British Columbia's Naramata Bench

Ruby Tuesday

Naramata Bench is bounded by lakeshore, clay bluffs, vineyards, orchards and wilderness.
Tree lined streets, artisan shops, Museum, quaint country stores and nature trails.
The Naramata Bench has optimal growing conditions due to the proximity of Okanagan Lake
which provides for a long growing season.

Aces Wine Group

1309 Smethurst Road,
PO Box 40
Naramata, BC V0H 1N0

Opened 2009 owned by Holger Clausen in partnership. Holger is a tournament poker player which accounts for the wineries name. Holger states perfect grapes are like poker hands rae indeed
His first release was a Syrah called Pocket Aces Syrah at $95.00

Consulting Winemaker : Jason Parkes

Black Cloud Winery
1450 McMillan Ave
Penticton BC
V2A 8T4

The winery owned by winemaker Brad Cooper know for his township 7 wines. Bras always had the desire to have his own winery. When a prosposed winey Brad had made wines for never opend Brad was paid with the wines he made for them. His wife and businss partner wasn't too pleased saying just as things get better anothe black cloud comes along.

Black Cloud will procuce limited quality wines.

Winemaker: Bradley Cooper
Philosophy:

Black Widow Winery

1630 Naramata Road
Penticton, BC V2A 8T7

Dick Lancaster has been a noted amateur winemaker for over 30 years. In 2000 Dick and his wife Shona came across this beautiful seven acre property. It was already producing vines and witha panoramic view of Naramata Bench and the lake, it was too good to turn down. Taking on grape growing and commercial wine making was a natural progression, satisfying a long time pashion.

The name represents the Black Widow spiders which are quite common on the property, and serve as a reminder that they are growing grapes in a desert region.

A gravity flow winery was constructed to produce Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Schönburger
Merlot. All wines are produced from their own vineyard

signature wines: Hourglass a bold Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend - 100% oak aged (predominantly French) for at least 21 months. Pinot Gris, harvested late, cold soaked, and partially barrel fermented

Winemaker: Dick Lancaster
Philosophy: Grow really ripe fruit on our own property, making wine of intense flavour, bouquet, and character.

D'Angelo Estate Winery

979 Lochore Road
Penticton, BC V2A 8V1

D'Angelo Estate Winery was established in 1984 By Vintner Sal D'Angelo in Amherstburg Ontario , the D'Angelo Family has a rich history in Canada 's wine making industry , Sal opened his second winery in a location which he has been vacationing for years, in Penticton BC on the Naramata Bench. In 2003 Sal's dream of owning a winery on the bench had finally come true. The BC winery now has 8.5 acres planted on their 27 acre property; just some of their varietals include Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet, Tempranillo and Viogner.

As a Wine Maker Sal Specializes in red wines and Ice Wine , in 2006 Sal produced Canada 's First Tempranillo ice wine , which was released in the summer of 2008. His flagship wine is called Settle Coppa which mean seven measures

D'Angelo operates as a family business with daughter Stephanie and son Christopher helping

Sal D'Angelo was named Ontario's' Grape King in 1999. Illness forced Sal to move to the drier climate 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.

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

Winemaker Sal D'Angelo

Elephant Island Orchard Winery

2730 Aikens Loop
RR1 S5 C18
Naramata, BC, V0H 1N0

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.

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

Foxtrot

2333 Gammond Road
Naramata, BC V2A 8T6

A winery with a most spectacular view owned by Torsten Allander The winery specializes in ultra-premium Pinot Noir

Winemakesr: Gustav and Nadine Allander
Winemaking Philosophy: ensuringthe best possible grapes to work with come harvest time. At harvest they use all of their combined knowledge, the best in old world and new world techniques, and state of the art technology to produce the best possible wines.

Hillside Estate Winery

1350 Naramata Road
Penticton, BC V2A 8T6

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, BC 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.
The winery is owned by Bill Carpenter and investors.

Hillside is the only BC winery producing Muscat Ottonel, a truly unique and unusual aromatic white wine. The winery has a barrel room, bistro and tasting room. 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. They produce about 12,000 cases a year from 40 acres of vineyards

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

Howling Bluff Winery

1086 Three Mile Rd
Penticton, BC V2A 8T6

Owner Luke Smith spent six month searching for the right location He had been dreaming of owning a winery for twenty years. He found his vineyard in the Naramata
and called his 20 acre vineyard Summa Quies Vineyard. The winery he named Howling Bluff a name which came when he stood in his vineyard on a windy day listening to the dogs barking.

The vineyard was first planted in 2003 with additional plantings in
2004/2005/2006/2007/2008 and the first wine making facility built in 2007.
The winery directionp is to produce 2000-3000 cases of estate wine, three wines, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Pinot Noir and Sin Cera our Merlot/Cab franc/Cab sav/Malbec/Petite Verdot blend

signature wines: Sin Cera and Pinot Noir

The winery strives to make the best possiable wines using 100% estate grown grapes.

Winemaker: Chris Carson
Winemaking Philosophy: Grow the best grapes to make the best wine possible

Joie Winery

2825 Naramata Road
Site 5 Comp 4
Naramata, BC V0H 1N0

Heidi Noble and Michael Dinn are the owners of this new winery Both have extensive backgrounds 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.

Kettle Valley Winery

2988 Hayman Road
Naramata, BC

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.

La Frenz Winery

740 Naramata Road
Penticton, BC

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 has a degree in Eonology/ Wine Science, from Charles Stuart University, Australia resulting in
30 years of winemaking and viticulture experience in both North and Southern hemispheres

The Martins named the winery after Jeff's Grandfather. His ten acre vineyard on the benchincludes Shiraz, Merlot, Viognier and Schonburger. A second vineyard also ten acresis located on the Golden Mile by Oliver. A secnd vineyard on the Bench was planted in 2008.
The wineries direction is to remain small and focus on continuing to craft steller wines.
Two of their wines were selected for Queen Elizabeth's Gala dinner during her visit in May 2005. Their 2005 Merlot was selected as wine of the show at the Northwest wine summit, Portland 2007. A first for Canadian wine

signature wines: Shiraz, Semillon, Viognier. Liqueur Muscat, Tawny Port.

Winemaker: Jeff Martin
Philosophy:to over deliver in the glass

Lake Breeze Vineyard

930 Sammet Road,
Naramata, BC VOH

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 by the husband and wife team of Gary Reynold and Tracy Ball and Drew and Barabara MacIntyre. 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: 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.

Lang Vineyards

2493 Gammon Road, RR1, S11, C55,
Naramata, BC VOH INO

Overlooking Okanagan Lake, Lang Vineyard has a magnificent view of the valley.

Lang Vineyards opened their doors in 1990 the first farm gate winery in BC and has grown from it's humble beginnings into one of the Okanagan's foremost boutique wineries

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 the beginning of Holman Lang Wineries owners of Soaring Eagle, Lang Vineyards, Spiller Estates Stonehill Estates, Zero Balance, K Mountain, and Mistral Wineries

signature wines: Riesling Farm Reserve, Marechal Foch
Lang wines ccan be purchased in Korea, Japan, China

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.

Laughing Stock Vineyards

1548 Naramata Road
Penticton, BC V2A 8T7

Located on a 5 acre parcel in Naramata Laughing Stock is the long term dream of David and Cynthia Enns. Considering 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.

Marichel Vineyards and Winery

1016 Littlejohn Road, Naramata, BC V0H 1N0

This small winery on Naramata bench ~ 500 cases per year Marichel will produce bold wines primarily from estate grown grapes and always with fruit grown on the Naramata Bench. Their focus is to produce very limited wines. They have 3 hectares of Syrah and Viognier.

Requests for information were respectfully declined by the winery

Owned by Richard and Elizabeth Roskell

Meyer Family Vineyards

4287 McLean Creek Road
Naramata Bench, BC

In 2006 the Meyer family purchased 3.1 acres of land on the Naramata Bench's Old Main Road. The land had ten year old Chardonnay vines. A team was put in place to create great wines. The team James Cluer General manager,Rhys production manager, Pierre LeVesque as vineyard anger and winemaker, a long with Laura and Terry Meyer. Proprietors are Jak and Janice Meyer

The winery produces two distinct Chardonnays Micro Cuvee and the Tribute Series

Winemaker: Pierre LeVesque, Chris Carson
Philosophy

Mistral Estate Winery

250 Upper Bench Road
Penticton, BC V2A 8T1

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.

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.

Montagu Cellars Winery

#29 1350 West 6th Avenue,
Vancouver BC V6H 1A7

The vineyards are in Naramata, the offices in Vancouver. It's a small winery producing only three barrels of Merlot and one of Chardonnay each vintage. Proprietor Tom Doughty has sold his wines even before they are bottled.

Winemaker: Tom Doughty

Nichol Vineyards & Estate Winery

1285 Smethurst Road
Naramata, BC

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

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 labor intensive, but one that better allows the winemaker to assist the wine in expressing its natural traits and seasonal characteristics. Ross also believes in giving his wines an extra year to age.

Poplar Grove

1060 Poplar Grove Road
Penticton, BC V2A 8T6

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.

In 2007 Tony and Barbara Holler purchased 75% of the winery. Production has increased 15,000 cases in 2008 There are plans to increse the winery and its production
Signature wine: Legacy

Winemakers Ian Sutherland and Stepahn Arason

Red Rooster

Naramata Road
Naramata, BC V2A8T5

Located on the scenic Naramata Bench Road, where breathtaking lake and mountain views surround the vineyard. The winery was originally started by a couple who immigrated from Switzerland. The winery's founders kept Rhode Island Reds; because roosters are good luck symbols in many cultures; and because roosters have a long association with wine (for example, the rooster is the symbol of the Chianti region of Italy.)

Today Red Rooster owned and operated by Andrés Wines who recently purchased Calona Wines.

The winery produces Gerùrztraminer, Pinot Gris Riesling and Merlot.

Winemaker: Karen Gillis
Winemaking Philosophy: "Quality before quantity"

Ruby Tuesday

917 Naramata Road,
Penticton, BC V2A 8V1

This small but Funky winery is owned by Beat and Prudence Mahrer, formerly of Red Rooster Winery
In a song by the Rolling Stones" Good by Ruby Tuesday " there is a line: " catch your dreams before they slip away . It reflects why the Mahrers returned to start a second winery only smaller to allow prudence more contact with the people. On the production building there is a 30 meter mural symbolizing the lyrics fromthe song

The winery plans to stay small producing about 3999 cases. The wines are Viognier, Pinot Gris, Gewuerztraminer and Riesling. In the Reds: Shiraz, Merlot and Cab. Sauvignon and blends

Winemaker: Phil Soo assistant winemaker is Lyndsay O` Rourke
Consultant Phil Soo
Winemaking Philosophy: is to reflect the terroir from the Naramata Bench. 95% of the grapes are grown on the Bench

Soaring Estate Winery

1751 Naramata Road
Penticton, BC V2A 8T8

Soaring Eagle wines are produced from hand selected bunches of grapes grown on the Naramata Bench. This is truly 'Single Vineyard— Low Yields' production ensuring that the best possible quality ends up in the bottle. Soaring Eagle resides in one of the most picturesque locations on the Naramata Bench and will quickly become known for the rare scenic beauty of its surroundings.

Winemaker, Bernhard Schirrmeister has created a riper, fuller style of wine using later harvesting, lees contact and now barrel aging to enhance but not to interfere with what nature provides. Soaring Eagle wines are lightly oaked drier wines, world class quality

Winemaker:

a Holman Lang Winery

Spiller Estate Fruit Winery

475 Upper Bench Road N
Penticton V2A 8T4

A fruit winery developed by Lynn and Keith Holman opened in 2003. 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.
They have 50 mixed orchard

The winery found success which lead to the establishment of The Holman Lang Wineriesgroup

Signature wines : Fuji Frost Iced Apple dessert wine

Winemaker: Laurent Lafuente
Philosophy: Our winemakers offer a complete range of skills and experience along with old-world attention to quality that is sure to impress your palate.

Stonehill Estate Winery

170 Upper Bench Road S
Penticton, BC V2A 8T1

Keith and Lynn Holman, the owners of Stonehill Estate Winery welcome you to the second winery on the Naramata Wine Route . The red-roofed building, with its profusion of colourful garden beds and hanging baskets, sits just below 9 acres of premium vineyard, including the first planting in BC of Zweigelt in 1997.

Stonehill offers a portfolio of well-known varietals such as Pinot Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Port-styled wines and of course their famous Zweigelt.

Winemaker:

Township 7 Winery

1450 McMillian Ave
Penticton, BC V2A 8T4

The winery was sold to Mike Raffan in June 2006

This is Township 7'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 Chardonnay's that Township 7 produces.

Winemaker: Brad Cooper

Therapy Vineyards

940 Debeck Road
Naramata, BC

A recently open winery owned by Naramata Development Corporation a general partner of Naramalta Winery Limited Partnership the name of the winery is based upon Our location is therapeutic, our guesthouse is therapeutic and our wine is therapeutic at the end of a long day. John McBean a Calgary business man leads a group of fifty partners to launch a winery that combines great scenery along with great wines

Winemaker and General manger Marcus Ansems comes from a winemaking family (Mt Langi Ghiran in Australia), He has a degree majoring in Winemaking from Adelaide University Marcus has worked in Australia. South Africa, Italy, France, and Canada (both Niagara/Okanagan).

The winery has an 8 bedroom Five Star guest house

signature wines: Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir

The winery future plans are to grow slowly and produce high-end ultra premium wines with special emphasis on Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and unique blends.

Winemaker: Steve Latchford
Winemaking Philosophy: winemaking philosophy . – Let the vineyard site come through in the wines, manipulate aromatic varieties as little as possible, use only the best quality oak, mouth feel is more important than tannin in red wines.

Van Westen Vineyards

2800A Aikins Loop
Naramata, BC V0H 1N0

The Van Westen Family has been involved in farming the Naramata Bench for the last fifty years. Robert Van West has taken it one step further by opening his winery.

The property sits on an Eastern slope allowing for long hours of warm sunlight thus providing an excellent growing season.

Signature wines are Vino Grigio, Vavacious and Volptuous.
Currently their are no facilitiesfor visitors.

Winemaker: Robert Van Westen
Winemaking Philosophy: To grow, produce and bottle fruit grown by van westen vineyards, solely from our land on the naramata bench. From grapes to glass

Zero Balance Vineyards

1865 Naramata Road
Penticton, BC V0H 1N0

The winery was opened in 2008 . It is owned by Keith and Lynn Holman. The name is a Tongue in cheek opinion of the bank balance of a winery owner.

signature wines: Malbec, Project 743 A blend of 3 grape varietals; Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat and Semillon)

They have an icewine called Frozen Assets

Winemaking Philosophy:Our winemakers offer a complete range of skills and experience along with old-world attention to quality that is sure to impress your palate.

Holman Lang Wineries

Naramata, BC V0H 1N0

The Holman Lang wineries is a group of five cottage winerieslocated on the Naramata bench of British Columbia wine country. They include Soaring Eagle, Lang Vineyards, Spiller Estates Stonehill Estates, Zero Balance, K Mountain, and Mistral Wineries each offer five distinct styles of winemaking.

Owner Keith Holman.

Winemaker:
Winemaking Philosophy: Finest quality wines commitment to compete with the worlds best