premium red blend in fall 2005 after 18 months of barrel aging. 

Winemaker: David Enns
Winemaking philosophy:
Winemaking will follow Bordeaux directives of creating a blend of up to 5 of the Bordeaux varieties for our flagship red wine.  Extended barrel aging with a combination of new and used french oak will create the depth and complexity that comes from patient winemaking. 

website

Hillside Estate was started in 1984 when Vera and Bohumir Klockockas began replacing the fruit trees in the orchard they had purchased in 1979 on Naramata Road, just north of the city of Penticton, B.C. The couple had decided the site would be ideal for a vineyard because of the gravelly topsoil on a slope which faced west, catching the direct rays of the sun and reflections off nearby Lake Okanagan.
Today the winery has new owners and a new building. Eric von Krosigk recently joined the Hillside team in the role of winemaker. Hillside is the only BC winery producing Muscat Ottonel, a truly unique and unusual aromatic white wine .

The Barrel Room Bistro offers delightful lunches and dinners, featuring a second story patio with an amazing view of Okanagan Lake and surrounding orchards and vineyards.

Winemaker: Kelly Symonds
Winemaking Philosophy:
We have made a commitment to producing quality wines with only the best Okanagan Valley grapes.

Website

Barrel Room Bistro / Icewine

Located on the scenic Naramata Bench Road , where breathtaking lake and moutain views surround the vineyard. The winery was orginally started by a couple who immigrated from Switzerland. Today Red Rooster owned and operated by Andres Wines who recently purchased Calona wines .

The winery produces Gerùrztraminer, Pinot Gris Riesling and Merlot.

Winemaker: Richard Kanazawa

Winemaking Philosophy: "Quality before quantity"

Website

art shows/

Located on the eastern hillsides overlooking Okanagan Lake. Historically an orchard, the first European vinifera were planted in 1985. Lake Breeze Vineyards is proud to be the first winery in Canada to grow and produce Pinotage, the native South African variety. Pinotage was developed in South Africa in the 1920s and is a cross between pinot noir and cinsaut (often referred to as hermitage). The winery is grouped owned . Gary Reynolds is the operating partner .
Unique to Lake Breeze is Delice; a blend of Schonberger and Morio Muscat.

A licensed patio offers light lunches.

Winemaker is Garron Elmes
Philosophy:
We believe in taking the natural fruit flavours of the grape and transferring them to the bottle with minimum amount of manipulation. Through careful and meticulous vineyard management we receive fruit of the highest quality from which our wines make themselves.

Website

licensed patio seasonal

Ian and Gitta Sutherland bought 12 acres on Okanagan Lake. In 1993 the apple trees were replaced by a vineyard using merlot and cabernet franc clones from Bordeaux. The winery opened in 1997 with '95 merlot and '95 cab franc. Owners Ian and Gitta Sutherland won a Gold medal in 1997 for their very first release. This family run winery works on a very limited scale.

Website

Poplar Grove Cheese / cottage

The winery opened in 2002 by Jeff and Niva Martin. Jeff worked as the winemaker at Quails' Gate for five years before starting his own winery. He named the winery after his Grandfather. His six acre vineyard includes Shiraz, Merlot, Viognier and Schonburger. 2001 Chardonnay is an excellent wine as is the 2001 Viognier.

Heidi Noble and Micheal Dinn are the owners of this new winery Both have extenive backgrouns as Sommelier and wine related business. Joie's farm began as a cooking school but the relationship between wine and food could not be ignored. For Heidi it was the desire to feed people, placing an emphasis on teaching them about where their food comes from. For Michael it was the love of wine and the desire to one day have a winery.

website

cooking school

Currently under construction, the D"Angelo Family has a rich history in Canada's wine industry; currently operating a winery in Ontario. The Okanagan winery will have 27 acres with 5 now planted including Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot . There will also be a B&B and a restaurant. D'Angelo will operate as a family business with daughter Stephanie and son Christopher helping

Sal D'Angelo was named Ontarios's Grape King in 1999. Illness forced Sal to move to the dryer claim of the Okanagan. After vacationing for many years in the Penticton area in 2002 he purchased 27 acres, where he built a gravity flow winery.

As a winemaker Sal specializes in red wines and icewines . Merlot will a priority along with a Spanish vine called Tempranillo. Sal also likes Viognier and Gewurztraminer.

D"angelo will operate as a family business with daughter Stephanie and son Christopher helping.

The B&B is now open

 

website

restaurant / Vineyard View B&B

Benchland was purchased by keith and Lynn Holman in 2004

1997 Klaus Stadler, a native upper Bavarian, and his son Sebastian moved to the beautiful South Okanagan. Klaus is a certified Brew Master with a special achievement award from the Premier of Bavaria. He was now going to put his talents to work as a winemaker, purchasing 10 acres of land just out side of Penticton Opening the winery in 2000 offering a Chardonnay, Pilot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zweigelt. The Zweigelt was the first ever released in British Columbia

Website

 

A fruit winery developed by Lynn and Keith Holman now in its third season. On the property is a heritage home of an early pioneer named Elbert Spiller, which is now a charming B&B.; The Holmans have a strong family history as fruit growers

signature wines : Pear, and Cherry Dessert 

B&B /

Mistral Estate Winery is located a short distance north of Penticton amidst the rolling benchlands of the Naramata Bench. It's the newest winery belonging to Keith and Lynn Holman. Benchland Vineyards and Spiller Estate Winery are also theirs.


Winemaler Craig Larson is responsible for all three wineries.  He believes in order to make great wines you have to be be passionate about them.

Winemaking Philosophy : By capturing the essences of the Okanagan - its sun, soil and ambience - in carefully nurtured varietal grapes and extracting that essence through superb winemaking craftsmanship, we will produce wines that won't just meet expectations, they will exceed them.

This is Gwen and Corey's second location. They opened their original location(2001) in Langley's Township7 . Since the wineries was so successful they felt it would be wrong to change the name on the Naramata location.

Two of the seven acres on the property were planted to grapes in the spring of 2004, with more plantings planned for 2005.  The retail wine shop housed in the newly built winery opened in August, 2004

Besides the vineyards in Langley and on the Naramata Bench, grapes for Township 7 Vineyards and Winery wines are grown in the Oliver area of British Columbia, a great location for growing grapes for the more full-bodied Merlots, Cabernet Sauvignons, Syrahs and Chardonnays that Township 7 produces.

Website

Opened in 2005 We are seeking information about this winery

Winemaker: Robert Van Westen
Winemaking Philosophy:

 

website