Orchard & Vine Spring 2020

Small Batches at Niche Winery Gamay in the Okanagan

2020 BUYER'S GUIDE

Canada's New Apple

Spring 2020 $6.95

Display Until May 15, 2020 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40838008 www.orchardandvine.net

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Blue Mountain in Okanagan Falls has been producing Gamay for almost 30 years.

CONTENTS

6 Publisher's View – Lisa Olson 8 Calendar 9 News & Events 16 Through the Grapevine – Roslyne Buchanan 18 Product Profiles 20 Finding a Niche with Small Batch Wines

14

Healthy trees depend on healthy roots.

25 2020 Buyer's Guide 43 Gamay a Rising Star in the Okanagan 47 A New Canadian Apple is on the Way 49 Chef Provides Low-down on Selling to Restaurants 51 Blueberry Growers Warned about Cherry Fruit Worm 53 Ag Minister Responds to Anger over ALR Changes 54 Hire Well and Retain Staff for a Succesful Business 55 Marketing Mix – Leeann Froese 57 Rules of the Game – Ernie Keenes 61 The Word on Wine – Carie Jones

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63 Canadian Winemaker Series: Will Hardman Cover photo by Luke Whittall https://winecountrybc.blog. Joanna, James and Hugh Schlosser the family behind West Kelowna's Niche Wine Company.

Spring 2020

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 PUBLISHER’S VIEW | LISA OLSON

Life in the Time of Covid 19

I

n this year of the Covid 19 pandemic, people around the world are feeling anxious, fearful and may have lost loved ones. The world is experiencing a very challenging and turbulent time, and people are filled with real fear.

Vol. 61, No 2 Spring 2020

Health reports and government news conferences are updated throughout the day. People are being urged to quickly make their way home. Canada is closing its borders to non-Canadian or permanent residents of Canada. At this moment, allowing in, are citizens conducting trade and commerce from the US, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Editor

Established in 1959 Publisher Lisa Olson

Gary Symons Graphic Design Stephanie Symons

Photo by Kimberly Brooke Photography

Contributors

Events and public areas are being cancelled or closed. Schools may not reopen until September. Many people are choosing to self-isolate to stay safe and stocking up on extra supplies.

Various theories and thoughts are being circulated around as to how and why this has occurred and what will be the outcome in months to come.

I am hoping like many others, that before long the pandemonium and fear will have lessened or passed and we will be on the road to recovery in terms of both the economy and public health. While it may not happen right away, I truly hope normality is around the corner.

stay calm and take a moment in your day for the simple things in life that can bring you the most comfort, like breathing in the fresh spring air, listening to the birds chirping, playing with your children, grandchildren or pets, or any other activity that bring you peace and joy.

It can be difficult to stay focused on our regular work. Business decisions change daily. It is time to act on your crisis management, adjust your expenses and prepare for how this will this affect your season of visitors?

Take a moment from worry and slow things down a bit in your body. Sit back and read the inspiring and interesting articles inside this issue. Look over the many quality suppliers in the magazine and within the Buyer’s Guide who can help you by offering you new solutions, ideas or advice.

During this challenging period, try to

Try to stay calm and healthy.

Michael Botner, Roslyne Buchanan, Leeann Froese, Carie Jones, Ernie Keenes, Kimberly Brooke Photography, Ronda Payne, Erin Symons, Tom Walker Advertise lisa@orchardandvine.net Phone: 778-754-7078 Orchard & Vine Magazine Ltd. 22-2475 Dobbin Road Suite #578 West Kelowna, BC V4T 2E9 www.orchardandvine.net Phone: 778-754-7078 Fax: 1-866-433-3349 Orchard & Vine Magazine is published six times a year and distributed by addressed mail to growers, suppliers and wineries in BC and across Canada.

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40838008 Undeliverable copies should be sent to: 22-2475 Dobbin Road Suite #578

Providing Canadian Grapevine Solutions BRITISH COLUMBIA Nathan Phillips p. 250-809-6040 bcsales@vinetech.ca 6

Spring 2020

NOVA SCOTIA Ian Kaye p. 902.740.2493 nssales@vinetech.ca

ONTARIO Wes Wiens/Tina Wall p. 905.984.4324 sales@vinetech.ca

QUEBEC Wes Wiens/Tina Wall p. 905.984.4324 sales@vinetech.ca

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 SPRING | CALENDAR

Meet our Agriculture Services Team

Jeremy Siddall District Vice President - Pacific Agriculture Services British Columbia 250-681-4656 jeremy.siddall@td.com

Alyssa Meyer Account Manager BC Interior 250-575-5047 Alyssa.Meyer@td.com

Ted Hallman Account Manager BC Interior 250-470-3029 Ted.Hallman@td.com

Photo by https://winebc.com/

We are dedicated to helping you achieve your business goals and creating a flexible and customized banking solution that is right for your farming operation.

Michelle Curcio Account Manager Vancouver Island 250-246-0859 Michelle.Curcio@td.com

Save the date for Chef Meets Grape.

Ramil Biclar B.Comm Relationship Manager Abbotsford & Fraser Valley 604-870-2229 Ramil.Biclar@td.com

®

Dave Gill Account Manager Abbotsford & Fraser Valley 604-870-2224 Baldev.Gill@td.com

Lynda Ferris BBA, CAPA Account Manager Abbotsford & Fraser Valley 604-870-2222 Lynda.Ferris@td.com

Rahan Ahmad Account Manager Abbotsford & Fraser Valley 604-870-3819 rahan.ahmad@td.com

The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.

M05338 (0819)

Ontario Craft Wine Conference & Trade Show April 2, 2020 Beanfield Centre Toronto, ON www.ontariocraftwineconference.ca Bloom VQA & Chef Meets Grape Vancouver - April 9, 2020 Victoria - April 16, 2020 www.winebc.org Canada’s Farm Progress Show June 16 -18, 2020 Regina, SK www.myfarmshow.com International Cool Climate Wine Symposium July 12 - 16, 2020 St Catherines, ON http://iccws2020.ca Feast of Fields Okanagan - August 9, 2020 Vancouver Island - August 23, 2020 Metro Vancouver - September 13, 2020 www.feastoffields.com

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Wine Media Conference August 20 - 22, 2020 Eugene, OR www.winemediaconference.org Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show September 15 - 17, 2020 Woodstock, ON http://www.outdoorfarmshow.com Fortify Conference November 24, 2020 Penticton, BC https://fortifyconference.ca Please check on the status of each event for any cancellations or postponements.

 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Robert Summers Retires from Hester Creek Estate Winery After more than 14 years of crafting highly acclaimed wines for Hester Creek Estate Winery, Senior Winemaker Robert Summers has announced his retirement.

Originally from Niagara, Summers has had a long winemaking career, which first began in Ontario in 1987. He joined Hester Creek in May 2006 and was instrumental in overseeing the design and construction of Hester Creek’s sustainably built, state-of-the-art winery in 2008. He has led the Hester Creek winemaking team for the past 14 years, substantially expanding their portfolio of wines in that time.

“Rob has been a huge part of Hester Creek’s incredible success, in growing the company from a small 6,000 case winery

to the 60,000 case production today,” said Mark Sheridan, President, Hester Creek Estate Winery. “His talents and great sense of humour will be missed by our team, and we wish him well in his well-earned retirement.”

Hester Creek’s cellar is being managed by longtime winemaker Mark Hopley and Assistant Winemaker Rebecca Ruggeri. Formerly with Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, Hopley has been a winemaker with Hester Creek since 2013. Last year Ruggeri was promoted to the newly created position of Assistant Winemaker.

She has international experience, working several years in the cellars and labs of premium wineries across New Zealand, Australia and California.

Winemaker Robert Summers to retire.

Keep Calm and Hula On at Pig Out Festival: Saturday May 2, 2020 Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country. “Guests can expect lively music, costume contests and an abundance of delicious food and wine.”

The wildly popular Pig Out Festival is returning to Covert Farms Family Estate on May 2, complete with a full pig roast.

The event is organized every year by Oliver-Osoyoos Wine Country, and will be held this year from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Covert Farms property in Oliver.

The event typically sells out with more than 1,000 people attending annually, so anyone attending is advised to buy their tickets early.

All 47 Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country members will be pouring new releases and fan favourites, alongside Hawaiianthemed pork dishes from the region’s most notable culinary teams including Platinum Bench Artisan Bakery, Watermark Beach Resort and Oliver Eats.

The festival is also good for kids, as younger guests can practice their hula hoop skills atop Covert Farms’ giant bouncy pillow, and keep cool with their unique water feature.

Pig Out Festival tickets ($69) are available online and include entertainment, a souvenir wine glass, and lots of great food and wine. Student tickets are $35 (12-18 years), and children under 12 are free.

“Pig Out Festival is all about coming together in celebration of a creative culinary theme to kick-off the season,” says Jennifer Busmann, Executive Director of

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Spring 2020

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 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Celebrating 30 Years of BC VQA the last 30 years," said Miles Prodan, President & CEO of the BC Wine Institute. "BC VQA Wine would not be what it is today without the incredible vision, collaboration and determination of our industry.”

This year marks 30 years of BC VQA Wine, and the Wines of British Columbia are celebrating with a look back at the industry's history and how we've got to where we are today.

In 1990, a small group of visionary winemakers, grape growers and industry leaders came together to create the British Columbia Vintners Quality Alliance (BC VQA) and the BC Wine Institute (BCWI).

The BC VQA standard was created to guarantee consumers they were drinking wine made from 100% BC grown grapes. Today, thanks to the efforts of these pioneers, and those who continue

to innovate and push boundaries, BC VQA Wines now dominate wine sales in British Columbia and are finding their way to more places than ever before, winning over both critics and consumers internationally.

"This anniversary is a celebration of the success and growth of BC VQA Wine over

To honour this milestone year, the Wines of British Columbia are bringing together past pioneers and innovators of the future. Special events, commemorative videos and campaigns are scheduled throughout the year inviting industry, trade and consumers to celebrate 30 years of BC VQA Wine.

Visit WineBC.com.

UBC Researchers Protect Wine Grapes From Smoke-Taint Photo by Gillian Stohler, SummerGate Winery

A common agricultural spray may be the key to preventing smoky flavour from smoke taint.

It’s a problem plaguing grape-growers worldwide; in an everchanging climate, how can they protect their crops from the undesirable effects of wildfire smoke exposure.

A recent study by a team of UBC Okanagan researchers has led to the development of a preventative strategy for protecting grapes from volatile phenols; the flavoured compounds present in smoke that may be absorbed into ripening grapes and subsequently impact wine flavour.

“It’s definitely one of, if not the biggest concern wine-making communities are facing today,” says Wesley Zandberg, assistant professor in chemistry at UBC Okanagan and study author.

“When you look at the catastrophic wildfire seasons California and British Columbia have experienced in recent years, and the season Australia is experiencing now, I don’t think a solution can come quickly enough,” he says. “Winemakers are under a lot of pressure to find a way to protect their crops.”

Wildfire burning near SummerGate Vineyards.

Zandberg and his team tested multiple substances and found that applying an agricultural spray composed of phospholipids—typically used to prevent cracking in cherries—to wine grapes one week before exposing them to simulated forest fire smoke significantly reduced the levels of volatile phenols measured in smoke-exposed grapes at commercial maturity.

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 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Summerhill College Proposed

The owner of Summerhill Pyramid Winery says the time has come to develop a "sustainable food culture for the future of humanity."

To that end, Stephen Cipes is proposing what he calls the Culinary College for Humanity on the winery property.

Cipes will need the blessing of both Kelowna city council and the Agricultural Land Commission for a non-farm use for his vision to become reality.

He is proposing a four-storey building on 0.3 hectares on the winery property In a plan submitted to city planners Thursday, Cipes says our current food system is one of the main causes of climate change and environmental degradation.

"The Culinary College for Humanity is a place for leaders from around the world to gather and to learn the technology of regenerative agriculture which will restore nutrient levels," he said in the city filing.

"A headquarters for world food production education with a holistic, immersive concept to entice food production entrepreneurs, activists and executives from around the world."

Cipes says a facility in the Okanagan Valley makes sense as it is a centre for produce, meats, fruits, wines and dairy, along with fresh fish from lakes, fish farms and the nearby Pacific Coast.

He also said the Culinary College would focus on establishing a regional zero waste, organic food system.

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 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

More Help For B.C. Farmers When They Need It Most The BC government is increasing funding available to farmers in crisis.

additional $9 million is available for qualifying farmers over the next two years.

“When disaster strikes, farmers can’t afford to wait for help,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture. “Whether it be wildfires, army worms, devastating weather conditions for grain or extreme market-price fluctuations, we are making changes to better help farmers when they most need it.”

AgriStability is a national program providing protection to Canadian agricultural producers against large declines that threaten the viability of their farms and are beyond their capacity to manage. The BC AgriStability Enhancement Program is available to BC farmers who were enrolled in 2019 and those who enrol in 2020.

New funding for the BC AgriStability Enhancement Program means that up to an

rate from 70% to 80%, which means that every payment in 2019 and 2020 from AgriStability will be increased by 14.3%,” Popham said. “Currently, farms with the widest margins receive the least support.

We are eliminating the reference margin limit and that will address this problem.”

BC farmers already participating in AgriStability will automatically receive the increased protection. Those who are not can still enrol for 2020.

“We are increasing the compensation

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It complements chemistry-based solutions with three modes of action, to form a protective shield against disease. Learn more at agsolutions.ca/horticulture or follow us on twitter @BASFAgSolutions.

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 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Minister Launches Canada’s First Agricultural Youth Council The federal government is forming a task force of younger Canadians to advise on agriculture issues.

Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, is now creating the first Canadian Agricultural Youth Council. A group of young Canadians will provide valuable advice on agriculture and agri-food issues that matter most to them; everything from sustainable agriculture, market diversification and inno-

vation, to the digital shift, intergenerational transfers and mental health.

Bibeau says the Council will identify new and emerging issues, enable on-going dialogue on challenges and opportunities, share information and best practices, and provide advice on the strengths and weaknesses of policies and programs affecting the agriculture and agri-food sector.

“The young women and men in Canada’s

agriculture and agri-food sector have a valuable perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing them,” said Bibeau. “I am very proud to be launching the first Canadian Agricultural Youth Council because we need to bring the voices of these young women and men to the table and ensure that they take part in the decisions that affect their future. I want our young leaders to share their vision with us and help implement it.”

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 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

New Study Finds Healthy Trees Depend on Healthy Roots Growers who are looking to give trees their best chance need to return to their roots, according to new findings from Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland). Healthy trees depend on healthy roots and an ongoing study shows propagation trays can have a permanent impact on root development and growth.

The five-year study, led by Vineland’s Dr. Darby McGrath, analyzes the health and growth of trees propagated in five different trays, including the RootSmartTM system, and planted in the field in 2017.

Findings from a recent dig of the twoyear-old trees show root defects occurring in propagation trays were persistent and resulted in permanent defects including circling roots and root ball development.

“Our analysis showed that, for better or worse, propagation trays play a big part in healthy root development,” explained Dr. McGrath. “In most cases, we found roots had been obstructed and misdirected by the walls of the tray during propagation, resulting in lasting defects that can impact tree health and mortality over the long term. However, for growers who are eager to improve root development, we were thrilled to find trees propagated using RootSmart consistently produced more optimal root systems.”

Dr. McGrath’s work builds on a growing body of evidence that is helping growers understand what an ideal nursery-produced root system should look like. “Our findings support the research of others in our field, who suggest that the goal of root management in nursery is to produce straight roots extending outwards radially from the trunk without misdirection downwards, upwards or around the container.”

Analysis shows the RootSmart propagation system consistently produces many of these desirable traits.

• Black Cherry and Eastern Cottonwood trees had more horizontal structural roots.

• The horizontal structural roots of Eastern Cottonwood were on average 14 Spring 2020

Members of the five-year study team from left to right Jason Henry, Larry Moore, Charlene Williams, Dr. Darby McGrath and Ryan Munroe.

one and a half to two times better radially distributed.

• Black Cherry and Eastern Cottonwood trees had fewer total root defects detected in the field.

• Black Cherry and Eastern Cottonwood trees had fewer downward deflected structural roots.

Designed by Vineland in partnership with A.M.A. Horticulture Inc., the RootSmart propagation system features a unique wall-less, bottom-less design to help prevent root defects during propagation.

After four years of research and development, including ongoing grower input, the RootSmart propagation tray was introduced to the market in 2018.

“We started trialing the RootSmart system in 2018 and have seen a big difference in root quality and overall tree health,” said Joe Klassen, Manager of Purple Springs Nursery (PSN), an innovative, science-based tree grower in British Columbia, Canada, that focuses on growing trees that thrive in an urban setting.

“This propagation system sets a new high watermark for our industry and Purple Springs is proud to be an early promoter of this innovation.”

Vineland’s findings underscore the importance of propagation trays for both propagators and finishing growers, who invest years in producing trees and stake their business on quality.

“As a finishing grower, you want to make sure the trees you plant are worth the upfront investment and will last their full life cycle,” said Rick Bradt, Managing Director of A.M.A. Horticulture Inc. “You can take all the right steps to manage the stock you receive but you can’t go back and fix the roots. It’s important to work with your propagator to ensure root quality from the start, when it really counts.”

“If roots are the foundation of your business, take time to inspect them,” says Dr. McGrath. “If roots are descending or beginning to circle, these are telltale signs of deflections. Although different species have different root topologies, what you want to see in finished propagation liners is evenly spaced branching roots with tips facing outward.”

Dr. McGrath and her research team have assembled a quick guide to help get started with the RootSmart propagation system.

To learn more, visit rootsmart.com.

 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Next Round of Bee Funding Available from BC Ag Ministry Bee BC to help support the province’s bees and find solutions to keep them safe and healthy.”

Beekeepers around the province will be able to apply for the fifth round of Bee BC funding soon, enabling them to launch creative projects in their communities that support the health of bees in British Columbia.

Each project is eligible to receive up to $5,000 for projects enhancing bee health.

Projects range from providing education, planting bee-specific forage, to using innovation to ensure bee health.

“Bees have always been part of my life, and as I grew up my passion for them only grew stronger,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture. “Its amazing to see the unique and innovative ways communities are getting involved through

For more nformation, visit: https:// www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/ agriculture-seafood/animals-and-crops/ animal-production/bees

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Equestrian or farm property, mainly flat with some gentle slope. Two acres of cherries as well as a variety of older apples. Fully irrigated, farm status.

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SE KELOWNA Breathtaking Okanagan Lake views from this 14.6 acre estate on Stewart and Saucier Roads in South Kelowna.

The home shows like new and features 10’ ceilings, spacious rooms and a unique design set around a courtyard overlooking the vineyard and view. MLS® $3,150,000

SE KELOWNA 4432 sf estate home on 12.27 acres prime overlooking vineyards, Okanagan lake & mountains. Lutron RA2 Google smart home. Soaring ceilings, cultured stone, extravagant gas fireplace, open concept layout & luxe master suite. Loft designed as 2 bed B&B. Bright basement with kitchen & 2 bedrooms.

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LAKE COUNTRY SW Panoramic Wood and Kalamalka lake views from this 9.3 acre orchard estate property. Productive high & medium density apple orchard, 24’2x50’ 3 bay. Enjoy low taxes with farm status. Lovely rural country setting just 10 mins to Lake Country’s many amenities.

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LAKE COUNTRY Views of Wood & Kalamalka lakes!

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OYAMA Astounding views of Wood & Kalamalka lakes. 9.76 acres. Custom ‘92 built (approx) 3786sf home & fully irrigated apple orchard. Full-on western exposure. Immaculate, original walk-out rancher and 3 car garage. Orchard is older Mac and Delicious, well maintained and picturesque. New roof in 2016.

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 THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE | ROSLYNE BUCHANAN

Spring Brings New Restaurant and Winery Openings

Vancouver’s Boulevard Kitchen + Oyster Bar’s Executive Chef Roger Ma won the Gold Medal. His Grand Finale dish called “BC Coastal Terroir” - featuring honey mussel 'gratinee' foraged bull kelp, uni custard, Yukon potato and scallion terrine, manila clam emulsion - was paired with Culmina Family Estate Winery’s 2018 Unicus Grüner Veltliner. Head judge James Chatto said Ma’s dish was “so meticulous, so thoughtful, yet vivid and alive. The flavours were rich, interesting and clear — it was Vancouver on a plate.”

Bronze winner Chef Emily Butcher of Winnipeg’s deer + almond paired her dish with Tightrope Winery 2018 Pinot Gris.

The wine pairing for the finale People’s Choice winning dish of Chef J.P. Dublado, River Cree Casino, Edmonton, was Howling Bluff Estate Winery 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Sémillon, from Naramata Bench.

Crescent Hill Winery, Penticton, welcomed Erich Smith-Peter as its new winemaker and viticulturist.

Black Hills Estate Winery, Oliver, congratulated Winemaker Ross Wise on his achievement as Canada’s newest Master of Wine – only the seventh person in Can-

Photo by Gary Symons

The Canadian Culinary Championships in Canada’s Great Kitchen Party took place in Ottawa in February. While Okanagan’s Chef Kai Koroll of Block One, 50th Parallel Estate Winery, did not make the podium, BC was well represented.

The construction is almost complete at the Mt. Boucherie wine experience centre.

ada and the fourth in BC to be awarded the honour.

The historic Naramata Heritage Inn is under new ownership by The Naramata Hospitality Limited Partnership. The partnership includes renowned chef and culinary ambassador Ned Bell; his wife Kate Colley, a marketing communications specialist; designer Maria Wiesner; and retired A & W Canada CEO Paul Hollands.

With an opening date of May 2020, The Inn will deliver a proudly “Naramatian” experience. Menus will be built around the best local growers and artisans in Naramata and the Valley and showcase the true depth and breadth of awardwinning wines produced by British Columbia’s winemakers.

At Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery, West Kelowna, the new wine experience centre and restaurant The Modest Butcher are opening soon.

Also, in West Kelowna, Frind Estate Winery, has announced the opening this year of its new tasting room and restaurant -Annie’s, Fast Casual Small Plates Lounge & Bakery.

Black Market Wine Co., familiar in the Garagiste North scene, is opening its first tasting room this May in Kaleden.

Watch for an announcement by Kitsch Wines, Kelowna, on its new winemaker as Grant Biggs has decided to pursue new ventures.

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Marlene Moyer grew up in the Niagara wine making region and studied Horticultural Science at the University of Guelph as well as Vineyard Management at the Geisenheim Grape Institute in Germany. In 2004 she took over management of the family farm, Parkway Estate Vineyard near Niagara on the Lake, Ontario.

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Spring 2020

17

 SPRING | PRODUCT FEATURE

Ardagh Group’s Single-Serve Glass Wine Bottles Ardagh Group, Glass – North America, a division of Ardagh Group and the largest producer of glass wine bottles made 100% in North America, has several single-serve glass wine bottles now available for purchase.

An expansion to Ardagh Group’s extensive product portfolio, these 187ml and 375ml wine bottles illustrate Ardagh Group’s unique capabilities in the wine market.

Single-serve wine bottles are increasingly popular among consumers and represent a significant new category in the overall wine market. Smaller format bottles allow wineries to expand into new markets and occasions, attracting consumers with the ability to mix-and-match varietals and sample products without committing to a multi-serve format.

“Innovative bottle designs and single-serve packaging formats provide wineries with opportunities for differentiation in today’s market,” said John T. Shaddox, Chief Commercial Officer for Ardagh’s North American Glass business unit. “Ardagh’s glass wine bottle options leverage a modern, premium look and feel that respond to consumer interest.”

For more than 125 years, Ardagh has been producing 100 percent and endlessly recyclable glass bottles in the U.S. and offers a wide selection of premium wine bottles in a variety of colors, sizes, styles and finishes. Ardagh produces glass wine bottles from its glass manufacturing facilities located in the heart of the major wine-producing areas in North America.

Ardagh is dedicated to the wine market with capabilities and resources to grow with wineries every step of the way. For wine bottles in less than truckload (LTL) or truckload quantities, customers can contact Ardagh directly at 707-200-9350 (West) or 317-558-1585 (Central/East) or marketing.glass.na@ardaghgroup.com.

To view Ardagh’s extensive wine bottle stock portfolio, which are all made in the U.S.A., visit ardaghgroup.com/wine2020.

Superior Peat Will Deliver Compost Straight to Your Field Superior Peat is an expert in soils and mulches and now they are becoming very good at composts. Supplying a great range, they are able to offer their customers what suits their soils.

Composts generated from green waste, organically sourced mushroom manure, composted bark and composted food waste. All of their composts deliver a wide range of benefits to your soil.

They know the history of their composts, how they are made and what they are made from which is why you can have every confidence in them to supply you with a compost of high standards.

They also offer a way for you to apply your compost directly to your crop rows. Their row mulcher is the perfect tool that can apply an even and fast distribution of whatever compost you want to apply, saving you time and money.

Let Superior Peat deliver your compost right to your field. www.superiorpeat.com Superior Peat's row mulcher can quickly and evenly distribute compost to your field.

18 Spring 2020

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Maverick Takes Advantage of Full Stack Canning Services Vessel Packaging's "one stop shop" allows Maverick to bring their canned cider to market with minimal effort and investment.

When Bertus Albertyn, owner and founder of Maverick Estate Winery in Oliver, was looking to launch his cider in a can, he needed to find a partner who could facilitate the process. "There is a lot more involved in canning a product, especially when our experience is with bottles. We needed to find a way to bring our cider to market, without having to invest in the cost, space and expertise of canning ourselves". To Bertus, cans represented a market largely untapped, with much greater distribution potential than glass.

Albertyn was able to find this partner in Vancouver-based Vessel Packaging.

"Vessel was able to work with me from concept through to execution. Their inhouse design team helped bring my vision to life, and flexible can solutions removed the high minimum orders of printed cans". Vessel stocks blank aluminum cans in a range of sizes, and their shrink sleeve and pressure sensitive label application services provide customers with significantly more flexibility than traditional direct printed cans. At minimum orders of 25 pallets and 150,000200,000 cans per SKU, printed cans are out of the reach of most craft scale businesses. Shrink sleeves offer the professional look of a printed can, with better print quality and much greater flexibility.

"Vessel will warehouse my shrink sleeves

Vessel’s expert canning technicians ensure the highest quality and consistency of packaged product.

and apply to cans on demand for mobile canning. This allows me to eliminate both the cost and space required to inventory empty cans".

Albertyn also takes advantage of Vessel's mobile canning solution, available across Canada. "Their team of expert operators arrives at my space with everything needed for a packaging run, including the decorated cans, all other required packaging materials, their canning line and a variety of tools to ensure the highest quality of packaged product". Vessel performs testing at startup and various points during every run, to ensure can seams are in specification, and oxygen pickup is minimized.

"I wouldn't have been able to bring this product to market without Vessel," says Albertyn. "Their flexibility and expertise allowed me to explore a whole new distribution channel that was previously inaccessible to a winery or cidery at my size."

Vessel has the capacity to work with wineries, cideries, breweries and most other beverage producers of any size, and offers fast turnarounds and flexibility.

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Spring 2020

19

Finding a Niche with

20 Spring 2020

Small Batch Wines

By Erin Symons “Small batch, big love.” That is the catchphrase for Niche Wine Company, a family-run estate on Kelowna’s west side that has been producing quality wine in small “micro-batches” since 2010. The phrase refers to the small-scale and deeply personal character of the wine-making process at Niche, and after speaking to winemaker James Schlosser and his wife and co-owner Joanna Schlosser about their passion for wine, it is clear that the slogan holds true to their philosophy regarding wine production in the Okanagan. “On the farm you get into a cycle of experiencing every season and of taking real appreciation of single moments,” James explains.

“The work itself kind of forces you to stop and do that, and that is pretty rare in a job I think.”

James’s parents bought the property in West Kelowna forty-two years ago while working as lawyers in the valley, and James has fond memories growing up on the farm as a child, where his family variously raised sheep, goats, horses, and rabbits. The property is situated at the quiet top of Bartley Road at the base of the McDougal Rim trail, and James notes the splendour of the cliff-sides that tower over the vineyards, as well as the effect of the chill mountain breeze on the wines. “For me up on the cliff-sides, it is so beautiful,” he remarks. “In the morning there is this rush of cold air that comes down the valley, and then as the day warms it blows back up the mountain again, so you get these huge wind shifts

Spring 2020

21

For us that conflict of balancing work and life is more like work-life integration – our friends and our lives and our work are rooted in the wine industry, so this for us is a lifestyle.

Joanna Schlosser going up and down all the time which is really great for things like grape disease prevention.”

tory and memory connected to the land their family has worked for nearly half a century.

After graduating with a degree in biology from the University of Victoria, James returned to his family’s farm to work the small vineyard his parents had planted for the summer, which motivated him to take his Masters in oenology and viticulture at Brock University in Niagara. There he met Joanna, and the two eventually returned to the Okanagan with the intention of developing James’ family farm into a working vineyard. “Farming is tough and it seemed like something you could make a living doing – I was wrong on that point but it does keep life interesting,” James laughs.

Interestingly, the property itself seems to have been shaped by the wine-production process as much as it shapes the wine that is produced upon it. When the family began planting grapes on the farm, they immediately noticed an interesting shift in the ecology of the farm’s landscape. “Once the grapes were planted the farm started to come to life in a different way,” Joanna recalls. “One year we got a massive infestation of dragon flies in the middle of August, and we started noticing quail families running around through the vines. Even though we had only planted grapes there, a kind of ecosystem was starting to form, and this has been a driving force for us as we continue to grow.”

When James and Joanna arrived in the valley, they purchased a lot of crown land above the two-acre farm to expand the vineyard. “We knew it was a good spot but we didn’t know how good, so we tried some different varietals to see what we could grow there. And when we found out how good it actually was we quickly purchased a second piece of crown land, which went primarily to Pinot noir,” says James. James and Joanna are passionate about Pinot noir, a professional interest which is linked to the deep connection the family feels with the land. “Pinot noir has a unique way of reflecting what in the wine industry we call a ‘sense of place’,” Joanna explains. “When you drink a Pinot from say Oregon or Washington it reflects those regions, and especially in a valley like ours where from Osoyoos to Salmon Arm there is such a diversity of terroir and weather, it’s a good varietal to reflect those special characteristics.” For this reason, Pinot noir may be the wine which best reflects the unique material conditions of the Schlosser’s West Kelowna property, as well as the sense of his22 Spring 2020

Another driving force for James and Joanna has been the maintenance of small batches in their wine production, which they believe adds a unique and personal element to their wines. “At the end of the day when you’re making 40 000 litres of a certain wine it lacks a little bit of specialness,” James explains. “I’ve always wanted to play around in smaller scales, and doing it for yourself is very rewarding.”

Niche winery does not use the large and expensive equipment common at bigger wineries, so there is a hand-crafted character to their wines that comes from the fact that many of the stages of the wine-making process are done literally by hand.

“I hand-bucket everything myself, and we do most things using gravity. We actually have an old wheelchair elevator that we converted to take little 300-litre tanks up and down from the hole in what used to be our barn. We’ve done 200,000 kilograms since we started doing that, so my

Winemaker James Schlosser and his wife and co-owner Joan

na Schlosser.

Photos contributed

Photo by David McIvride davidmcilvride.com

It is all about family at the Niche Winery.

The view from the Niche Winery's vineyard.

Spring 2020

23

right arm is definitely a lot stronger than my left,” laughs James.

The small batches allow the Schlossers a degree of freedom and versatility which they feel they could not have if they were to expand their production size. The company normally produces batches from only about 50 to 200 cases, which enables them the freedom to innovate, take chances, and collaborate on a variety of small projects without large financial risk. All of this leads to a finished product which has been carefully selected and hand-crafted by James himself, and which reflects the individual care and innovation that goes into all of the company’s wines, as well as the deep connection the family feels to the land they work.

In addition to their work producing wine, James and Joanna both hold full-timejobs and care for their five-year-old son Hugh, which is one of the reasons that Niche remains a private winery. While things get busy in the lives of the Schlossers, Joanna notes how it is the wine culture itself which keeps them motivated.

“One thing we love and which really motivates us is just the culture of the industry,” she explains. “For us that conflict of balancing work and life is more like work-life integration – our friends and our lives and our work are rooted in the wine industry, so this for us is a lifestyle.”

Since Niche’s conception as a winery, the

Winemaking at NIche involves manual labour and common sense solutions.

wine industry in the Okanagan Valley has nearly tripled in size, expanding from about 100 wineries in 2010 to its current status of over 300. Asked about the difficulties of competing in such a rapidly expanding industry, particularly as a

small private winery situated on far-flung Bartley Road on Kelowna’s west side, Joanna responded with a laugh. “That has actually been one of the loveliest parts of this whole experience, because the community of BC wine producers, growers, and supporters are such a great group of people. There’s so much more collaboration than competition that it has just become something really nice to be a part of, like an extended family.”

In the end, James’ and Joanna’s final word on starting their own wine industry was about passion for the craft. “You really have to love it. You just better be passionate, because it is an adventure.”

Asked what advice (or warning) they would give to anyone thinking of trying to start up a winery themselves, the couple laughed. “Call us, you know? It probably needs a bottle of wine and some serious discussion.”

Photos contributed

Since Niche’s inception as a winery, James and Joanna have collaborated with a number of local restaurants and producers, and their wines may be found at Raudz, the Curious Café, and Micro, as well as purchased at Save-on Foods and local VQA boutiques such as the Cask and Barrel. ■ 24 Spring 2020

2020 BUYER'S GUIDE

■ Accounting

■ Fertilizer

■ Refrigeration

■ Aerial Surveying & Mapping

■ Financial

■ Restoration Services

■ Animal, Bird and Pest Control

■ Gaskets & Seals

■ Safety

■ Associations

■ Insurance

■ Soil & Compost

■ Bottles

■ Irrigation

■ Spreaders

■ Bulk Wine Brokers

■ Kegs Stainless Steel

■ Storage

■ Cider Supplies

■ Labels & Labelling Equipment

■ Tax Consulting

■ Concrete Resurfacing

■ Management Consultants

■ Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

■ Cooperage, Tanks & Containers

■ Nurseries

■ Vineyard Equipment

■ Corks, Capsules & Closures

■ Orchard Supplies

■ Viticulture

■ Crop Protection

■ Packaging Containers & Boxes

■ Warehousing & Distribution

■ Electrical & Solar Services

■ Packing House Equipment

■ Winery Consultants

■ Farm Equipment

■ Pest Control

■ Winery Equipment

■ Farm Management

■ Pesticides

■ Winery Services

■ Farm Market Products

■ Real Estate

■ Winery Supplies

Accounting

RHN Chartered Professional Accountants Osoyoos Office 8319 Main Street (2nd Floor) Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 Phone: 250-495-3383 Kelowna Office 620-1620 Dickson Avenue Kelowna, BC V1Y 9Y2 Phone: 250-860-1177 Lower Mainland Office 105 – 13900 Maycrest Way Richmond, BC V6V 3E2 Phone: 604-273-9338 info@rhncpa.com www.rhncpa.com

Animal, Bird & Pest Control

12033 Loomer Road Summerland, BC V0H 1Z8 Phone: 250-488-2374 Fax: 250-494-0338 info@farmsolutions.net www.farmsolutions.net FarmSolutions is a supplier of high quality agricultural fabric, including drape-over bird netting, side-netting, wind-break fabrics, hail fabrics, a range of reflective ground covers, and shade cloth. The company also builds structures for shade, hail and rain protection.

RHN understands the unique challenges faced by growers and producers of vine and orchard products and services.

Business owners deserve to have experienced and knowledgeable accountants and business advisors who provide extraordinary service and go beyond standard expectations. At RHN, we are REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL SOLUTIONS who business owners trust and rely upon.

Aerial Surveying & Mapping

Animal, Bird & Pest Control

Princeton Wood Preservers www.pwppost.com PARKSVILLE Fenceline Products 250-248-3122 fence@telus.net ONTARIO Ardiel Acres 705-443-7613 greg@ardielacres.ca ALL OTHER AREAS Bill Everitt 877-797-7678 beveritt@xplornet.ca PWP is an industry leader in CCA pressure treated wood post and rail products for farm, orchard, vineyard and berry trellising meeting CSA080 standards. Guaranteed life expectancy of 25 years if not damaged or altered before or after installation.

Animal, Bird & Pest Control

Associations

Swift

Aerial Surveys Inc. Phone: 250-575-5953 info@swiftaerialsurveys.ca www.swiftaerialsurveys.ca Swift Aerial Surveys delivers agriculture intelligence by providing aerial imaging, remote sensing and precision agriculture mapping & surveying services using highly specialized drone enabled technologies. * Vineyard Design & Layout * Construction Surveying

2020 Buyer's Guide

* Crop Vigour Mapping * Digital Terrain Modeling * Thermal Imaging * GIS Web Map Services

26 Spring 2020

Redden Net & Rope Ltd. #27-12491 #2 Rd. Richmond, BC V7E 2G3 Phone: 604-274-1422 Toll Free: 866-233-1422 Cell: 604-506-5043 mark@redden-net.com Distributor of Most Economical Vineyard netting

BCFGA Serving members since 1889 880 Vaughan Avenue Kelowna, BC V1Y 7E4 Phone: 250-762-5226 Toll Free: 1-800-619-9022 Fax: 250-861-9089 info@bcfga.com www.bcfga.com Representing the tree fruit industry since 1889 in matters of government laws, regulations, programs and taxes.

Promoting and developing industry strategies that improves growing practices, packing, marketing, and the consumption of fresh and processed tree fruits and reputation of tree fruits grown in British Columbia.

Bottles

Bottles

Cider Supplies

TricorBraun WinePak Ardagh Group 10194 Crosspoint Blvd.

Suite 410 Indianapolis, IN 46256 Phone: 707-200-9350 Marketing.Glass.NA@ardaghgroup.com ardaghgroup.com Wineries of all sizes can experience the high level of attention, responsiveness and ease that comes with buying directly from Ardagh Group. As the largest producer of glass wine bottles made 100% in North America, Ardagh has the resources to meet your unique needs in a highly-flexible manner.

Unit # 500 1650 Brigantine Drive Coquitlam, BC V3K 7B5 Phone: 604-649-5623 Toll free: 877-495-7924 Fax number: 604-529-7977 www.tricorbraunwinepak.com TricorBraun WinePak is a premier packaging distributor in North America supplying a broad variety of packaging components. We provide access to the highest quality glass, as well as Amcor Stelvin® capsules and closures. We also offer private and stock molds, full decorating services, repacking capabilities, enhanced design and engineering services and the strongest sales and customer service support in the industry.

6908 Palm Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4M3 Phone: 604-473-9463 Toll Free: 1-866-55GRAPE Fax: 604-433-2810 info@bosagrape.com www.bosagrape.com Professional ingredients, supplies, including yeasts, laboratory products, bottles and equipment for the commercial winemaker, cidermaker, distiller, brewer and hobbyist. Also, products for fruit processors, vinegar makers, kombucha, seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.

Shop our online catalog and have your order shipped.

Visit our fully stocked warehouse in Burnaby and pick up your items immediately. Our product selection can’t be beat.

Bottles

Bulk Wine Brokers

Cider Supplies

cellar•tek west 6908 Palm Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4M3 Phone: 604-473-9463 Toll Free: 1-866-55GRAPE Fax: 604-433-2810 info@bosagrape.com www.bosagrape.com Professional ingredients, supplies, including yeasts, laboratory products, bottles and equipment for the commercial winemaker, cidermaker, distiller, brewer and hobbyist. Also, products for fruit processors, vinegar makers, kombucha, seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.

Shop our online catalog and have your order shipped.

Visit our fully stocked warehouse in Burnaby and pick up your items immediately. Our product selection can’t be beat.

B.C. Bulk Wine Brokers Ltd. 4199 Valleyview Road Penticton, BC V2A 8V8 Phone: 250-462-0620 wineaspect@gmail.com www.WineAspect.com Wine Aspect was founded in 2012 and is British Columbia’s Premier Bulk Wine Brokerage Company.

Our mission is to assist B.C. Wineries with the confidential placement and sourcing of quality B.C. bulk wines.

We offer: • B.C. Bulk Wine Marketplace Brokerage Services • Wine and Vineyard - Professional Evaluation & Appraisal Services • Classified advertising - for the B.C. Wine industry

1043 Richter St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K4 Phone: 250-868-3186 Toll Free: 1-877-460-9463

cellar•tek east #530 – 380 Vansickle Road St. Catharines, ON, L2S 0B5 Phone: 905-246-8316 info@cellartek.com www.cellartek.com Cellar-tek is a commercial winery, brewery, cidery and distillery supply company based in Canada and serving all of North America. We offer a full range of quality equipment & supplies ranging from processing to tanks to packaging and all points between.

Because we’re such huge fans of great wines, beers, ciders and spirits, we strive to be the “go to” support system for the commercial producers of these delicious beverages so we can do our part to help them make the best products possible.

Spring 2020

2020 Buyer's Guide

WINE ASPECT

27

Concrete Resurfacing

Cooperages, Tanks & Containers

cellar•tek west Marvelous Ideas Contracting Ltd. Unit #6 – 2543 Juliann Road West Kelowna, BC V1Z 2M3 BC Interior: 250-258-8728 Lower Mainland: 250-454-6969 Toll Free: 1-866-227-5165 don@marvelousideas.com www.marvelousideas.com

cellar•tek east #530 – 380 Vansickle Road St. Catharines, ON, L2S 0B5 Phone: 905-246-8316

A.O. Wilson Ltd 9597 Sideroad 17 Erin, ON N0B 1T0 aowilson.ca Western Canada 1.833.269.4576 (AOWILSON) bccustomerservice@aowilson.ca

info@cellartek.com www.cellartek.com

Eastern Canada 1.855.857.1511 customerservice@aowilson.ca

An innovative, specialty trades wall and flooring system applicator (since 1991) engaged primarily in concrete preparation, restoration, resurfacing and protective finishes. We use only hybrid, proven-performance products (urethanes, epoxies, mortars, lithium sealers and joint sealants), technologies and equipment that can enhance chemical, corrosion, thermal and slip resistance. Many of these products are also LEED certified, VOC Compliant, anti-microbial and CFIA approved.

Cellar-tek is a commercial winery, brewery, cidery and distillery supply company based in Canada and serving all of North America. We offer a full range of quality equipment & supplies ranging from processing to tanks to packaging and all points between.

Because we’re such huge fans of great wines, beers, ciders and spirits, we strive to be the “go to” support system for the commercial producers of these delicious beverages so we can do our part to help them make the best products possible.

Proud supplier for 75 years!

Everything you need from the vineyard to the bottling line. Offering reliable products, advice and technical sales support for all your processing and packaging needs at honest prices.

The largest stocking distributor in Canada of premium corks, capsules and closures. Enology products, equipment, filters, filter media and cleaning supplies for your winery. We invite you to visit one of our offices or simply visit our online shop at your convenience.

Cooperages, Tanks & Containers

Corks, Capsules & Closures

Corks, Capsules & Closures

Canada Kegs & Packaging Inc. 3600 Billings Court, Suite 100 Burlington, ON L6N 3N6 Phone: 905-220-2311 laura@canadakegs.com www.canadakegs.com 20L 30L 50L Kegs for Wine/Cider/Beer/ Kombucha or Cold Pressed Coffee.

Highest Quality 304 Stainless Steel kegs, made in Mexico from US made steel, quick order turnarounds, 20 Year Factory Warranty.

2020 Buyer's Guide

1043 Richter St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K4 Phone: 250-868-3186 Toll Free: 1-877-460-9463

Corks, Capsules & Closures

These high quality fully pickled & passivated Kegs do not impart a iron or metallic off-flavour to your product like Chinese made Kegs do. Buy right the first time !

Contact laura@canadakegs.com

28 Spring 2020

cellar•tek west Amcor Capsules California 5425 Broadway Street American Canyon CA 94503 Phone: 877-STELVIN (877-783-5846) Quebec 2301 Route 112 St-Cesaire, Quebec, J0L 1T0 Phone: 450-469-0777 info.capsules@amcor.com www.amcor.com/stelvin Amcor Capsules is a global leader in the manufacture and marketing of aluminum closures and capsules for the wine, sparkling wine & spirits industry. This year, Amcor introduces ShapeArt, an innovative way for brands to set themselves apart with a system for developing closures with unique shapes and textures.

1043 Richter St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K4 Phone: 250-868-3186 Toll Free: 1-877-460-9463

cellar•tek east #530 – 380 Vansickle Road St. Catharines, ON, L2S 0B5 Phone: 905-246-8316 info@cellartek.com www.cellartek.com Cellar-tek is a commercial winery, brewery, cidery and distillery supply company based in Canada and serving all of North America. We offer a full range of quality equipment & supplies ranging from processing to tanks to packaging and all points between.

Because we’re such huge fans of great wines, beers, ciders and spirits, we strive to be the “go to” support system for the commercial producers of these delicious beverages so we can do our part to help them make the best products possible.

Corks, Capsules & Closures

6908 Palm Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4M3 Phone: 604-473-9463 Toll Free: 1-866-55GRAPE Fax: 604-433-2810 info@bosagrape.com www.bosagrape.com Professional ingredients, supplies, including yeasts, laboratory products, bottles and equipment for the commercial winemaker, cidermaker, distiller, brewer and hobbyist. Also, products for fruit processors, vinegar makers, kombucha, seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.

Shop our online catalog and have your order shipped.

Crop Protection

104 Cooper Dr. Unit 3 Guelph, ON. N1C 0A4 Phone: 519-826-7878 Toll free: 866-613-3336 Fax: 519-826-7675 info@belchim.com www.belchimcanada.com Belchim Crop Protection Canada develops, registers and markets protection, nutritional and management products for field, orchard, vineyard, and greenhouse crops across Canada.

Belchim Crop Protection Canada works closely with end users and suppliers to evaluate market needs, conduct research, and provide cost effective products that offer superior performance.

Visit our fully stocked warehouse in Burnaby and pick up your items immediately. Our product selection can’t be beat.

Crop Protection

Crop Protection

Electrical & Solar Services

Argon Electrical & Solar Services 338A Co-op Ave, Oliver BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-4506 sales@argonsolar.ca Argon Electrical & Solar Services has been providing quality commercial, industrial and residential electrical work in the South Okanagan for 20 years. Servicing many local wineries, farms and businesses. From service calls to renovations, major overhauls and new construction. They handle it all, including EV Charging Stations and 24hr emergency electrical service!

Argon has been installing Solar PV Systems for the last 7 years and has grown into one of the biggest and busiest installers around. Solar is a good investment and can help your business save money and attract customers. Ask us how!

Farm Equipment

Aurora Helicopters

Aurora Helicopters operates the Airbus H120, the quietest turbine helicopter available for orchard protection services, tourism, and general charter services. The H120 has the longest fuel endurance and fastest cruise speed in its class. In addition, Airbus AS350, Bell 206 and Bell 412 helicopters are available for a dynamic list of charter capabilities. Aircraft are available for wine tours, orchard surveys & protection, airport transfers, and more.

Nufarm Agriculture Inc. Alicia Sebastian Technical Sales Specialist Phone: 226-820-6223 alicia.sebastian@nufarm.com 1-800-868-5444 Nufarm.ca @NufarmHortCA Growing any crops requires careful planning. Growing high value, labour intensive horticultural crops in Canada requires extra time and attention to maximize growth, yield and quality while minimizing the challenges from insects, diseases and weeds. Put your resources into growing the best quality crop, and depend on our crop protection solutions to do the rest.

Gerard’s Equipment 5592 Hwy 97 Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-2524 Fax: 250-498-3288 www.gerardsequipment.com Proudly serving the Okanagan since 1973. We provide high quality farm equipment; vineyard and trellising supplies; and outdoor yard and garden products. We also provide repair service and replacement parts to most makes and models. In addition to our mainlines of KUBOTA Tractors and STIHL garden implements we carry a large variety of tractor attachments; short line implements; pruning tools; bird scaring, trellising, and harvesting supplies.

Spring 2020

2020 Buyer's Guide

6200 Tronson Rd, Vernon, BC V1H 1N5 Phone: 236-426-1928 Toll free: 866-743-5588 Fax: 236-426-2289 info@auroraheli.com www.auroraheli.com

29

Farm Equipment

Farm Equipment

Provide Agro Corporation

Matsqui Ag Repair Ltd. 34856 Harris Rd. Abbotsford, BC V3G 1R7 Phone: 604-826-3281 Fax: 604-826-0705 dave.matsquiagrepair@shaw.ca www.matsquiagrepair.com Authorized Sales, Service and Parts for Deutz-Fahr, McCormick, Kioti, Kuhn and McHale equipment. New and used equipment sales. Servicing the Okanagan and Fraser Valley since 1989.

Farm Equipment

4825 Union Rd. Beamsville, ON L0R 1B4 Phone: 905-563-8261 Toll free: 1-800-263-1287 info@provideag.ca www.provideag.ca

Farm Equipment

South Okanagan Equipment 5679 Sawmill Rd Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-5145 Fax: 250-498-5135 sokequip@hotmail.com

Provide Agro is an N.M. Bartlett Inc. company that was formed to focus our horticulture equipment and technological innovation lines. Lines offered to Western growers include; FA.MA. Hedgers and HSS sprayers, Orsi Platforms, Darwin blossom thinners, Bartlett custom packhouse equipment.

Sales and service of new and quality used farm equipment. Specializing in Edwards Equipment, Turbo-Mist, Rankin/Northstar, Braun, TG Schmeiser, Kult Fingerweeder, S&A spreaders, Rabaud, Aerway, Gearmore Sprayers and Berkelman dump trailers.

Farm Equipment

Farm Management

Munckhof Manufacturing 5943 Hemlock St. Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-4426 Fax: 250-498-4460 office@munckhof.com www.munckhof.com

2020 Buyer's Guide

Munckhof Mfg are specialists in viticultural / tree fruit equipment and systems that work for small and large operations alike. They design and manufacture a full line in house at their facility in Oliver B.C. and have been one of the only producers of their kind in Canada since 1979.

• Specialty viticultural and orchard implements.

• Fruit and vegetable sorting and hydro cooling equipment.

• Custom work – repairs or custom designed machinery for Orchard, Vineyard & Packing Houses.

30 Spring 2020

Rollins Machinery (formerly Farmco Sales Ltd.)

201 - 150 Campion Street Kelowna, B.C. V1X 7S8 Phone: 250-765-8266 Toll Free: 1-877-461-7933 Fax: 250-765-3179 info@rollinsmachinery.ca www.rollinsmachinery.com The New Holland dealer serving the Okanagan Valley for over 30 years.

Also Dealers for Perfect Van Wamel, Cub Cadet, Woods Equipment and now S.A.E supplying Porter Bin Lifts and Turbmatic Sprayers from Italy.

Canadian Association of Farm Advisors (CAFA) Inc. CAFA is the nationally recognized organization for professional farm advisors. CAFA advisors maintain high standards while continually increasing farm advisory skills and knowledge intended to provide measurable value to their farm clients. www.cafanet.ca info@cafanet.ca Elizabeth Robertson Box 270 Seven Sisters Falls, Manitoba R0E 1Y0 Phone: 1-204-348-3578 Toll free: 1-877-474-2871

Farm Market Products

Fertilizer

Financial

Superior Peat Inc.

Partner with the only lender 100% invested in Canadian agriculture and food.

Mobile Juice Factory 3361 Glencoe Road West Kelowna, BC Phone: 250-307-4122 info@mobilejuicefactory.com www.mobilejuicefactory.com The Mobile Juice Factory travels right to the organic and non-organic orchards to press fruit into delicious juice. This avoids the fruit going through an additional transportation phase. In less than an hour, the Mobile Juice Factory can turn 1,760 pounds of apples into 500 litres of fresh, flavourful juice into different size packages.

It’s good for you, good for the earth and good for the community.

Fertilizer

1700 Carmi Avenue Penticton, BC V2A 8V5 Phone: 250-493-5410 info@superiorpeat.com www.superiorpeat.com

fcc.ca | 1-888-332-3301

OMRI Listed supplier of organic soil amendments and composts used when planting orchards, vineyards and berry farms. We also carry a large selection of bark mulches and composts for ground cover. Visit us online at www.superiorpeat.com for more information.

Fertilizer

Financial

RBC Royal Bank RBC has 4 agricultural and agri-business specialists in the Okanagan

32117 Highway 97 Tonasket, WA 98855 Phone: 1-509-486-1201 Fax: 1-509-486-1701 info@naturesintent.com www.naturesintent.com Whether it’s soil imbalance or low levels of nutrients, Pacific Calcium provides a full line of fertilizers and soil amendments to fit your conventional or organic farming needs. We offer custom grinding, granulating and mixing of calcium carbonate, dolomitic lime, fish bonemeal, granulated feathermeal, 7-2-4, and gypsum. We have dealers across the west coast, so look for Pacific Calcium.

464 Riverside Road Abbotsford, BC Toll Free: 1-800-661-4559 Fax: 604-864-8418 sales@tlhort.com www.tlhort.com / www.biofert.ca TerraLink Horticulture Inc., together with its subsidiaries and brands, provides a wide range of fertilizers, seeds, crop protection products, growing media and hard goods.

BioFert: Organic subsidiary of TerraLink. EcoCert approved crop inputs. Learn more at www.biofert.ca Earthlink: Organic-based products from a synergy of organic and conventional ingredients.

Richardson Seeds: Seed for forage, turf and reclamation.

Tyler Chick South Okanagan/Similkameen 250-490-4404 tyler.chick@rbc.com Jason Michiel Penticton / South Okanagan 250-490-4420 jason.michiel@rbc.com Thomas Vicars North Okanagan 250-833-3670 thomas.vicars@rbc.com

2020 Buyer's Guide

Pacific Calcium, Inc.

Ian Jones Kelowna / Central Okanagan 250-868-4181 ian.jones@rbc.com www.rbcroyalbank.com/agriculture

Spring 2020

31

Financial

Financial

Insurance

TD Pacific Agriculture Services

Toll Free 1-800-670-1877 Ext. 6082 dtassoni@capricmw.ca

Daniel Tassoni RSG Revenue Services Group Inc. 305-550 Robson Street Vancouver, BC V6B 2B7 Phone: 604-800-4112 info@revenueservices.ca revenueservices.ca RSG Revenue Services Group is Western Canada’s largest and fastest growing SR&ED-focused services provider. Our SR&ED teams include experts with advanced degrees and extensive experience in product development, finance, tax and SR&ED claim development. We are committed to assisting wineries and vineyards in maximizing funding opportunities and to supporting innovation in the Wine & Beverage Industry in British Columbia.

Financial

Jeremy Siddall, District Vice President Pacific Agriculture Services 1633 Ellis Street, Unit 310 Kelowna, BC V1Y 2A8 Phone: 250-681-4656 Fax: 250-712-5470 Jeremy.Siddall@td.com www.tdcanadatrust.com/agriculture Serving British Columbia.

We are dedicated to helping you achieve your business goals and create a flexible and customized banking solution that is right for your farming operation.

Gaskets & Seals

CapriCMW provides the highest quality insurance products and innovative risk-related solutions to Vintners and Wine Distributors. With offices throughout the heart of BC’s wine region, our expert advisors truly understand the unique insurance needs of the wine industry.

Our competitively priced programs include coverage for: • Direct losses to property, stock & equipment • Lost income • Food-borne illness • Product recall • Liability protection from customer incidents We also support non-insurable areas such as contract review, risk control for safety of premises and reviews of employee safety.

Insurance

®

Scotiabank Agriculture 488 Bernard Ave Kelowna, BC For 185 years, Scotiabank has been helping farmers and agri-businesses grow and prosper. Our integrated banking solutions can assist in the dayto-day management of your business for now and in the future.

2020 Buyer's Guide

For a complete suite of services, contact one of our specialists or visit scotiabank.com/agriculturalservices Lee Gogal, BBA Director & Group Lead, BC Agriculture Phone: 604.308.1657 lee.gogal@scotiabank.com Meagan Beattie, BASc Senior Client Relationship Manager, Okanagan Phone: 250.212.0555 meagan.beattie@scotiabank.com

32 Spring 2020

Westland Insurance Group Ltd. GMIGaskets®

GMI Inc.® 4822 East 355th Street Willoughby, Ohio 44094-4634 USA Phone: 440-953-881 Fax: 440-953-9631 gmiinc@msn.com www.gmigaskets.com GMI® manufactures DieCut NonMetallic and Thin Gauge Foil Parts, Extruded Rubber Profiles, Extruded Rubber Cord, Molded Rubber Gaskets, Seals, O-Rings and Variable Capacity Tank Seals.

#109‑4800 Anderson Way Vernon, BC Phone: 778‑943‑0024 mpetreny@westlandinsurance.ca www.westland‑insurance.com Westland was established in 1980 to meet the insurance needs of individuals, businesses and non‑profit organizations. We are a BC owned and operated business, and have grown to become one of Western Canada’s leading independent insurance brokers, providing personalized insurance services such as home, auto, business in more than 120 locations and 75 communities throughout BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Delta Water Products 444 Chilcotin Road Kamloops, BC V2H 1G3 Phone: 1-250-372-9424 NOW OPEN TO SERVE THE OKANAGAN VALLEY AT 1524 Byland Road, West Kelowna, BC V1Z 1A8 Phone: 1-250-769-1300 Info@deltairrigation.ca www.deltairrigation.ca Delta Water Products carries all styles of agricultural irrigation from industry leaders such as Rivulis Drip, Reinke Pivots, Ocmis and MicroRain hose reels as well as a full line of turf and commercial products. BC’s biggest supplier of Franklin Pumps, submersible and centrifugal both built in house to insure the right pump for your job.

Irrigation

Head office - Langley, BC Branch offices in William’s Lake, BC and Lynden, WA Call Toll Free 1-888-675-7999 www.watertecna.com Watertec is a leading supplier and designer of Agricultural Irrigation Systems . We are also one of Western Canada’s Largest Importer of Sprayers, Nozzles & Spraying Accessories.

Watertec’s Staff is dedicated to solving all the customers Irrigation and spraying needs.

One of BC’s largest inventories of PVC, aluminum, civil waterworks, fire prevention as well as HDPE pipe and a large selection of electrical conduit.

Irrigation

Kegs Stainless Steel

Southern Irrigation

Canada Kegs & Packaging Inc.

44160 Yale Road West Chilliwack, BC V2R 3Z9 Phone: 604-792-0041 Fax: 604-792-9515

3600 Billings Court, Suite 100 Burlington, ON L6N 3N6 Phone: 905-220-2311 laura@canadakegs.com www.canadakegs.com

5830 Sawmill Road Oliver, BC V0H 1T9 Phone: 250-485-0246

20L 30L 50L Kegs for Wine/Cider/Beer/ Kombucha or Cold Pressed Coffee.

sales@southernirrigation.com www.southernirrigation.com Southern Irrigation is a family owned and operated business that has been supplying quality irrigation products and solutions for the last 30 years.

We are committed to provide outstanding customer service while adhering to the highest ethical conduct.

Our head office is located in Chilliwack BC, and we have locations in Oliver, BC, Lethbridge, and Red Deer, Alberta.

Highest Quality 304 Stainless Steel kegs, made in Mexico from US made steel, quick order turnarounds, 20 Year Factory Warranty.

These high quality fully pickled & passivated Kegs do not impart a iron or metallic off-flavour to your product like Chinese made Kegs do. Buy right the first time !

Contact laura@canadakegs.com

Labels & Labelling Equipment

AstroNova Product Identification 600 East Greenwich Ave West Warwick, Rhode Island USA Phone: 401-828-4000 Toll Free: 877-757-7978 sales@quicklabel.com www.QuickLabel.com AstroNova provides products & services that improve our customers’ ability to brand, market, and customize their products effectively.

Our three brands, QuickLabel, TrojanLabel, and GetLabels, offer a complete labeling solution for all size print runs. Whether it’s industryleading tabletop label printers, innovative high-volume label presses, or the widest variety of label materials designed to make your product pop, we provide the solution for all your wine and bottle labeling needs.

Labels & Labelling Equipment

International Bar Coding Systems & Consulting 250-493-3201 ibcworld.net sales@ibcworld.net International Bar Coding is a onevendor solution for barcoding, labeling, automatic identification, and data capture, automation, and traceability. Whether you’re tracking raw material, work in progress, or finished product, IBC has the tools to help you collect your data in real time and fully utilize it. With solutions used by fruit & vegetable producers, beverage and wine producers, and consumer packaged goods manufacturers across North America, IBC is the technology leader for businesses looking to keep score.

Spring 2020

2020 Buyer's Guide

Irrigation

33

Management Consultants

Nurseries

Wonderful Nurseries

GAGW Solutions Phone: 778-931-0577 gagwsolutions@gmail.com www.gagwsolutions.com GAGW Solutions was established in 2012, it is owned and operated by European winemaking consultant Michal Mosny. Specializing in sustainable, organic and biodynamic approach to vineyard and wine.

Winemaking Consulting • Vinification of all types of wine • Barrel program • Winemaking services • Preparing wine for Bottling • Bulk Wine appraisal • Winemaking Equipment • Budgeting and Cost analysis

Nurseries

Inland Desert Nursery 32508 W. Kelly Rd Benton City, WA USA 99320 Phone: 509-588-6615 Fax: 509-588-4526 sales@inlanddesert.com www.idnursery.com Serving commercial vineyards across North America, Inland Desert Nursery is dedicated to customizing clean, healthy, field-grown and greenhousegrown vines sourced from our diverse collection of Washington certified and virus tested mother blocks.

27920 McCombs Ave. Wasco, CA 93280 Phone: 661-758-4777 Fax: 661-758-4999 dustin.hooper@wonderful.com wonderfulnurseries.com Wonderful Nurseries is one of North America’s largest producers of dormant field-grown benchgrafts.

They also produce greenhouse-grown benchgrafts, rootstock rootings, own-rooted vines, and cuttings, and currently offer a wide selection of popular varieties, new table grape releases, and other table and raisin grape varieties, and pistachios.

Viticulture Consulting • Vineyard Establishment • Vineyard Operations • Vineyard appraisal

Management Consultants

Nurseries

Orchard Supplies

Every Vine Tested Since 2014

ON GUARD AGAINST VIRUSES

Knights Grapevine Nursery

Pascal Madevon Signature Ltd.

2020 Buyer's Guide

701 Nelson Avenue, Penticton, BC V2A 2L6 Phone: 1-250-488-8497 p.madevon@shaw.ca www.pascalmadevon.ca Pascal Madevon Signature is a vineyard and winery consultancy company based in the Okanagan Valley. Classically trained expert viticulturist and oenologist Pascal Madevon offers professional advice on vineyard management, wine production, and marketing of white, rosé, red and late harvest wines to Canadian wineries of all sizes.

34 Spring 2020

Eckhard Kaesekamp 3792 Feather River Blvd. Suite C Olivehurst, CA. 95961 Phone: 707-350-1148 eckhard@knightsgrapevinenursery.com knightsgrapevinenursery.com Knights Grapevine Nursery is a nursery focused on guarding against viruses and diseases that threaten our industry. Since 2014 they have implemented an ‘every vine tested’ protocol, working with only tested and approved material. With Eckhard and Benjamin Kaesekamp’s reputation for high quality vines, strong commitment to customer service and years of experience, as well as its isolated Northern California location, Knights Grapevine Nursery is your best choice for the strongest, cleanest plants!

Gerard’s Equipment 5592 Hwy 97 Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-2524 Fax: 250-498-3288 www.gerardsequipment.com Proudly serving the Okanagan since 1973. We provide high quality farm equipment; vineyard and trellising supplies; and outdoor yard and garden products. We also provide repair service and replacement parts to most makes and models. In addition to our mainlines of KUBOTA Tractors and STIHL garden implements we carry a large variety of tractor attachments; short line implements; pruning tools; bird scaring, trellising, and harvesting supplies.

Orchard Supplies

Packaging, Containers & Boxes

Packing House Equipment

Great Little Box Company

Princeton Wood Preservers www.pwppost.com PARKSVILLE Fenceline Products 250-248-3122 fence@telus.net ONTARIO Ardiel Acres 705-443-7613 greg@ardielacres.ca ALL OTHER AREAS Bill Everitt 877-797-7678 beveritt@xplornet.ca PWP is an industry leader in CCA pressure treated wood post and rail products for farm, orchard, vineyard and berry trellising meeting CSA080 standards. Guaranteed life expectancy of 25 years if not damaged or altered before or after installation.

Packaging, Containers & Boxes

11300 Twigg Place, Richmond, BC Phone: 604-301-3700 Toll free: 1-800-661-3377 Fax: 604-301-3745 Info@glbc.com • www.glbc.com Other Locations: 3502 Spectrum Court, Kelowna, BC Phone: 250-765-6988 748 Market St. Victoria, BC Phone: 250-384-3382 100-1500 Industry St. Everett, WA Phone: 425-349-4522 Great Little Box Company is your one source for label and packaging solutions. Products include the design and manufacture of custom and stock corrugated boxes, point-of-purchase displays, custom folding cartons, rigid boxes, clear PVC boxes, custom labels, flexible packaging, specialty packaging and the fabrication of foam packaging. GLBC also distributes a complete line of shipping supply products and moving products while providing fulfillment services and vendor managed inventory programs to its customers.

Packaging, Containers & Boxes

Fruittek, LLC (USA): Ph: (360)201-7162

Fruittek Canada: Ph: 604-855-8062 Toll free (Can or U.S.): 877-826-3427 info@fruittek.com www.fruittek.com Affordable electronic sorter/sizers for apple, pear and cherry packers that emphasize sorting precision, and gentle handling.

• Multiscan cherry pre-sorters, sizer/ sorters and complete lines.

• Van Wamel Perfect apple, pear & round/oblong vegetable sizer/ sorters and complete lines.

• Sorting modules Include color, dimension, weight and external defects (& softness on cherries).

• UL/CSA Compliant.

• Local service and support.

Pest Control

Hawk Kite Sales Thunderbird Plastics Ltd. 6969 Shirley Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4R4 Phone: 604-433-5624 Toll free:1-888-778-2473 Fax: 604-433-6231 info@thunderbirdplastics.com www.thunderbirdplastics.com

Astrapouch® proudly sells a wide range of eco-friendly flexible packaging and related filling technologies including pouches, bag-in-box, dispense systems, filling equipment, co-packing, and storage solutions. Astrapouch® offers a durable, convenient and eco-friendly way to bring beverages to the consumer market. Never before has there been beverage packaging so sleek, so marketable, so efficient and so profitable. Easy open, quick chilling, stay fresh, light weight packaging from Astrapouch®.

Canadian manufacturers of PREMIUM PLASTIC HANDHELD CONTAINERS since 1970. Harvest, process, store and transport all small fruits and berries. Affordable, durable, reusable, recyclable, food-grade, freezer-safe, UV-resistant. Strong focus on sharp pricing, delivery times, customer service. Custom products available for high volumes.

9800 Giants Head Road Summerland, BC V0H 1Z7 Phone: 250-404-0318 sales@hawkkite.ca www.peregrinehawkkites.ca Silent effective Hawk Kites scare starlings, seagulls, pigeons, cowbirds, sparrows and most small birds from orchards, vineyards, berry and vegetable gardens, cereal crops, parks, beaches, landfills, feed lots and buildings. Can cover up to 5 acres depending on crop and bird type.

Spring 2020

2020 Buyer's Guide

Astrapouch 1155 West Ave Middlesex, NY Phone: 585-259-9202 info@astrapouch.com astrapouch.com

35

Pesticides

Real Estate

Refrigeration

N.M. Bartlett Inc. 4509 Bartlett Rd. Beamsville, ON L0R1B1 Phone: 905-563-8261 Toll free: 1-800-263-1287 info@bartlett.ca www.bartlett.ca Bartlett’s are a crop protection distributor in Canada specializing in specialty horticulture products.

Family owned and operated now in its fourth generation with over 100 years of experience in the Canadian hort segment.

Pesticides

Secure-Rite Mobile Storage

2020 Buyer's Guide

123 Penno Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6S1 Phone: 250.861.3955 Toll Free: 1.888.861.3955 Fax: 250.861.3165 Storage@Secure-Rite.com www.Secure-Rite.com Secure-Rite Mobile Storage provides a range of secure, weatherproof mobile storage units. Our storage, office, accommodation, pesticide or refrigerated containers and accessories are available for purchase, lease or rental at competitive prices, with exceptional service! Our customized Pesticide Storage Units are equipped with extra ventilation, shelving, spill containment options and more!

BC Farm & Ranch Realty Corp.

2014 Whatcom Road Abbotsford, BC Phone: 604-852-1180 Toll Free: 1-888-852-AGRI (2474) Fax: 604-852-1191 info@bcfarmandranch.com www.bcfarmandranch.com BC Farm & Ranch Realty Corp. is BC’s first and only Real Estate office 100% dedicated to Agriculture & Acreage properties. Visit our website to browse through our vast selection of properties from house and acreage to dairy, poultry, equestrian, winery/ vineyards, nursery operations, berry farms, bare land developments and much more.

150 Adams Blvd.

Brantford, ON N3S 7V2 Phone: 519-752-2424 Toll Free:1-866-748-7786 Fax: 519-752-4040 info@kooljet.com www.kooljet.com KOOLJET, a Canadian company, designs and builds specialized refrigeration systems for cooling fruits, vegetables, and wine storage rooms.The specialized one-piece designs do not require refrigeration technicians to do the installation.

KOOLJET Refrigeration systems are charged with refrigerant and fully tested before shipment. Products include Hydro-Coolers, Wine Tank Chillers, and Room Coolers.

Real Estate

Restoration Services

Geen+Byrne Real Estate Team RE/MAX Kelowna

ABK Restoration Services

Phone: 250-878-6545 100 – 1553 Harvey Ave Kelowna, BC V1Y 6G1

Phone: 250-493-6633 Toll Free: 1-800-463-5663 info@myabk.com www.myabk.com

Jerry Geen: Jerry@GeenByrne.com

Welcome to ABK Restoration Services We Make It Right Again

Elya Byrne: Elya@GeenByrne.com www.OkanaganFarms.com Selling property requires knowledge of land use, values, current market conditions, financing and that intangible ability of a good REALTOR® to “connect” with people. With Jerry + Elya’s professional demeanour, sharp analytical skills, industry contacts and extensive experience with farms & acreages, this is the REALTOR® team you need working on your behalf!

Call Jerry + Elya today!

36 Spring 2020

KOOLJET Refrigeration Inc.

Whether you’ve experienced fire, water, wind or other damage, your home or business isn’t the same, and your life has been turned upside down. You want everything to get back the way it was before this disaster happened.

Serving the Okanagan BC for over 25 years.

Suite 311, 9440 202 Street, Langley, BC V1M 4A6 Toll Free: 1-877-533-1789 contact@agsafebc.ca www.agsafebc.ca AgSafe is the non-profit health and safety association for agricultural producers in British Columbia. AgSafe provides site-specific safety education, consultation and materials, as well as online workplace safety resources.

AgSafe is also the COR Certifying Partner for BC’s agricultural-associated industries and offers a Certificate of Recognition (COR) program for large and small employers.

Soil & Compost

Soil & Compost

Secure-Rite Mobile Storage Superior Peat Inc. 1700 Carmi Avenue Penticton, BC V2A 8V5 Phone: 250-493-5410 info@superiorpeat.com www.superiorpeat.com

Phone: 1-250-809-8646 compost@wearerevolution.ca www.aforceofnature.ca Revolution produces Class A Compost, an allowable input in organic farming, made with commercial food waste from Vancouver’s Organic waste stream. We produce the most contaminant free, nutrient rich compost available on a commercial scale in BC - Replacing chemical fertilizers dramatically increasing water retention and crop yields.

Give us a call today and “Join the Revolution!”

123 Penno Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6S1 Phone: 250.861.3955 Toll Free: 1.888.861.3955 Fax: 250.861.3165 Storage@Secure-Rite.com www.Secure-Rite.com

OMRI Listed supplier of organic soil amendments and composts used when planting orchards, vineyards and berry farms. We also carry a large selection of bark mulches and composts for ground cover. Visit us online at www.superiorpeat.com for more information.

Secure-Rite Mobile Storage provides a range of secure, weatherproof mobile storage units. Our storage, office, accommodation, pesticide or refrigerated containers and accessories are available for purchase, lease or rental at competitive prices, with exceptional service! Our customized Pesticide Storage Units are equipped with extra ventilation, shelving, spill containment options and more!

Spreaders

Tax Consulting

Revolution Compost Lower Mainland Okanagan Kootenays USA

Storage

Whatcom Manufacturing Inc. 405 Birch Bay Lynden Rd. Lynden, WA USA 98264 Phone: 360-354-3094 Fax: 360-354-5434 info@whatcommfg.com www.whatcommfg.com Custom Built Row Mulch Spreaders for Vineyards and Orchards.

Extra narrow models, QuickChange discharges, available in multiple sizes with numerous options and features built to accommodate all applications.

For use with compost, sawdust, shavings,manure or wood chips.

Okanagan Office Geoff McIntyre, CPA, CA Regional Leader Food & Beverage Processing 600,1628 Dickson Avenue Kelowna, BC V1Y 9X1 Phone: 250-979-2574 Toll Free: 1-877-766-9735 geoff.mcintyre@mnp.ca MNP.ca MNP is one of the largest national accounting and business consulting firms in Canada. B.C’s dynamic food & beverage industry is rapidly growing and full of opportunity. Based in Kelowna and with 20 offices across British Columbia, our beverage industry specialists provide expertise and scalable solutions to enhance all aspects of your business structure so you can effectively manage growth, streamline operations and increase profitability.

Spring 2020

2020 Buyer's Guide

Safety

37

Tax Consulting

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

RHN Chartered Professional Accountants Osoyoos Office 8319 Main Street (2nd Floor) Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 Phone: 250-495-3383 Kelowna Office 620-1620 Dickson Avenue Kelowna, BC V1Y 9Y2 Phone: 250-860-1177 Lower Mainland Office 105 – 13900 Maycrest Way Richmond, BC V6V 3E2 Phone: 604-273-9338 info@rhncpa.com www.rhncpa.com RHN understands the unique challenges faced by growers and producers of vine and orchard products and services.

Business owners deserve to have experienced and knowledgeable accountants and business advisors who provide extraordinary service and go beyond standard expectations. At RHN, we are REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL SOLUTIONS who business owners trust and rely upon.

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

Avenue Machinery Corp.

1521 Sumas Way Abbotsford, BC Abbotsford Phone: 604-864-2665 Fax: 604-864-9568 Toll Free: 1-888-283-3276 Kelowna Phone: 250-769-8700 Fax: 250-769-8755 Vernon Phone: 250-545-3355 Fax: 250-545-4255

2020 Buyer's Guide

Rock Creek Phone: 250-446-2311 Toll Free: 1-888-283-3276 reception@avenuemachinery.ca www.avenuemachinery.ca Agricultural and light construction supply and service equipment.

Featuring Kubota, Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Landpride, Florida, Rankin, Maschio.

38 Spring 2020

Gerard’s Equipment 5592 Hwy 97 Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-2524 Fax: 250-498-3288 www.gerardsequipment.com Proudly serving the Okanagan since 1973. We provide high quality farm equipment; vineyard and trellising supplies; and outdoor yard and garden products. We also provide repair service and replacement parts to most makes and models. In addition to our mainlines of KUBOTA Tractors and STIHL garden implements we carry a large variety of tractor attachments; short line implements; pruning tools; bird scaring, trellising, and harvesting supplies.

Matsqui Ag Repair Ltd. 34856 Harris Rd. Abbotsford, BC V3G 1R7 Phone: 604-826-3281 Fax: 604-826-0705 dave.matsquiagrepair@shaw.ca www.matsquiagrepair.com Authorized Sales, Service and Parts for Deutz-Fahr, McCormick, Kioti, Kuhn and McHale equipment. New and used equipment sales. Servicing the Okanagan and Fraser Valley since 1989.

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

Handlers Equipment

PrairieCoast equipment

339 Sumas Way Abbotsford, BC V2S 8E5 Phone: 604-850-3601 www.handlersequipment.com @handlersequipment

Toll Free: 1-877-553-3373 www.prairiecoastequipment.com

Handlers Equipment specializes in providing top quality agriculture & construction equipment.

Handlers only stocks top-of-the-line new equipment and well-maintained used equipment. They are proud dealers of Hyundai Construction Equipment, Mahindra tractors and utility vehicles, Morooka tracked dumpers, and other short lines. In addition, Handlers stocks multiple lines of agriculture implements.

8025 Dallas Drive Kamloops, BC 675 Adams Court Kelowna, BC 4228 Cowart Rd Prince George, BC 44158 Progress Way Chilliwack, BC 22661 Fraser Highway Langley, BC 1531 Harold Road Nanaimo, BC PrairieCoast equipment is your local John Deere dealer selling specialty sprayers, tractors, and mowers for orchard, berry, and vineyard growers across BC!

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

Vineyard Equipment

Slimline Manufacturing 559 Okanagan Avenue East Penticton, BC V2A 3K4 Phone: 250-493-6145 Toll Free: 1-800-495-6145 Fax: 250-492-7756 agsales@slimlinemfg.com www.slimlinemfg.com Slimline Manufacturing is North America’s premier manufacturer of Agricultural Sprayer Technology for farmers growing crops from grapes to nuts and orchards to hops, with an international Dealer network representing our best-inclass Sprayers and Towers in markets ranging from New York to California, BC to Ontario. The company also manufactures Evaporator Systems for multiple industry applications and operates an OEM factory-backed Parts Division and retail shop, servicing the Agriculture industry locally and across the Pacific Northwest.

Vineyard Equipment

Warehousing & Distribution

Commercial Logistics Inc.

Gerard’s Equipment 5592 Hwy 97 Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-2524 Fax: 250-498-3288 www.gerardsequipment.com Proudly serving the Okanagan since 1973. We provide high quality farm equipment; vineyard and trellising supplies; and outdoor yard and garden products. We also provide repair service and replacement parts to most makes and models. In addition to our mainlines of KUBOTA Tractors and STIHL garden implements we carry a large variety of tractor attachments; short line implements; pruning tools; bird scaring, trellising, and harvesting supplies.

Viticulture

333 Penno Road Kelowna, BC V1X 7W5 Phone: 250-491-9316 Fax: 250-491-9317 cli_kelowna@containerworld.com www.commercial-logistics.com Our 93,000 square foot Kelowna facility offers a state-of-the-Art temperature controlled environment for maximum safety & security for your wine products. We now offer complete scheduled delivery services throughout the Okanagan Valley and beyond. Competitive pricing, industry and product knowledge and a new level of technology support our customers to handle of their logistics needs.

Winery Consultants

ECOVIN

Providing Canadian Grapevine Solutions

14432 SE Eastgate Way Suite 450 Bellevue WA 98007 Phone: 1-425-637-2107 Toll free: 1-877-282-4687 (877-ATAGOUS) Fax: 1-425-637-2110 customerservice@atago-usa.com www.atago-usa.com

ONTARIO Wes Wiens/Tina Tourigny Phone: 905-984-4324 sales@vinetech.ca

“You ask, we create.” With 80 years of experience, ATAGO® brings together the grape and wine industry trust in arguably the world’s best refractometers since 1940. ATAGO offers precise quality control instruments, whether it is measuring Brix, acidity, or CO2. Learn how our instruments can benefit your company at www.atago-usa.com.

QUEBEC Wes Wiens/Tina Tourigny Phone: 905-984-4324 sales@vinetech.ca

BRITISH COLUMBIA Nathan Phillips Phone: 250-809-6040 bcsales@vinetech.ca

NOVA SCOTIA Ian Kaye Phone: 902-740-2493 nssales@vinetech.ca

CONSULTING ECOVIN CONSULTING Phone: 250 510-1558 3897 Cobble Hill Rd Cobble Hill, BC johnkelly@ecovin.ca www.ecovin.ca

• Winery licensing & establishment.

• Site evaluation, equipment selection.

• Natural & conventional grape & fruit wine production.

• Organic/Sustainable & conventional vineyard establishment & management.

2020 Buyer's Guide

ATAGO U.S.A., Inc.

• Over twenty years experience.

Producers of Canadian grafted and own rooted Grapevines. Importers of Grapevines from Europe and the United States for sale across Canada.

We also offer custom grafting, potted grapevines, trellising material and planting.

Spring 2020

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Winery Equipment

A.O. Wilson Ltd 9597 Sideroad 17 Erin, ON N0B 1T0 aowilson.ca Western Canada 1.833.269.4576 (AOWILSON) bccustomerservice@aowilson.ca Eastern Canada 1.855.857.1511 customerservice@aowilson.ca

Winery Equipment

cellar•tek west 1043 Richter St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K4 Phone: 250-868-3186 Toll Free: 1-877-460-9463

cellar•tek east #530 – 380 Vansickle Road St. Catharines, ON, L2S 0B5 Phone: 905-246-8316 info@cellartek.com www.cellartek.com

Proud supplier for 75 years!

Everything you need from the vineyard to the bottling line. Offering reliable products, advice and technical sales support for all your processing and packaging needs at honest prices.

The largest stocking distributor in Canada of premium corks, capsules and closures. Enology products, equipment, filters, filter media and cleaning supplies for your winery. We invite you to visit one of our offices or simply visit our online shop at your convenience.

Cellar-tek is a commercial winery, brewery, cidery and distillery supply company based in Canada and serving all of North America. We offer a full range of quality equipment & supplies ranging from processing to tanks to packaging and all points between.

Because we’re such huge fans of great wines, beers, ciders and spirits, we strive to be the “go to” support system for the commercial producers of these delicious beverages so we can do our part to help them make the best products possible.

Winery Equipment

Winery Equipment

Winery Equipment

1446 Industrial Avenue Sebastopol, CA 95472 Winemakers: If your wine needs a little less of this or a little more of that, Winesecrets can help you.

Winesecrets has been providing cutting edge solutions to technical challenges of wine production in the US and Canada since 2002. We are the wine industry experts in specialized liquid separation processes to include reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, ion exchange, distillation, waste water management, and more. Our Test Track service enables you to find the flavor profile you intended with just 1-2 cases of wine. We guide artisanscale producers to high tech solutions at affordable costs.

When no one else has an answer, Winesecrets has probably solved it.

Give us a call: Toll Free: 1-888-656-5553 info@winesecrets.com www.winesecrets.com

Winery Services

Technologie Inovaweld Inc.

2020 Buyer's Guide

6908 Palm Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4M3 Phone: 604-473-9463 Toll Free: 1-866-55GRAPE Fax: 604-433-2810 info@bosagrape.com www.bosagrape.com Professional ingredients, supplies, including yeasts, laboratory products, bottles and equipment for the commercial winemaker, cidermaker, distiller, brewer and hobbyist. Also, products for fruit processors, vinegar makers, kombucha, seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.

Shop our online catalog and have your order shipped.

Visit our fully stocked warehouse in Burnaby and pick up your items immediately. Our product selection can’t be beat.

40 Spring 2020

139 Rue du Parc de Innovation La Pocatiere, QC G0R 1Z0 Michel Levesque Phone: 418-860-7987 m.levesque@inovaweld.com www.inovawine.com Technologie Inovaweld is a Canadian manufacturer of stainless steel drums & barrels for the wine and cider industry.

All of our containers are seamless and laser welded with stainless steel made in United States.

Sizes : 100, 125, 208, 227, 300 litres

9001 Hwy 97, Oliver, BC V0H 1T2 Phone: 1-778-739-0109 info@bin97.com www.bin97.com Bin 97 Mobile Filtering Service utilizes the Bucher Vaslin Flavy crossflow system featuring the latest in high quality crossflow technology. The Flavy FX3 is fully automatic and designed to minimize wine losses with an inert gas “pushing process” and reduce oxidation due to the absence of oxygen in the unit. The Flavy FX3 is capable of filtering 1100 to 3400 liters per hour. Contact us today for your mobile wine filtration needs.

Winery Supplies

Winery Supplies

Winery Supplies

A.O. Wilson Ltd 9597 Sideroad 17 Erin, ON N0B 1T0 aowilson.ca Western Canada 1.833.269.4576 (AOWILSON) bccustomerservice@aowilson.ca Eastern Canada 1.855.857.1511 customerservice@aowilson.ca Proud supplier for 75 years!

Everything you need from the vineyard to the bottling line. Offering reliable products, advice and technical sales support for all your processing and packaging needs at honest prices.

The largest stocking distributor in Canada of premium corks, capsules and closures. Enology products, equipment, filters, filter media and cleaning supplies for your winery. We invite you to visit one of our offices or simply visit our online shop at your convenience.

Winery Supplies

6908 Palm Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4M3 Phone: 604-473-9463 Toll Free: 1-866-55GRAPE Fax: 604-433-2810 info@bosagrape.com www.bosagrape.com Professional ingredients, supplies, including yeasts, laboratory products, bottles and equipment for the commercial winemaker, cidermaker, distiller, brewer and hobbyist. Also, products for fruit processors, vinegar makers, kombucha, seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.

Shop our online catalog and have your order shipped.

Gusmer Enterprises 81 M Street, Fresno, CA 93721 Phone: 559-485-2692 Toll Free: 866-213-1131 sales@gusmerenterprises.com www.gusmerenterprises.com For over 90 years Gusmer has offered a full line of products and solutions for the wine and cider industries including yeast, bacteria, fermentation nutrients, processing aids, filtration media and equipment, analytical instrumentation and analytical laboratory services – all backed by strong technical support.

For more information, contact Gusmer Enterprises today.

Visit our fully stocked warehouse in Burnaby and pick up your items immediately. Our product selection can’t be beat.

Winery Supplies

Winery Supplies

cellar•tek west

Solutions for every stage of wine making. Bin 97 is a winery equipment supply company located in the Okanagan.

Dealer for: Bucher Vaslin, Sutter, Speidel Tanks, Moog Barrel Washing, Costral Bottling, Cazaux Pumps, Quantor-Kreyer, US Fip Pumps, TN Coopers, Lamothe-Abiet. We also stock stainless fittings, floating lid gaskets, Remco and Vikan cellar tools.

Bin 97 offers mobile crossflow filtering service utilizing Bucher Vaslin Flavy technology.

cellar•tek east #530 – 380 Vansickle Road St. Catharines, ON, L2S 0B5 Phone: 905-246-8316 info@cellartek.com www.cellartek.com Cellar-tek is a commercial winery, brewery, cidery and distillery supply company based in Canada and serving all of North America. We offer a full range of quality equipment & supplies ranging from processing to tanks to packaging and all points between.

Because we’re such huge fans of great wines, beers, ciders and spirits, we strive to be the “go to” support system for the commercial producers of these delicious beverages so we can do our part to help them make the best products possible.

Hanna Instruments Canada Inc. 3156 Industriel Laval, QC H7L 4P7 Phone: 450-629-1444 Toll free: 800-842-6629 Fax number: 450-629-3335 sales@hannacan.com www.hannacan.com We supply instrumentation for all the growers and winemakers’ needs whether pocket type, portable or bench type. We offer meters for the analysis of pH, conductivity, sulfur dioxide, total titratable acidity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, residual sugar and many other parameters.

Spring 2020

2020 Buyer's Guide

9001 Hwy 97, Oliver, BC V0H 1T2 Phone: 1-778-739-0109 info@bin97.com www.bin97.com

1043 Richter St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K4 Phone: 250-868-3186 Toll Free: 1-877-460-9463

41

Winery Supplies

IDL Process Solutions Inc.

2020 Buyer's Guide

1164 Lee Street White Rock, BC V4B 4P4 Phone: 604-538-2713 Cell: 604.375-2892 Warehouse: 604-214-6437 info@idlconsulting.com www.idlconsulting.com/ Originally founded as IDL Consulting and later Incorporated. IDL has over 28 years of experience in wine making and fruit processing in Europe and America. IDL Consulting provides customers with innovative processing and treatment solutions to achieve quality products and to manage resulting waste streams. They also provide solutions for liquid-solids and liquid-liquid separation. Supporting Scott Labs Supplier of Erbsloeh Yeasts, Enzymes, Fining Agents and Filtration Materials for the wine, juice, beer and distilling industry.

Winery Supplies

Winery Supplies

Nuance Winery Supplies Inc. 15 Lloyd Street St. Catharines, ON L2S 2N7 Phone: 905-225-0114 contact@nuancetrade.com www.nuancetrade.com Established at the crossroad of the three largest wine volume producing countries in the world, Nuance is at the forefront of the industry’s latest developments. Rigorously trained by our suppliers in the state-of-theart, and paying close attention to our customers’ input and feedback, we propose a comprehensive set of technical solutions, from grape receiving, through wine preparation for bottling.

1446 Industrial Avenue Sebastopol, CA 95472 Winemakers: If your wine needs a little less of this or a little more of that, Winesecrets can help you.

Winesecrets has been providing cutting edge solutions to technical challenges of wine production in the US and Canada since 2002. We are the wine industry experts in specialized liquid separation processes to include reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, ion exchange, distillation, waste water management, and more. Our Test Track service enables you to find the flavor profile you intended with just 1-2 cases of wine. We guide artisanscale producers to high tech solutions at affordable costs.

When no one else has an answer, Winesecrets has probably solved it.

Give us a call: Toll Free: 1-888-656-5553 info@winesecrets.com www.winesecrets.com

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BC Interior: 250-258-8728 • Lower Mainland: 250-454-6969 www.marvelousideas.com 42 Spring 2020

Call 778-754-7078 or email info@orchardandvine.net www.orchardandvine.net

Gamay a Rising Star in the Okanagan

By Michael Botner Looking back to the late 1900s, Beaujolais Nouveau turned an oversupply of cheap Beaujolais - traditionally shipped to the cafés and restaurants of Paris a few weeks after harvest - into an international marketing phenomenon.

But, in retrospect, shipping the ethereal, short-lived wine by the planeload straight from the fermentation vat to all corners of the globe has somewhat tarnished the image of Beaujolais as a producer of fine wine for sophisticated palates. Better to think of Nouveau or Primeur as a fun wine (sometimes referred to as “lollipop” wine) in which the grapes undergo whole bunch fermentation by carbonic semi-maceration. Everyone should try Beaujolais Nouveau or Gamay Nouveau at least once (it can be found at some BC liquor stores as well as Quails’ Gate in most years).

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The establishment of Gamay vines is like any other variety… there needs to be extra caution in relationship to the yields. Significant green harvest is required to bring the prolific variety into check.

Matt Mavety But it is important to remember that Beaujolais made by traditional methods from Gamay grapes grown in the northeastern corner of the region (mainly Villages and Crus) produce high quality, richly flavoured red wines. Such is the

case in BC, particularly in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys.

At three to four per cent of plantings and tonnage of red grape varieties in BC, Gamay is not likely to catch up with the elites – Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Franc, Pinot Noir and Syrah – any time soon. Neither is it all that easy to find on wine store shelves or restaurant wine lists. Don’t let that detail deter you. More wineries than ever – at least a dozen - are producing fine Gamay wines.

If not the industry’s best kept secret, it is unquestionably one of the best secrets to uncover.

Photo by Chris Stenberg

One of Gamay’s earliest proponents, Blue Mountain in Okanagan Falls, has been producing Gamay grown on the winery’s impeccable, south-facing, eighty-acre vineyard for almost 30 years. Ask winemaker Matt Mavety about cultivation. He will tell you that conditions are ideal but that it is more challenging to grow than his other red variety, Pinot noir.

Blue Mountain's winemaker Matt Mavety.

“The establishment of Gamay vines is like any other variety,” he explains, “but

Okanagan Crush Pad’s Secrest Mountain Vineyard.

there needs to be extra caution in relationship to the yields. Significant green harvest is required to bring the prolific variety into check.”

Mavety puts the emphasis on subtle expression of fruit and making wine that people enjoy with food. After sorting and destemming of the fruit into tanks, Mavety uses native yeasts to maximize the nuances of the variety.

“The extraction regime focuses on the use of pump overs to allow for gentle extraction,” he says. “Malo is delayed until the following spring with all aging in French oak barrels, new to sixth fill, to allow for gentle development without imparting an oak profile on the wine.”

Photo contributed

Typical of an excellent Beaujolais-Villages, Blue Mountain 2017 Gamay packs poignant blackberry and juicy plum fruit with notes of black pepper spice, a silky texture and long finish.

Gamay harvest at Robin Ridge.

44 Spring 2020

Gamay is one of several varieties, including Pinot Noir, grown by Summerland’s innovative Okanagan Crush Pad Winery on the gently south-west-leaning, 38acre Secrest Mountain Vineyard. At 487

Photo by Lionel Trudel

The advantages of VSP are greatest in cool climate regions and with thinskinned varieties like Gamay, as the increase in air flow helps reduce the risk of botrytis bunch rot and sour rot as well as problems associated with mold and fungus. Latchford likens Gamay to Pinot Noir, particularly in the vineyard. “They both ripen early,” he says. “Gamay likes to be cropped, but not too much, about three tons per acre in most years.”

Partially destemmed, 30-40 per cent whole cluster for carbonic complexity, the organically farmed grapes are placed in open vats with gentle punch-downs

twice a day for extended skin contact of 10-12 days. Fermentation of the juice takes place in concrete fermenters before aging on the lees for eight months in large Nico Velo concrete tanks. The combination of mouth-watering, red berry, Secrest grown fruit with a round mouthfeel and purity of flavour derived from fermenting and aging in concrete, results in wine that is vibrant and complex with more weight and tension.

A member of the Okanagan Crush Pad family, Haywire’s portfolio focuses on natural wines made exclusively from organically grown grapes and reflecting the Okanagan Valley’s cool climate terroir. Haywire’s restrained 2017 Secrest Mountain Vineyard Gamay reveals a complex taste profile with juicy, lively cherry and raspberry fruit, nuances of violet, mineral, smoke and black pepper, and the capacity to improve in the bottle for 3-5 years.

Gamay is also the signature wine at Robin Ridge, a small, fully-certified organic, family-run winery on Middle Bench Road in the breathtaking Similkameen Valley.

As production increased, owners Tim

Photo by Jon Adrian

metres, the high elevation site just south of McIntyre Bluff experiences a brisk, persistent, drying wind. “To take advantage of the location and the limestonerich sandy loam to coarse gravel soil, the winery uses a two arm VSP Trellising System,” says Okanagan Crush Pad’s experienced assistant winemaker, Steve Latchford. “The objective of VSP is to train the shoots in a vertical fashion, creating a narrow zone to provide good exposure to sunlight and air flow to the fruiting zone of the canopy.”

Okanagan Crush Pad’s assistant winemaker, Steve Latchford in front of the large Nico Velo concrete tanks.

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and Caroline Cottrill purchased a 10acre property in 2012 near the winery off Highway 3 to augment output of the original eight-acre home vineyard.

Plantings in the new vineyard included two acres of Gamay adding to the one acre already in production. “The welldrained soil structure features a foot of coarse sandy loam over gravel and a lot of rocks,” says Tim Cottrill. A unique feature at Robin Ridge is use of the Geneva Double Curtain, or GDC, trellis system.

This allows for a larger, more dense canopy by dividing it into two and allowing more sunlight to reach the fruit renewal zone, and a greater yield.

“At five tons per acre, its productivity exceeds Pinot noir, offsetting the additional work required in training the vines,” adds Cottrill. “With fermentation on the skins in open vats for up to two weeks, 40 per cent of which are whole berry, punch downs three times a day, and barrel aging, winemaking for both Pinot noir and Gamay are similar,” he says. ”This results in deeper colour, more flavour extraction and more full-bodied Gamay that benefits from aging in the bottle. “Because of Gamay’s lively acidity, it makes great pairing with fattier meats like duck and lamb.”

Robin Ridge 2016 Similkameen Valley Gamay is elegant and richly structured with vibrant acidity and a velvety

Tim Cottrill of Robin Ridge Winery.

At 5 tons per acre, its productivity exceeds Pinot Noir, offsetting the additional work required in training the vine.

Tim Cottrill mouthfeel. Flavours suggest dried violet, crushed berry, supple blackcurrant and raspberry fruit with nuances of mixed spice and milk chocolate. For compari-

son, Robin Ridge 2014 Gamay delivers succulent, concentrated, juicy crushed berry, blackcurrant and plum fruit with notes of spice and violets, good acidity and balance, ripe tannins and a long finish. These wines take Gamay to the next level.

Photos contributed

Also tasted: Robin Ridge 2017 Similkameen Valley PnG, a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay, along the lines of a Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grain. The Bourgogne version requires that Pinot Noir comprise at least one third of the blend. Pale ruby in colour, Robin Ridge PnG features strawberry and cherry fruit with notes of pepper, leather and black licorice, mouthwatering acidity and a silky texture.

Gamay is the signature wine at Robin Ridge.

46 Spring 2020

There are more Gamay wines in the works at Robin Ridge, according to Cottrill. ”A nouveau style is becoming more popular and provides a snapshot of the vintage," he says. He is experimenting with late harvest Gamay: ”Under the right conditions, ripe fruit from young plants with RS (residual sugar) up to 40 grams per litre. As well, I’d like to do a sparkling Gamay.” ■

A New Canadian Apple is on the Way

By Tom Walker The recent launch of Cosmic Crisp apples in Washington State has created a lot of buzz in the industry, as have the various “club apple” programs that have been developed world-wide with names like Jazz, Envy and SweeTango. Marketers describe the global consumer demand for apples as “stable”, with little upside for growth. The apple section in grocery stores is crowded, and to grab a buyer’s attention, producers look for new varieties that will help improve their returns.

The market interest and the gains that have come for BC orchardists who have planted Ambrosia are attractive, but at what point will the market become saturated? We have about 9600 acres of apples planted in BC. Jim Campbell, chair of the New Varieties Development Council estimates that about 2100 acres of those are Ambrosia.

Over the last five years of the replant program, growers have changed up about 210 acres a year, notes Carl Withler, the Ministry of Agriculture tree fruits and grape specialist. Ambrosia appears to have peaked in popularity in 2017, with 156 acres replanted. In 2019 that was down to 59 acres (this does not include bare land plantings or growers who chose not to apply for replant). Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are the other popular apple replant varieties for BC growers.

Cosmic Crisp is the first apple to be developed specifically by and for the Washington industry, with some $500 million USD investment. It’s exclusive to Washington growers as a managed variety, but not a club program, which often requires grower investment and fees.

Photo contributed

We have a very successful track record of developing new tree fruit varieties in BC. The breeding program at AAFC Summerland, together with the commercializing experience of Summerland Varieties Corporation (SVC) has gained worldwide success at developing and distributing new cherry varieties such as Sweetheart, Sentennial, Staccato, and Suite Note. There have been some apple varieties as well (Salish, Aurora Golden Gala).

But a new apple that is in the pipeline is creating a lot of interest across Canada.

This is the next Canadian apple soon to become available to Canadian growers. This tri-coloured apple of yellow, orange and red is firm, crisp, juicy with sweet aromatic undertones of tropical fruit.

SVC Business Development Manager Nick Ibuki calls it the ‘next Ambrosia’. “It’s a sweet apple,” says Ibuki. “People taste tropical equatorial flavours with background notes of mangoes, and that matches the orangey red colour.”

apple tree, but Beirnes explains the need to mitigate risks for growers. “We are a small and fragmented industry in Canada, and four acres out of 30 for a new variety is much more of a risk than four acres out of 300 in another growing region,” he explains. “We must do our due diligence, so that when we tell industry this is an apple you should get behind, they can really get behind it.”

Dr. Cheryl Hampson was the fruit tree breeding specialist at AAFC Summerland breeding program in 2000, when the apple was first crossed. The new variety doesn’t have a name yet, just a number, and Sean Beirnes, General Manager of SVC would rather keep that quiet just now.

So far it’s very encouraging Ibuki, reports. “This apple just keeps ticking all the boxes,” he says. “It impresses us over again at each level of testing.”

“We should have trees available for commercial plantings across Canada by 2023,” says Beirnes, “and that would put apples on store shelves by 2025-26.” There are currently pre-commercial trial plantings underway at 43 sites across Canada in BC, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, as well as at select small international sites.

Ibuki calls the new apple very grower friendly. “You get a nice columnar tree that grows apples in the 72-100 size range,” he notes. “And we see a target of 60 bins to an acre or higher.”

As well as planting, growing and tasting trials, the new variety has been run over a packing line and tested in both cold and controlled atmosphere storage. “They harvested 74 bins this

Twenty-five years seems like a long time to develop a new

Spring 2020

47

season,” notes Ibuki. “The sub-commercial trial pack-out was more than 90 per cent extra fancy grade.”

It stores very well, Beirnes adds, which is important for BC growers. “We want a nice fresh apple when it comes out of storage,” he says, adding it also has a good shelf life. “Some apples you put out there, by the time the consumer gets around to eating them they are losing their texture, particularly in a hot and humid environment,” he notes. “We want this apple to do well globally, so that’s important.”

Club apple programs create a sense of exclusivity while trying to balance supply with market demand. Beirnes says the new apple will be released in what he calls a ‘hybrid’ format. “Somewhere between an open release and a club variety,” he explains.

“It will benefit from the high quality of standards that are associated with club programs and a very strategic approach to branding and marketing.”

That will include a technology transfer component for growers who are new to this variety to help them with growing practices, and a focused marketing program. “We have learned a lot from our previous releases,” says Beirnes. “In the past we branded the apple and developed some early marketing, but really left it up to industry to champion that apple in the market.”

Beirnes says SVC are bringing growers and marketers together to coordinate the new release. “It will be a club open to all Canadian marketers who wish to participate,” he says. “But we will coordinate the planning production, launch volume, and working with retailers.”

And the apple will be available, says Beirnes. “We have a Canada-wide mandate and we want this apple to be available and grown by as many Canadian growers as possible.” However, SVC will coordinate with consumers and retailers and work back through the market to determine what the appropriate amount of plantings will be. “We need a balance between supply and demand,” he says.

This hybrid club is an unprecedented opportunity for Canadian growers and marketers to work together says Beirnes. “At the most recent meeting of the Canadian apple breeding consortium, I received a lot of positive feedback from Ontario orchardists on how we plan to develop this.”

Cosmic Crisp is an interesting case study, both men note. “They have taken an innovative approach to this release with the scale and the money involved that we have never seen in the world,” says Beirnes. “I think everybody in the fruit growing industry is interested to see how that works and whether that is the new template for launching.”

Ibuki points out that numerous growers in the Washington industry needed a transition. “They still have widely spaced plantings of older apples like red and golden delicious,” he notes, those being varieties that have low market value and that many BC growers pulled out 20 years ago.

The Cosmic Crisp hype is good for the whole industry Ibuki says.

“It gets consumers out trying a new variety,” he says. “We have every confidence that when this new variety comes out, Canadians will have access to an apple that will go head to head with Cosmic Crisp.” ■

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48 Spring 2020

Chef Provides Low-Down on Selling to Restaurants Restaurants can be a lucrative option for farmers, but don’t expect it to be a cake-walk.

By Ronda Payne Some farmers see selling to restaurants as the Holy Grail for their business. While it can definitely be a rewarding option for selling produce, getting in and maintaining relationships may not be easy. Famous BC chef Chuck Currie notes it was a priority for him to work with farmers when he started Earl’s at age 24.

“The idea is they [restaurants] should grow and you [farmers] should grow,” he says. “Restaurants give a very steady revenue stream with predictable movement of product.”

In 1995, Currie created his own mesclun mix at Earl’s with the farm partner who provided the restaurant’s greens.

“I’m still doing that to this day,” he says.

“And who else is doing it? Only guys who buy direct from farms.”

At Earl’s the focus was to promote the farms within the restaurant. For example, each location would have a flat of basil at the front of the kitchen – customer facing. Currie used wooden wine boxes to hold the flats and burnt Barnston Island Herbs into the flats to show customers who the supplier was.

“You want to work with the guys who

Photos contributed

“It was so hardy, you could stir fry it,” he says. “It was very expensive.” So, to bring costs down and increase the mouth crunch he blended it with romaine lettuce. are passionate about your brand,” he notes. “The partnerships we had [with farmers], these are not small concerns, but they were then. I was successful in bringing in some small concerns.”

Where did he look to find these suppliers? The BC Specialty Food Directory.

“I went through every farm on there and what they grew and I looked at their reach. I needed to know they had enough to supply me,” he says. “I didn’t want to be more than 25 per cent of their business because if I left, I’d kill them and I didn’t want that.”

While there is no formula to determine the number of restaurants a farm should target, Currie says some very successful farmers have 50 routine weekly restaurants and 200 or more as occasional buyers based on specials or fresh sheets.

“Definitely avoid all the eggs in one basket,” he says.

BC Chef Chuck Currie.

For those who think restaurants are already having all of their needs met, consider stats Currie relayed: There are 2.3 million vegetarians and 850,000 vegans

in Canada and the province with the highest share of these is BC. Of the 6,000 restaurants in Vancouver, 70 are farm-totable.

“It’s centered in cities,” he explains.

“Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.

Dine at the restaurant to meet the chef.

Knowing them and what they do is so much better than a cold call.”

He points to Zaklan Heritage Farm coowners Gemma McNeill and Doug Zaklan as farmers who are doing things right.

“I guess our first restaurant account, we started in maybe 2014,” McNeill says.

This led to working with a distributor in 2015, but the company folded and the couple was left scrambling to establish restaurant relationships outside the distributor. The fortunate aspect was that the distributor had sold Zaklan products by name, so chefs were familiar with the farm and their produce. In 2016 Zaklan made a conscious push into the restaurant business and now sells to 20 to 30 BC-based restaurants including Nightingale Restaurant, Savio Volpe, Ubuntu Canteen and Farmer’s Apprentice.

Spring 2020

49

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“We have lots come out to the farm,” McNeill says of restaurant employees and chefs. “I think usually it’s because they want to have a better understanding of where the food is coming from.”

Often it’s new chefs, kitchen staff and front-of-house staff who make the trip. This enables both those who prepare the food and those who serve the food to understand its origins and speak to customers about it.

Currie feels restaurants should be including farm brands in their on-site information and farms should include restaurants on their websites. McNeill is seeing a move away from the inclusion of farm names on menus however.

“A lot of restaurants are just really dedicated to having quality, local food,” she explains.

There is a lot of common ground here as Currie points out.

“What is it that farmers and chefs share? Passion to the point of fanaticism,” he says. “The whole farm to fork thing.”

When asked why selling to restaurants works for Zaklan Heritage Farm, McNeill says it allows them to play to their strengths.

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“I really enjoy the relationship building with chefs and having them continue year after,” McNeill says. “It gives us the flexibility and creativity to grow some unusual crops which you wouldn’t be able to grow for farmers’ markets or CSA [boxes].”

She adds that selling to restaurants is very different from selling direct to customers and there are trade-offs. Chefs want things that are different from what the public wants and it’s an ongoing conversation to determine what chefs will need in the future. It’s a give and take, she says.

What chefs want simply depends upon the chef.

“The magic question and unpredictable,” answers Currie.

“Generally small farmers have to focus on niche products that are not grown in vast quantities by large conglomerates and shipped from all over the world. The best example is heirloom tomatoes.”

At Zaklan they grow, among other items, “the classics” of tomatoes and carrots, but in different varieties and different sizes than would be preferred by customer-facing markets. They also took a foray into chicory last year which is proving to be of interest to restaurants.

“We were part of the chicory festival last fall, trying to bring more chicories into our diets, which is a great fit for our climate,” notes McNeill. “That’s really nice to be able to grow food that’s suited to our climate and our farm.”

Currie sums things up with his eight tips for success in working with restaurants: • Develop good relationships

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Greatest quality, friendly service, punctual delivery.

• Dine at the restaurants • Have the ability to forecast needs • Provide a fresh sheet • Sharpen your organizational skills • Have at least one specialization • Be consistent and reliable • Consider CanadaGAP certification ■

50 Spring 2020

Blueberry Growers Warned about Cherry Fruit Worm

By Ronda Payne By its name, one would logically think Cherry fruitworm is a cherry pest. It is, but like many pests with diverse appetites, the larvae (a caterpillar) has more than one preferred food source. The primary hosts are cherries (sweet and sour) and blueberries. In other regions, other hosts have included various tree fruits and even roses.

Destruction of crops Cherry fruitworm will render blueberries unsaleable and the pest has been found in the Fraser Valley, according to Dru Yates, vegetable and blueberry IPM supervisor with E.S. CropConsult. The fruitworm is not widespread through the Fraser Valley, but is a serious problem for growers who have it.

Starting in May of 2019, Yates set up field traps in the Fraser Valley to assess how widespread the Cherry fruitworm was in blueberries.

Dru Yates, vegetable and blueberry IPM supervisor with E.S. CropConsult at work.

“The moth catches we had were quite low,” she says. “But the pest is very localized and so where it is found, the pressure can be high.”

The first and highest catch areas were in Glen Valley with three to five moths per trap. Spraying was recommended. The only other moth catch was in Matsqui, but larvae was found for the first time in Pitt Meadows where there were no traps set up at the time.

Export impact Blueberry with a cherry fruit worm on it.

Exports of blueberries have been an increasing option for BC growers, but there is a need to follow certain specifications for China and South Korea as there is a trapping and monitoring protocol for growers when it comes to Cherry fruitworm. India has a quarantine and inspection program and recently the European Union announced requirements similar to China’s.

Photos contributed

For those growers hoping to find international markets for their berries, identification and control of Cherry fruitworm is a serious and ongoing issue.

Cherry fruitworm lifecycle Blueberries with cherry fruit worm damage.

In BC, the Cherry fruitworm has one generation per year. The moth is present in

May to June and lays near-microscopic eggs on green berry fruit in June and July. From August to April, larvae can be seen which then pupae in April and May to prepare for egg laying.

“What you are going to see is the larvae,” explains Yates.

These larvae eat through berries in order to overwinter and move into adulthood.

Like a lot of teenagers they are messy, with no regard for anyone else. “Even after the larvae has left the berry, that mess is still left,” Yates explains.

The mess left behind is frass (more commonly known as caterpillar poop) inside the berry.

“You may only see this once you’ve begun harvesting,” she says.

Larvae leave tiny holes as they enter one berry, feast their way through it, then exit and head into a neighbouring berry.

“That’s quite common,” Yates notes of the travel between berries without a gap in between.

Berry damage can be identified in June or July by spotting the tiny entry and exit holes as well as premature ripening during green berry stage and berry shriveling.

Spring 2020

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Identification of moths and larvae Yates recommends growers in Glen Valley, Matsqui and Pitt Meadows to put traps up in May to assist in pest monitoring.

False codling moth traps are preferred as the Cherry fruitworm lure is ineffective in BC. “Try to monitor that pest as it increases in pressure,” she explains. “Moths are quite small in size.”

This makes it harder to distinguish the moths as they are just five to 10 millimeters long. The wings are different from other moths, in that they have dark gray and black stripes along their forewings, but when they are stuck to a trap on their back, it’s near impossible to see.

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Thus, growers should look for larvae in order to make an accurate identification. While the feeding damage is similar to that of Cranberry fruitworm, this pest hasn’t been found in blueberries in BC, though it has been identified in blueberries in Ontario. Damage is also similar to spanworms and leafrollers, but fortunately, identification of the Cherry fruitworm larvae is relatively easy.

Young larvae are white with a black head, while more mature caterpillars are about 7.5 to 9 millimeters long, pale pink and feature a light brown head. They overwinter in bark wounds.

Control of Cherry fruitworm “Timing of control is important if you’re going to have any efficacy. Only spray if the pest has been detected in your field, unless you are exporting, then you must follow [that country’s] specifications,” Yates says. “But it’s very important to know you have this pest before you take action. You must spray the egg and larvae before they bore into the fruit.”

The caterpillars are quite protected once they are inside the fruit.

Chemical controls are the major management method. The first spray is advised for nine to 10 days after trap catches with one to three follow-up sprays at 10 to 14 day intervals. Registered products include Altacor, Assail, Confirm, Rimon, Malathion and DiPel. Yates stresses that the first step is to detect and confirm Cherry fruitworm. The second step is to use that information during the next season for spraying, unless exporting. ■

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Ag Ministry Responds to Anger Over ALR Changes

By Tom Walker The BC government appears to be responding to the extensive opposition against Bills 15 and 52, the new amendments to the Agricultural Land Reserve.

On January 27, the Ministry of Agriculture released a Policy Intentions Paper on Residential Flexibility in the ALR.

There has been a lot of input. Last fall, ALR chairperson Jennifer Dyson, Agricultural Land Commission CEO Kim Grout, and Ministry of Agriculture assistant deputy minister James Mack led eight public engagement sessions across the province.

More than 600 people attended, and backed that up with 1580 on-line surveys, 87 personal submissions and 19 formal submissions from interest groups.

O&V readers also added their weight with 128 responses to our survey.

The overwhelming feeling across the province is captured in a comment summarizing the session in Kelowna on October 10: “The common view expressed was that the ALC protects farmland but not farmers.” Most important in that perceived lack of protection for farmers was the ability to construct a secondary residence.

“The Ministry heard a key theme. “More flexibility is needed for residences in the ALR,” says the ‘What We Heard’ intentions paper. Indeed, it was the number one concern at the public engagement sessions. Succession, aging in place, new farm entrants, and on-farm help were all reasons given for multiple residences.

Manufactured homes have been allowed as a secondary residence for family members without ALC approval for some time, but amendments would potentially close that option, with a grandfathering period that gave owners until February 2020.

The first change noted in the intentions paper is that this date has been extended to December 31, 2020, “In order to allow time for the policy direction outlined in this paper.”

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“The Ministry is publicly sharing this proposed policy direction now, in order to ensure those interested have an opportunity to review,” the intentions paper says. “As always, input from the pubic and stakeholders is appreciated.”

Protests at the legislature in Victoria.

That direction is towards “… considering a change in regulations that will enable landowners in the ALR to have both a principal residence and a small secondary residence on their property provided they have approval from their local government (with no application to ALC required).” The province would not restrict this to a manufactured home, nor require it to be for an immediate family member, or part of a farming plan.

The intentions paper recognizes the rationale of aging in place, new farmers, joint ownership, and worker accommodation as reasons for additional housing, but it also takes a step towards acknowledging the reality of farming in BC today.

“It could simply be used as a source of rental revenue (that may or may not be invested back into the farm.)”

Is this the thin edge of the wedge toward allowing farmers to diversify their income streams through processing or agritourism? Many BC farmers feel that they are over regulated, and unfairly, despite being private landowners. “It’s not just about housing and people need to quit making it that way,” said one person posting on Orchard & Vine. “Our farms have been bought and paid for, we pay taxes; how dare Lana Popham and the NDP come along and treat us as if we don’t own it.”

Does the right to earn a living from one’s land not apply to all British Columbians? Economic opportunity was a second important theme that came out of the engagement sessions. Currently you can make alcohol (vinify, brew, distill), pack and sell your farm products, make compost and have a temporary or seasonal agri-tourism activity (orchard dinner, corn maze, pumpkin patch). But is that enough? If you are handy with machines, you aren’t allowed to fix your neighbour’s tractors in the winter. If you support your farm income with seasonal logging, or a job in the oil patch, you can’t park your equipment at home. If your partner teaches yoga in town that’s ok, but if they want to build a yoga studio on the farm, they can’t.

One person posting on the O&V site puts it well: “If the bill just stopped the dumping of industrial waste or reduced house sizes, not many farmers would complain.

But this bill went too far and unfairly penalizes farmers across BC for Lower Mainland issues that could easily have been solved by updating local municipal bylaws.” ■ The “Intentions Paper” is available at https://www2.gov.bc.ca and readers can respond until April 17, 2020.

For more information visit http://www.orchardandvine.net/ Spring 2020

53

Hire Well and Retain Staff For a Succesful Business

By Roslyne Buchanan If employers have any delusion who is in charge these days in the employer/employee relationship, Shawnee Love, lead consultant of LoveHR, will quickly provide a reality check. The supply and demand pendulum of employees has shifted decidedly to those seeking employment rather than those offering it.

Hire well and retain staff, Love stresses, given the “average cost to replace is 33 per cent for any employee and up to 150 per cent for management.” Noting that new hires are flight risks, she cites the top reasons people leave in the first year is lack of connection with the people and the purpose, bad managers and unmet expectations.

Each slice of the pie chart of what employees want including career development, work life balance, solid leadership and management, rewards and recognition, wellbeing, job characteristics and work environment needs to be considered.

Delegation can be a powerful tool to keep your staff en-

gaged, Love suggests. “Proper delegation increases company productivity and boosts employee morale.” On the other hand, without a proper framework to delegate with teaching, milestones, recognition and rewards considered that strategy of retention will fail.

It’s important for employers and managers to recognize common pitfalls of parachuting in, micromanaging, or dumping tasks and deserting employees during their process of learning what’s expected of them. “Not all tasks are appropriate to delegate and employers need to carefully consider which are appropriate to pass along.”

Love shared her advice in the Human Resources concurrent sessions at Fortify Conference 2019. Also, providing counsel in the Human Resources path were Terri Eriksen, Navy and Sage Benefit, and Jennifer Sencar, BC Employment Standards.

Eriksen and Sencar emphasize the importance of establishing guidelines upfront for acceptable behaviour such as a

Code of Conduct or Mutual Respect Policy. Set clear expectations on everything such as chronic lateness, absenteeism, misconduct, harassment or bullying, pay structure, and medical or intoxication situations. Plus, clarify how unacceptable behaviour will be addressed.

• Talk tentatively • Encourage testing

Using the acronym ‘STATE’, they outline five skills for saying risky things in a way that minimizes defensiveness:

Given the pendulum of employees being in charge, hopefully these pointers offer some helpful advice in attracting and maintaining an engaged work force. ■

• Share your facts • Tell your story • Ask for others’ paths

“Focus on the future; ask for input from the employee looking at the issues and behaviours not the person” they recommend. Use a constructive feedback model, refined listening skills and documenting the discussion.

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 MARKETING MIX | LEEANN FROESE

Is it Time for a Brand Refresh?

What Is A Brand Refresh?

The short answer is that it’s a makeover for your company.

The long answer is that it is a visual update to your brand identity that maintains cohesion and keeps you relevant.

In an ever-changing industry with an increasingly discerning consumer base, a brand refresh can be a key component to successful growth.

Your brand identity is an important part of a sound mar-

keting strategy and should be addressed with insight and experience. You need to make sure that you get some help from experts who can direct your steps towards success without comprising your brand, whether that means updating your logo or creating consistency across all channels and packaging.

Examples Of Design Challenges That May Lead To A Refresh We’ve done many brand refreshes at our company. The catalyst to why it happens is not always the same, but there are some things that you can think about if it’s time to tweak your look.

Some producers, especially small ones, are anxious to get

their wines to market, so they launch with a label that they think represents them. Then they hear from the market that something does or does not work or resonate, or the brand owner decides that the label no longer represents them. In these cases, they need to adjust to make sure that their package is more appropriate to who they are and what’s in the bottle.

In another project, the client already had a tier system in place, but in this case, there was no clarity and there was uncertainty of how the two additional break-out tiers fit into the main brand family. In this case our team simplified the tier system by removing two of them, and then reintroducing with distinct designs to establish new, separated tiers.

We had a client with a large portfolio of wines introduced one by one in a wide variety of label faces, each with their own fonts and look, and this created brand confusion. The new branding needed to communicate a dignified timelessness, so the wines were streamlined into two separate tiers.

When a brand extension happens and producers move from bottles to cans, or add or change bottle formats and sizes, this can lead to a necessary adjustment to the brand in order to make sure that regardless of the vessel, the brand is recognizable and all parts can be identified as being ‘family members’.

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Sometimes, a label can be classic and very successful, but just getting a bit tired and starting to look dated. In this case a slight tweak can happen. Sometimes packaging needs a refreshed and modern look yet needs to remain recognizable as the current brand. In a case like this, simplifying font choices, closure colours, or a change of paper stock can support a much-needed change, but deliver one that is barely susceptible to the public.

And don’t forget your brand story. This can be its own article, but it’s important to see if the story you tell about yourself

and your brand is one that resonates with your target customer. If you don’t have a story, then you are just another product or service. Substitutable. With no story you have no way to differentiate your brand or your business. And note that creating your brand story is not merely about making up a tale so you can stand out and be noticed.

customers’ minds, and bring up emotion.

This is key. It’s the emotion that you really want. Emotion evokes desire, and desire leads to action; in other words, the move to buy. Creating your brand story is about developing something that people care about and want to buy into. If you brand story is unclear or missing the mark with your target, it is time to revisit.

For a strong brand story, you should uncover your true story about your unique offering and share it in a way that inspires your customer. Your unique story can set you apart, keep you alive in your

Do you need a brand refresh?

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Ask yourself if any of the following statements resonate with you: • My overall look is dated, and it doesn’t reflect my core values • I am repositioning or changing my portfolio • Other brands are grabbing more of the market share and look better than me • I am expanding into new markets (and facing new competition) • My look is inconsistent across my marketing channels • My brand story no longer compels current and potential customers • My sales are declining If you find yourself nodding your head to any of these statements, you may need a brand refresh. If so, take action to get clear so your customer has no doubt about who you are and what you stand for. Be fresh, attractive, and memorable. ■ Leeann Froese owns Town Hall Brands – a marketing and design agency that specializes in sports, beverage alcohol, food, and hospitality. See more at townhallbrands.com or on social @ townhallbrands

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 RULES OF THE GAME | ERNIE KEENES

The BC Sub-Geographical Indicator Regime for Wine two-thirds of producers producing two-thirds of the wine vote to endorse creation of the sub-GI. The rules establish that 95 per cent of the juice in a wine labelled with a sub-GI must come from vines grown within that sub-GI.

and, to some extent, cultural zones, giving them a name, and saying “this is here” terroir expressed in practices inscribed in regulation.

The question is, are the new sub-GIs actually justified?

N

inety per cent of BC wine is purchased in BC, but the industry's main marketing goal is to diversify sales across Canada and gain recognition in markets around the world. An important tool in gaining recognition for the quality and distinctiveness of BC wine is the identification of sub-regions, or sub-Geographic Indications (sub-GI). Sub-regions draw lines around distinctive geographic, geologic, climatic

Establishing the sub-GI Regime

What does “distinctive” mean with regard to terroir? The BCWA recognizes that while geography, geology, and climate conditions are shared widely, certain features make local spaces distinct from their adjacent neighbours and from the wider GI of which they are a part. It is around these distinct spaces that lines are drawn, names attached, and labelling rights granted.

Drawing lines creates insiders and outsiders, and this process was politically sensitive in cre-

The criteria for creating wine sub-regions in British Columbia were set out by the BC Wine Authority in creating the Golden Mile sub-GI. These have guided the research, analysis, and recommendations for subsequent sub-GI applications.

They inscribe the boundaries of a geographically distinct zone in which there is a commercially-viable volume of production and in which

ation of the Golden Mile appellation.

Crucially, says the BCWA, “Wines produced in a proposed sub-GI must consistently demonstrate distinctive characteristics related to the shared soil, topography and climate, enhanced by the adoption of specific production practices.” The assumption here is that “geographic differences can result in subtle differences in growing conditions, which in turn affect flavour profiles in grapes and potentially produce organoleptically distinct wines.”

The distinctiveness of wine from a sub-GI is to be judged, not in comparison with wines in other sub-GIs, but those produced in the wider GI (for example, the Golden Mile

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versus the Okanagan Valley). Surprisingly, there is no requirement that proponents of a sub-GI prove by “objective chemical and sensory analysis” that wines from the zone demonstrate the distinctive characters as claimed, directly as resulting from geographic conditions, “although the Authority expects that this will usually be the case.”

The BCWA also says zones with a sub-GI designation cannot be claimed as superior for grape-growing or wine-making in comparison with others. “Distinct in this context simply means ‘different’, say the guidelines. “It does not mean 'better'.”

How will the sub-GI over time affect the variety of production within the sub-GI? The BCWA notes that to “require proponents to demonstrate that all varieties grown within the proposed sub-GI display a similar level of distinctiveness is, in the Authority's view, simply far too onerous and unrealistic a standard in the circumstances.” However, the BCWA will expect proponents to “demonstrate distinctiveness related to at least a significant proportion of overall production within the proposed sub-GI.”

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The sub-GI rules may therefore provide an inducement, over time, to narrow the range of varietals grown in the sub-GI. If producers in a sub-GI are to meet the “significant proportion” test (20-40 per cent of production) and retain the sub-GI over time, the range of varieties grown in the region may have to narrow in order to demonstrate that uniqueness.

There are many variables, beyond soil, topography and climate that affect the distinctive character of wine produced within a defined zone. Does the BCWA think sub-GI rules should mandate certain production practices in the vineyard and the winery? Apparently, as they state, “Proponents must provide some evidence that specific production practices are being utilized to enhance distinctiveness.”

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The BCWA says a test run with Merlot wines gave it confidence to go ahead with the sub-GI regime and, convinced that local conditions can produce distinct wines, the BCWA was satisfied the framework could be applied to further sub-GI applications.

Sub-GIs have been created in BC for the

Golden Mile (2014), Naramata (2018), Okanagan Falls (2018), Skaha Bench (2019), and Comox Valley (pending).

The least-persuasive of the sub-GIs is Naramata, because it embraces at least two quite distinct landscapes, soil and climate sectors, above and below Naramata Road. Below the road is glacio-lacustrine bluffs, wells, and gullies which have “unique characteristics” and stonefree silty clay loam. Above the road are various mixed soils and topography with “no one dominant soil type” and gravelly sub-soils.

There is also a wide variation in climate, as the sub-GI extends from 400 metres up to 700 metres in elevation, so the “combination of dominant slope, topography, and landscape position creates a range of mesoclimates within the sub-GI.” Conclusion The consultants' reports upon which the BCWA's recommendation are based find distinctiveness, if not uniqueness, in the sub-GI zones, but the diversity of physical conditions described within the zones remains significant, to say nothing of production practices. Wines labelled as subGI should, over time, converge towards a distinctive style, but diversity in site and production practices suggest this convergence may remain elusive.

Second, how much of an advance is it to give regulatory legitimacy to the goal that a sub-GI Chardonnay is distinct from a GI Chardonnay? The goal should be distinctiveness from one sub-GI to another. Benjamin Lewin MW says of California Chardonnay, “The style is at its fullest in Napa, similar but a little less rich in Carneros, somewhat leaner in Sonoma, with Russian River Valley providing a more elegant style” [Wine Myths and Reality, Vendange Press, 2010, p. 167]. The comparison here is not Carneros and California, but Carneros and its neighbours.

This should be the ambition of a sub-GI regime which intends to attract serious recognition: that a reasonable taster should be able to detect the distinctiveness of wines produced in other sub-GIs. A more fundamental question arises from doubts consistently raised about wine quality and character as expressive of the soil in which the vines are grown. Of all the variables at play, geology may be least influential. “Most of what we taste in wine is produced during vinification.

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This is what primarily sets wines apart, not what the roots absorb,” says Alex Maltman in the book Vineyards, Rocks and Soils. If so, this calls for production practices to become a more important criteria of sub-GI definition.

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Does the BC Wine Authority have the institutional capacity to ensure the ongoing empirical verification of the (even slim) requirements of the regime so far?

Current VQA rules prohibit sensory tasting panels from failing a wine because it deviates from expected varietal typicity.

Will “distinctiveness” be subject to sensory panel adjudication?

Wineries need to be clear about what they expect from sub-GI identities. Will wineries seek to make more demanding the requirements of production practices for wines with sub-GI labels? Will wineries narrow their range of varieties planted to meet expectations of distinctiveness in the sub-GI?

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The fundamental weakness of the subGI regime is that it promotes distinction without meaningful difference. The weakness of the production practices criteria means that factors unique to the wineries, not place, will dominate the sensory profiles of wine quality and character.

The sub-GI regime is indicative of a young industry maturing, and the thirtieth anniversary of the BC VQA regime in 2020 is an important milestone. In creating the sub-GIs the goal was to facilitate, to provide the incentive, for wineries to aspire to sub-GI distinctiveness.

Now that the sub-GI criteria have been established, the ongoing test is whether they provide the incentives, and the disciplines, for producers, regulators, and marketers to do the work necessary to discover and define the identities of the locales that they claim to have begun to explore. Otherwise, consumers will see it as a flimsy, crude and cynical marketing ploy – to the extent they see it at all. ■ Ernie Keenes is a retired journalist and political scientist with an ongoing interest in the policy and regulatory aspects of the BC wine trade. He works in wine retail in Kelowna, and is a partner in a small and strictly noncommercial vineyard and winery in West Kelowna.

 THE WORD ON WINE | CARIE JONES

BC Wine 2019 Vintage Report the 2018/2019 growing season from winter through harvest. Prior to the forum, the BCWI collected responses from an industry-wide survey and collated these together to form the 2019 Vintage Report.

F

or wine regions across British Columbia, an overall cooler 2019 vintage compared to recent years, punctuated by sunlight and clear skies resulted in wines with juicy and vibrant fruit, crisp acidity, balanced alcohol levels and ripe tannins in the red wines, all with the freshness synonymous with BC wine.

British Columbia is like no other place on earth when it comes to growing grapes.

The unique combination of extreme heat and cold, often on the same day, results in intense, fruit-driven, fresh and structured wines. Add to that, the region's diverse terroir, and you have an exceptional combination for producing remarkable wine.

On November 29, 2019, the BC Wine Institute (BCWI) held its 13th Annual Winemakers & Viticulturalists' Forum at Penticton Lakeside Resort in Penticton.

Led by Master of Wine Rhys Pender, 64 winemakers and viticulturalists from around the province gathered to discuss

The winter of 2019 began with an unseasonably warm January, followed by a cold February which resulted in an overall lower yield for many wineries and required extra judicious vineyard management throughout the growing season.

However, beautiful spring and summer weather provided excellent growing conditions, with vines progressing according to schedule.

A promising start to September saw many of the earlier ripening varieties harvested in perfect condition and on schedule for expected harvest dates. However, a change in weather in the second week of September brought cooler temperatures with small amounts of rainfall which slowed ripening and prolonged the harvest for later ripening grape varieties.

The result was slightly lower sugar levels in the grapes and plenty of time for tannin development, giving the 2019 vintage beautiful elegance and freshness.

the end of the growing season for most wineries throughout the province.

The highly coveted and sometimes elusive Icewine had a brief harvesting window of the required -8°C in November and January, which allowed some cooler sites to harvest a small number of Icewine grapes. The BC Wine Authority reported 15 wineries picked an approximate 205 metric tonnes making 2019 the second smallest harvest on record since the turn of the century.

As with every vintage, 2019 had its own unique personality, requiring extra heart, tenacity and strategic vineyard management from BC winemakers and grapegrowers to overcome Mother Nature’s challenges. The result? Crisp, elegant and fruit-forward wines with lower alcohol levels that beautifully express BC's distinctive terroir and climate.

View the full 2019 Vintage Report on WineBC.com. ■ Carie Jones, Communications Manager, BC Wine Institute

By the beginning of October, winemakers and grape growers celebrated the return of beautiful autumn conditions, which continued ripening until an early frost on Thanksgiving weekend signalled

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Spring 2020

61

 CANADIAN WINEMAKERS SERIES | WILL HARDMAN

Deep Roots Winery Winemaker Will Hardman Being fourth generation on the family property and the oldest Naramata family running a winery on the bench, gives me a great sense of pride and responsibility. I came home from attending college in Edmonton in 2005 and started working in the farm full time not knowing it would become my career.

Working alongside my Dad taught me the appreciation for quality-grown fruit and more importantly, how to produce that quality. We often say in our family, “you can’t make great wine without great fruit”.

O&V: How did you get started in the wine industry?

My Dad first planted grapes in 1998 so I’ve been working in vineyards since I was 15 years old. After college I found myself back in the vineyard at 22, which inspired a passion for the growing wine industry. A few years later we found ourselves planning a potential winery. Coming from a growing background I knew early on that quality wine is made in the vineyard.

O&V: Where did you go to school or apprentice?

I took the Winery Assistant program at Okanagan College in 2006 but it was the vintages I spent overseas that helped shape my winemaking philosophy. The hands-on style of learning really suited me and I was lucky to learn from some very experienced and talented winemakers.

O&V: Have you worked in any other countries?

I spent the 2011 vintage in the Marlborough region of New Zealand working at Mud House wines. While NZ was a great experience, it was my 2012 vintage in Stellenbosch, South Africa at Edgebaston Wines that really inspired me professionally. The quality of fruit we were growing and the wine we made that year were exceptional. The small farm/ winery way of doing things at Edgebaston inspired me to come home and start planning what Deep Roots would become.

O&V: What is your favourite varietal to work with?

I love the versatility of Chardonnay but I don’t think there’s a better smell than a Muscat ferment, or a better tasting grape off the vine for that matter. With reds, I really enjoy working with Malbec and the growing challenges that come with it.

O&V: What is the best thing about your job?

I love the many hats you wear as a small winery owner/ winemaker; everyday is different. Getting the chance to meet new people in the tasting room and then seeing returning customers is pretty special. Is there a better office in the world than vineyards and a winery overlooking Okanagan Lake on the Naramata Bench? It’s a good gig.

62 Spring 2020

Deep Roots Winery Winemaker Will Hardman

O&V: Is there a particular wine or vintage that you have made that you are most proud of?

Every vintage brings different challenges but 2015 stands out to me. It was such a hot year that every varietal seemed to ripen at the same time that made it very challenging managing harvest times and tank space. For a not-so-ideal vintage weather wise I’m excited for people to taste through our 2019 wines, I’m very proud of the wine we made last year.

O&V: The 2019 British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine of the Year went to Deep Roots Winery’s 2017 Syrah, what do you feel sets your wines apart from the competition?

We were thrilled with the exposure the Lieutenant Governor’s win brought to our winery last Fall; a small winery winning such a prestigious award was huge. Our unique hands-on, small team approach to growing and then making the wine is what keeps our quality up year after year. We’re also fortunate enough to have some of the best sites on the bench that really add complexity while ripening the bigger reds.

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