Wines of Northern Okanagan

Baccata Ridge Winery

66-68 McManus Road
Grindrod, BC V0E 1Y0

 

A new winery located north of Okanagan Lake near Salmon Arm. On his farm owner
Sheldon Moore found numerous Yew trees, whose botanical name is taxus baccata, this
prompted the winery's name.

The winery opened in 2007 as an organic winery focusing on Ortega, Siegerrebe,
Gewürztraminer, Gamay, Zweigelt and Maréchal Foch, along with Vidal grapes used for icewine

 

Winemaker:

Celista Vineyards

2319 Beguelin Road
Celista, BC V0E 1L0

Located on the north shore of Shuswap Lake Jake and Margaret Ootes named their winery after the community where they live. They first planted vines in 2002 and now have two hectares (five acres) of grapes on their 65-hectare (160-acre) farm. They grow Maréchal Foch, Ortega, Madeleine Sylvaner, Madeleine Angevine, Gewürztraminer and a small quantity of St. Laurent. Hans Nevrkla award winning winemaker and founder of Larch Hills Winery was hired as consultant and winemaker

Winemaker: Jessie Steinley

Edge of Earth Vineyards

4758 Gluch Road
Spallumcheen, BC V0E 1B4

Due to the windy country road one has to reach the winery owners Russ and Marnie Niles renamed the winery Edge of the Earth Vineyard. It was formly called Hunting Hawk Vineyards. The vineyard is small at 3 acres ( 1.2 hectares) here he grows his favourite grape. Maréchal Foch.

Russ recent made his firt icewine a Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Russ Niles

Granite Creek Estate Winery

2302 Skimikin Road
Tappen, BC V0E 2X0

Mayka and Doug Kennedy began wine making at home and their enthusiasm led them to explore the wine regions of Europe. Mayka's degree in chemistry and chemical engineering are a strong asset in understanding the technical side of winemaking. Her skills are complemented by Doug's management experience, both have a love of wine.

The winery is located on a very unique and strategically located piece of land in the Shuswap Lake country. The mix of soils aspect, topography and climate, gives us a microclimate highly suited to grape production. The farm property, in addition to its grape vineyard potential, has many other attributes relative to agriculture tourism. It crosses the entire valley at the head of Tappen Valley and serves as the eastern gateway to Similkin Valley. The farm has high agriculture capability ratings and is surrounded on three sides by forested crown land. It is made up of agricultural lands, forested lands and supports a seven-kilometer trail network, which ties into the larger crown land trail network.

A very unique resource available to guests is a 30-acre bowl made up of a series of springs that we've named Granite Springs. This is the source of water for Granite Creek now known as Tappen Creek. The Farm and Winery are named after the original name of Granite Creek which was changed due to historical events. The bio diversity of this spring area is quite unique and supports a lot of BC coastal vegetation in this interior location. It is highly environmentally sensitive on one hand, while offering valuable educational experience.

Winemaker: Doug Kennedy

Hunting Hawk Vineyard

3171 Lion Road
Salmon Arms, BC V1E 3J3

Gregg Tippe and Irene Johnston purchased Hunting Hawk at O"Keefe Ranch but were unable to obtain space on the Ranch and moved the winery vineyard and all to Salmon Arm in 2008.

Winemaker/Consultant:

Larch Hills Winery

110 Timms Road
Salmon Arm, BC V1E 2P8

 

Larch Hills Winery is a land-based, family run vineyard and winery, originally owned by Hans and Hazel Nevrkla. They sold the winery in 2005 to Jack and Hazel Manse.

All wines are proudly made from 100% British Columbia grapes, either from the main vineyard just south of Salmon Arm (also the location of the winery and home), or from contracted vineyards farther south in the Okanagan Valley. All our wines are made and bottled on the premises at Salmon Arm. They specialize in cool climate grape growing, and have varieties that are generally not available in other parts of BC. Canada's most Northern Winery, featuring the warmth and friendliness of a real small winery with quality wines. Vintner, Wine Grower Hans Nevrkla. This farm winery opened April 1, 1997 with their signature wine Ortega and a recent release Grandview Bench

Larch Hills sits on top of the hill over looking the entire valley. It's an amazing picture post card view.

Winemaker: Jack Manse
Philosophy: "We specialize in cool climate grape growing, and have varieties that are generally not available in other parts of BC. We think this makes our wines unique."

In 1992 John and Catherine Koopmans puchased a small dairy farm on a 31 acre property in Silver Creek. They worked as dairy farmers and also raised sheep. In 2006 they decided to sell the cows and in 2007 a 4 acre vineyard was planted with four varieties of grapes; Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier, Gewurztraminer and the old cold hardy standby Marachel Foch. The name of the winery arrives from sheep--ovine in latin, ovino in italian and spanish and of course vino is latin for wine.

The winery is located on a Bench overlooking the valley between Salmon Arm and Veron, this glacier carved landscape offers mostly sandy loam soils, marbled with infrequent layers of clay. The vines are located on a sun drenched knoll to maximize photosynthesis and air flow, supported by a drip irrigation system.

Ovino is a true family project, with John and Catherine's daughter Jessica and her husband Don Gawley helping out with many of the day to day operations with other family members helping at harvest time. Estate grown grapes are supplemented with some purchased grapes, mostly the same varieties, from nearby vineyards. An arrangement that is likely to continue in the future.

Winemaker: John Koopmans Consulting winemaker: Hans Nevrkla
Philosophy:work on producing the best grapes the season allows for and guide that into lovely wines of the style that people will enjoy.

Signature wine is estate Foch-Pinot Meunier blend

Recline Ridge Vineyard and Winery Ltd.

RR1 S12 C16
Tappen, BC V0E 2X0

Recline Ridge Vineyards extends over five acres and hosts nine different varieties of grapes. In the spring of 1998, Recline Ridge Vineyards began construction of an expanded winery. This unique post and beam log building is 3,300 total square feet on three levels and will house both the winemaking facility and a wine shop and tasting area. The winery overlooks the vineyard framed by Tappen Mountain and the Tappen and Similkameen Valleys.
The winery was purchased in 2010 by Graydon Retzlaff

Winemaker: Mike Smith
Philosophy: Germanic style whites, crisp, fruity not too dry - cool ferment Reds , full body, malolactic, oaked.

The Cellar at the Rise

364 Cordon Lane,
Vernon, BC V1H 1Z9

Located at the top (north) of the Lake Okanagan The Cellar at the rise is still under construction. The micro climate of the lake and the high high-elevation vineyard at the Rise,almost 400 metres (1,300 feet) above the lake will produce high quality grapes. The steep south faces slopes of the vinyards will allow for plenty of good sunshine

Planting began in 2005 with 2.4 hectares (six acres)of Pinot Noir and Riesling vines in 2008 they added another five hectares
(12½ acres) with more Pinot Noir and Riesling as well as almost two hectares (five acres) of Gewürztraminer. Addtitional plantings will include Pinot Gris, Kerner, and Muscat. Vineyard manager is Jason Ranelli

Tilman Hainle was the Rises first winemaker, he left to open Working Horse Winery. Under Tilman the winery had 4,600 cases of wine in its inventory in 2008, including Pinot Noir, Merlot, Riesling, and two vintages of icewine

The project developer is Leona Snider. Her firm, Okanagan Hills Development Corporation,

winemaker: