Black Hills raises tasting room bar W


ith expansive views out over the vineyards of the Black Sage Bench, the green valley below and the golden hills beyond, the new $1 million


Wine Experience Centre at Black Hills Estate Winery is intended to be a sumptuous experience for wine lovers. Modelled after similar tasting lounges that have recently opened in Napa Valley, California, including at Duckhorn and Paraduxx, the idea is to provide a facility that will allow visitors to sit down and relax in poolside cabanas overlooking the vineyard and valley view, explains Glenn Fawcett, the winery’s president. He adds that “guests will be guided through an enjoyable tasting of our entire portfolio of wines by one of our resident Wine Evangelists. Best of all, they will be surrounded by our vineyard on all sides, giving guests the unique opportunity to connect the wines they are tasting to the grapes growing all around them.” Instead of 16, there will be seating for 50 at the new centre, which is part of a 14-acre vineyard recently purchased by Black Hills, that is just down the Black Sage Road from the winery.


Manager of the new centre is sommelier Katelynne Katona, who says they had been buying the grapes from this vineyard anyway, and it’s a perfect location for the new tasting centre.


Reservations will be recommended, and guests will be treated to a proper, sit-down tasting where they can


Oliver Twist is a secluded, family- owned winery on the Black Sage Bench founded by Bruce and Denice Hagerman.


Platinum Bench is also a family- owned winery on the Black Sage Bench which focuses on a small lot program and offers guided tours of the vineyard. Quinta Ferreira is another family- owned vineyard on the Black Sage Bench, one of the only Portuguese wineries, with a limited production of high-quality wines, including an award- winning Syrah.


River Stone is a small family winery just south of McIntyre Bluff which features premium red Bordeaux varietals.


Road 13 is a family-owned winery on the Golden Mile, run by Mick and Pam Luckhurst since 2003, but with a colourful history that goes back to 1968.


Rustico Farm and Cellars is also along the Golden Mile and features a sod-roofed heritage log house from the 1800s–a testament to the romance of the winery.


Another Golden Mile winery is Silver Sage, established in 1996 by Victor and Anna Manola and still family-owned


British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Summer 2012 9 and operated.


Tinhorn Creek is one of the largest 100 per cent estate-grown vineyards in B.C. and sits on top of the Golden Mile, operated by the Shaunessy and Oldfield families since 1993, and features the Miradoro Restaurant and the Golden Mile hiking trail.


The member wineries each have their own personalities and each are


relax instead of standing at a tasting bar. “This will be more of an experience; more intimate. No


elbows will be required to get your tasting,” she comments with a laugh.


She has hired a team who will offer private, hour-long tastings while guests sit and enjoy the view and the wine.


“No one else here is doing anything quite like this,” she notes. “We want people to be able to taste all our wines. It will be a guided experience where they can sit and enjoy the sun for awhile,” she explains.


Such an experience will cost $20 for a portfolio tasting; or $40 for vintage Nota Bene tastings. In addition a few retail options such as t-shirts and hats will be available for guests.


The new centre opened at the beginning of June and will be open Monday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through to the end of October. Normally it would open for the season in April.


Black Hills is known for its flagship Nota Bene, a cult wine that is a red blend of Bordeaux varietals capped at a volume of 4,000 cases which sells out in no time. However, this year, the winery is releasing a second tier of wines, the Cellarhand Punch Down Red and Cellarhand Free Run White at a lower price point.


— Judie Steeves


different: in wine styles, in size, in infrastructure, in wine varietals, in ambience and in extras, but all are pulling together to offer those who enjoy the wine experience value for their visit.


They have determined much more can be achieved by working together than against each other, and they’re finding that’s a winning decision.


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