If you're looking for a place to spend a little time this September long weekend, you may want to visit Quail's Gate Estate Winery.
They are celebrating their 30th anniversary and aside from reminiscing and trying cellar gems, CEO Tony Stewart told AM1150’s Early Edition, they will be releasing they're first ever single estate Chenin Blanc.
“It’s about 150 cases of a really special wine, that has been made in one of these cement eggs. The shape of the egg actually creates a little bit of, as the fermentation occurs, almost a stirring effect which brings the leaves up and adds a little more flavour to the wine,” said Stewart.
He said the Stewart family has farmed this land for over 100 years and really appreciate just how special of an appellation the Okanagan is.
“It’s a very small region. It’s about half the size of Napa but it’s remarkably special. The weather conditions that we have here are a temperate climate; so volcanic soil makes this one of the best regions in the world. It’s getting a lot of notoriety across the U.S and even in Europe, as people are starting to realize just how special the terroir is here.”
He says a lot of families who pioneered the wine industry in the Okanagan are moving on but the Stewart's want to continue farming the Valley for another 100 years.
“We’ve made a decision as a family to carry on and be a family business and we're working with the next generation to develop that process to bring them in the business. We do have what we call G 3's in the business and they’re showing interest.”
Stewart attributes the success of the industry to continued customer satisfaction.
He believes frontline interaction between owners and consumers allows them to know preferences and buying patterns.