We spent a lot of time and several flights to the Okanagan before choosing this property. It is a 5 acre plot located on McLean Creek Rd in Okanagan Falls BC. Okanagan Falls is a unique wine growing region in the hills at the south end of Skaha Lake, between Penticton and Oliver. This region has many different slopes and micro climates and in many areas resembles the steep vineyards of the Mosel River Valley in Germany. It is not surprising then that it is well suited to Riesling with argueably some of the best in the Valley coming from Wild Goose Winery who coincidentally sold us the property. Other earlier ripening varietals also thrive here such at Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Our vineyard is currently planted with 3-4 year old vines made up of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Merlot, Muscat and Malbec. The Muscat and Malbec have not done well and we are replanting both plots. The Muscat is being replanted with Riesling clone 21B and the steeper more southern section of the malbec is being replanted with a field blend of Pinot Noir. Our vineyard sits in a pass between two small mountains up on a plateau. The wind blows through the mountain pass and gently cools the grapes at night which should bring excellent balance and more measured ripening of the grapes. The pass is broad and our vineyard is at the southern end where it opens up to the rest of the valley so sun exposure is long and plentiful in the growing season.
It will be 3 years before any reasonable crop can be realized from the new plantings but crops from the existing plantings will be sold to a local winery for at least the next few years.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Day 2
Today was a planning day with my business partner. We went over details and timelines for permitting and other business registration items. There was a conflict for the name we tried to register so we are exploring another possiblity.
We have interest from a significant winemaker in the Okanagan who is looking for a facility to produce his wines in. I will post more on this as things progress.
Scruffy and I marked out the footprint of the outbuilding and cabin on the property with stakes and rope today. 40'x66' is a lot bigger when you mark it all out. We are going over details for the concrete foundation and septic systems with the contractor on Friday. The outbuilding will be going in the main open building site while the cabin will be placed nestled in the edge of the vineyard, next to the pumphouse. I am looking into installing a composting toilet to forgoe the need to tie the cabin into the black septic for the outbuilding. We are making every effort to use more sustainable practices and equipment wherever budget allows and this is one area where we can reduce our overall impact on the property.
Roland Kruger from Wild Goose showed up with his tractor and rototiller this afternoon and generously offered to mulch the trimmings down each row of the Vineyard. This is much appreciated as I have not yet learned how to drive the tractor and trying to learn while towing a giant lawnmower down each narrow row is not really ideal.
Scruffy made his first kill on the property so I have started a tally on the right of the blog to keep track of his vermin control work.
-Alan
We have interest from a significant winemaker in the Okanagan who is looking for a facility to produce his wines in. I will post more on this as things progress.
Scruffy and I marked out the footprint of the outbuilding and cabin on the property with stakes and rope today. 40'x66' is a lot bigger when you mark it all out. We are going over details for the concrete foundation and septic systems with the contractor on Friday. The outbuilding will be going in the main open building site while the cabin will be placed nestled in the edge of the vineyard, next to the pumphouse. I am looking into installing a composting toilet to forgoe the need to tie the cabin into the black septic for the outbuilding. We are making every effort to use more sustainable practices and equipment wherever budget allows and this is one area where we can reduce our overall impact on the property.
Roland Kruger from Wild Goose showed up with his tractor and rototiller this afternoon and generously offered to mulch the trimmings down each row of the Vineyard. This is much appreciated as I have not yet learned how to drive the tractor and trying to learn while towing a giant lawnmower down each narrow row is not really ideal.
Scruffy made his first kill on the property so I have started a tally on the right of the blog to keep track of his vermin control work.
-Alan
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Day 1
I checked into a motel last night for a month after driving up with all my tools, clothes and Scruffy. Today we did a perimeter check of the fence to make sure there weren't any dog sized holes that would need patching. Scruffy made friends with the neighbours horse and they played with each other through the fence before Scruffy decided he needed to roll in the dirt for 20 minutes... All further evidence that he was a farm dog at some point before I adopted him.
We got all the paperwork to transfer crop insurance over to our name for the year. For those of you who don't know, Amy and I purchased a 5 acre vineyard from the Wild Goose family on which we will eventually be living and where we will be starting Canada's first Custom Crush Winery along with my business partner who I will be announcing shortly. We will be providing a facility and services to private groups who would like to startup small wine brands and others who need additional crushing and winemaking capacity.
Over the coming months I will be posting about my experiences with the vineyard operation as we learn the ropes and the construction of our facility. We will also be moving a small cabin onto the property where Amy and I will be living. She is staying in Vancouver for the month of March until I have the living arrangements ready to go.
Feel free to post or request anything specific as we go along. This is all a major learning experience for us so please offer any advice along the way.
-Alan
We got all the paperwork to transfer crop insurance over to our name for the year. For those of you who don't know, Amy and I purchased a 5 acre vineyard from the Wild Goose family on which we will eventually be living and where we will be starting Canada's first Custom Crush Winery along with my business partner who I will be announcing shortly. We will be providing a facility and services to private groups who would like to startup small wine brands and others who need additional crushing and winemaking capacity.
Over the coming months I will be posting about my experiences with the vineyard operation as we learn the ropes and the construction of our facility. We will also be moving a small cabin onto the property where Amy and I will be living. She is staying in Vancouver for the month of March until I have the living arrangements ready to go.
Feel free to post or request anything specific as we go along. This is all a major learning experience for us so please offer any advice along the way.
-Alan
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