THE SHOW
Last week we featured The Cowichan Wineries August Festival .
This week we reconnect with the wineries of the Naramata Bench. 15 interviews with winemakers and principals.
Like many others in the BC wine community, The Naramata Bench was also hit with heartbreaking losses of their prime vineyards due to another Winter deep freeze.
Even as they pour the wines this year, we’re still talking about the growing season last year and how each and all with survive.
The pouring & presenting of wine releases is an annual traditional event. Talking about failed bud breaks, the loss of complete vineyards and what to do next is not an annual tradition.
Many changes are coming to BC Wines and how they’re farmed.
What to plant? Where to plant? How to survive the crisis?
New Varietals, new Blends and new owners/makers/farmers.
As tough as the next couple of years may be, none of that showed itself at the early 2024 pour at Vancouver Community College on West Pender.
The Bench is a very tight community. Even though they are all hyper-competitive, when it comes to showcasing their individual wines. However, The Naramations pull together as a team when crisis arrives.
Impressive, to say the least. naramatabench.com
Here are the fifteen guests – talking 2024 Wines and Vineyard Survival!!
- Colin Ross – President of Bench Wineries (Tightrope)
- Tyson Archer – (co-founder) Fox and Archer
- Emma Roberts – (GM) Howling Bluff
- Bob Ferguson – (co-founder/winemaker) Kettle Valley
Kathy Malone – Hillside Winery
- Kathy Malone – (Winemaker) Hillside Winery and Bistro
Marcus 
(Marcus Ansems/Daydreamer)
- Marcus Ansems – (Winemaker Co-owner) Daydreamer Wines
- Richard Da Silva – (Owner-Winemaker) Da Silva Vineyards and Winery
- Lyndsay O’Rourke (co-founder/winemaker) Tightrope Winery
Dylan Roche-Roche Wines
- Dylan Roche – (co-founder/co-winemaker) Roche Wines
- Graham Pierce – (winemaker) Ruby Blue
Rebecca Mikulic
- Rebecca Mikulic – Three Sisters Winery
Robert Van Westen
- Robert Van Westen – (co-founder/winemaker) Van Westen Vineyards
- Lauren Bunckle – (Asst Winemaker) Elephant Island Winery
- Wilbert Borren – (co-owner/winemaker) Four Shadows Vineyard and Winery
- Will Hardman – (co-founder/winemaker) Deep Roots Winery
- naramatabench.com
- foxandarcherwines.com
- howlingbluff.ca
- kettlevalleywinery.com
- hillsidewinery.ca
- daydreamerwines.ca
- dasilvavineyards.com
- tightropewinery.ca
- rterroir.ca
- rubyblueswinery.ca
- 3sisterswinery.com
- Vanwesternvineyards.com
- elephantislandwine.com
- fourshadowsvineyard.com
- deeprootswinery.com
STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON
Anthony Gismondi – the 2024 Nationals
Burrowing Owl Cookbook
Meyer Family
The Hatch/Black Swift
Fort Berens
The Sipster 3
John Kubek – Lightning Rock on wine wars etc
Jim Moody – Zanatta
Wine witch on Fire – Natalie MacLean
