Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan

Articles by Michael Fagin Meteorologist, Travel Writer and Wine Enthusiast

An Oasis on the Prairie

Cyprus Hills Winery E Fagin
Beautiful Grounds of Cypress Hills Winery

Our visit to the beautiful Cypress Hills area of Saskatchewan was a memorable experience. The area was named for the Cypress trees that blanket the rolling hill. The original Cree name for the area is Mun-a-tuk-gaw , which means Beautiful Uplands. The hills were thought to be a sacred place for the First Nations of the region. As beautiful as the scenery is, the weather for this area is not ideal for grape growing. The record low for January and February is minus-41 (same for C and F). The average low temperature for January and February is 3 F (-16 C) and 10 F (-12 C) respectively. However, July is warmer with an average of 66 F (19 C).

Harvest time weather gets dicey in September with the average daily low of 41 F (5C). October is even worse with an average l ow of freezing temperatures – so you better get the harvest done in September. In contrast the September average lows for the wine grape growing region of Vancouver Island is 46 F (10 C). And then there are the winds. It is often constantly windy in much of Saskatchewan. During one September cold front the winds were strong enough to lift and move parked cars. This weather event is referred to as the Alberta Clipper.

Because of the uplift land of the Cypress Hills they get more rain than the adjacent regions which is good as long as it does not happen during harvest. Since this region is close to the Rockies it gets the warm Chinook winds and which makes this region warmer than the surroundings during these events. Thus, spring is earlier and the fall frost comes later than the surrounding area and this is of course good for the wine grapes

When the Rocky Mountains were uplifted it caused the plains in this region to raise 4,816 feet (1,468 meters). Thus this is the highest point in mainland Canada between the base of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and Labrador . Because of this uplift the Cypress Hills are the northern most part of North America that remained glacier free during the last glacier period. In fact during that glacier period these hills can technically be described as nunataks . However this term, (Greenlandic in origin) is usually reserved for a land feature that is permanently surrounded by an ice sheet or glacier.

Cypress Hills Winery: (http://www.cypresshillswinery.com) The owners call it a “hobby gone bad” but the employees refer to it as “a dream come true”. We agree with the employees. Marie and Marty Bohnet had no intention of owning a winery. Marty was perfectly happy as a cattle rancher. However in 2003 bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) hit all the ranchers in the region. BSE (incorrectly referred to by some as mad cow disease) depressed cattle prices so much that the Bohnets decided to diversify by starting a winery. Growing wine grapes had been a hobby since 1995. They planted their first commercial planting in 2004. In 2005 they started producing fruit wines and opened the winery in 2007. Because of the harsh growing conditions they became very resourceful in the wine making process. They use cold tolerant grapes from many locations and grow their varieties developed by Elmer Swenson, owner of patented hybrids developed atthe University of Minnesota . The Bohnets also use local favorites such as Saskatoon berries, currants, rhubarb, and chokecherries for their delicious fruit wine. Some of their wine also uses imported wine grapes from California .

The Cypress Hills wines include the following selections:

• North Slope Red: nice smooth red from their own grapes

• Chinook Red: using grapes imported from California

• Rhubarb Blend: one of the more popular

• Saskatoon Berry Wine: which tasted great with my roast beef sandwich

• Chokecherry Wine: a tasty desert wine

• Sour Cherry Wine: using the Carmine Jewel Cherry developed by the University of Saskatchewan , nice as a cooler on a hot day

• Black Currant & Honey Wine: Also known as their Christmas Wine

• Mead: Made from local honey and finished in the traditional style

We should also mention that many of these fruits were used by the First Nation people for medicinal purposes, such as the Saskatoon berry for stomach and liver problems. So you can enjoy these drinks and with minimal guilt.

Vineyard at Cypress Hills Winery Photo by Elizabeth Fagin

We have visited many wineries and this is one of the nicer outdoor bistros we've seen. The creeks, footbridges, and lovely landscaping create a peaceful and beautiful setting. The bistro offers food service from May through September. The Cypress Hills Winery website says that the winery offers the “best afternoon of your summer” and we certainly agree. We met many people on our trip in the Greater Cyrus Hills Region (see our other stories) and the first thing everyone raved about the wine, food and ambiance of the Cypress Hills Winery. In the wide expanse of flat land and prairie, the Cypress Hills Winery is indeed an oasis.

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