Between The Vines


SUSAN MCIVER


Chris Jentsch, left, at the wheel of forklift transferring grapes from truck to winery, Betty Jentsch at her desk.


Fruitful transition


Jentsch operation has shifted from successful orchard and packinghouse to vineyards and winery. By Susan McIver


C


.C. Jentsch Cellars, located betweenOliver andOsoyoos, is the latest in a series of successful entrepreneurial activities by owners Chris and Betty Jentsch. The Cellars opened last Septemberwith offerings of


Gewürztraminer and Viognier and two reds, Syrah and a Meritage blend called The Chase. Prices range from$17.99 to $28.99. “My goal is tomake excellentwine at theworkingman’s


price,” Chris said. With adrenalin levels running high, Chris said he and Betty


are putting everything on the linewith thewinery. “I feel like I’m20 years old and starting over. The banks and


I are good friends again.” Based on their past achievements in tree fruits, it’s a good


bet the couplewill be successful in thewine industry. A third generationOkanagan fruit grower, Jentsch became


an independent apple grower during the 1980s. In 1989 he built his first packing housewhich he rebuilt two


years later after fire destroyed it. The structure nowserves as home for the Cellars’winery


andwine shop. When apple prices sank during themid–1990s, Jentsch converted his orchards to cherries, becoming one of the


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province’s first and largest commercial producers of premium cherries. “Itwas a golden time for cherries between about 1994 and


2004—lower volume of product, 63-cent Canadian dollar and an edgewith late ripening varieties. But like all golden times it didn’t last.” In 2005, Jentsch sawchanges coming and decided to pull


out his cherries in favor of grapes. “Itwas so hard to rip out cherry blocks at the peak of


production and at the peak of their life cycle, but I knewitwas over for cherries,” he said. Today, Jentsch farms 70 acres of grapes on theGoldenMile


inOliver and four in Summerland. For several years he sold grapes towineries, including


AndrewPeller Ltd.With the Peller vineyards coming into full production, hewas facedwith the question ofwhere to sell his grapes. In true Jentsch style, he and Betty took the leap intomaking


wines themselves. “Betty ismy rock. She’s the coolest cucumber you’ll ever


find. She’s very conservative by nature and frequently challengesme. And every dollar goes through her fingers,” Chris said. Betty is the bookkeeper and administrator for all business


activities. Jentsch brought not only his extensive horticultural skills


and entrepreneurial spirit to grape growing andwinemaking, but also the understanding that quality is the number one marketing tool. “I approach growing grapes andmakingwine the same


away I didmy cherries. You have tomake sure the quality is excellent,” he said.


British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Spring 2014


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