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vineyards in California. “They’re more laid back because there aren’t the frost issues we have up here,” notes Stewart. Water conservation, however, is a concern in both areas.


Grape varietals grown in the two areas are quite different though, and only Chardonnay is grown in both, with lots of Zinfandel, Sangiovese and Barbera grown in the Sonoma vineyards.


JUDIE STEEVES


Visitors sample the wares of Sonoma’s Madrone Vineyards Estate Wines, purchased recently by West Kelowna’s Stewart family.


not only a longer history of winemaking in California, but a total of 10,000 wineries, 75 per cent of which have a premium focus; while in B.C. there are only 200, many of which are just starting out.


“Our goal is to be a leader in both,” notes Stewart.


Although another regulatory agency comes in when food is involved, he says you can’t have a restaurant at a winery in the U.S., unless it’s been ‘grandfathered’ —and food, such as for special events, is regulated by the county level of government.


A plus, though, is that people are willing to pay more for a bottle of premium wine at the wineshop in California, he says.


Similar calibre wines are available in both California and B.C., he adds. U.S. wine consumers are very interested in Canadian wines and are excited to taste them, Stewart said. “There may be opportunities for other Canadian wineries to sell their products south of the border.”


In this whole process, the Stewarts have learned a lot about how to market wines globally and they now use their Sonoma sales marketer to handle their wines from both countries.


Not only is it more efficient, but there’s a lot of experience about different systems available in the U.S. as well as the customer database.


Quails’ Gate wines are also now available at Earl’s Restaurants in the U.S. and some are available through Whole Foods Markets in Washington and Oregon.


A limited number of listings of Madrone Vineyards will be available in B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch stores in 2016. Lake Sonoma wines are already available in LDB stores.


In the vineyard, besides the much- 16


greater age of the vines in their California acreage, many have also been pruned using different styles, although the Vertical Shoot Positioning system is used in both viticultural areas.


The rows are not as narrow in the California vineyard and growth between the vines is handled differently there, with clean cultivation in the alley between rows.


Grapes tend to be left longer on the vine in their Okanagan vineyards, and there’s a different attitude in the


“It’s certainly meant a different job description for me,” admits Stewart. His duties on both sides of the border have meant they’ve had to hire a general manager for Quails’ Gate, John Sandor, while Tyler Galts moved from his position at Quails’ Gate to California to run Madrone.


While the expansion of the family business into the U.S. has been challenging, it’s also been fun, says Stewart. It’s the same business in either country at the end of the day, with wine stores in both Canada and the U.S. looking for good wines that deliver on high quality.


Sure, it’s been more work in the U.S. markets, but then it wasn’t easy for Quails’ Gate at the beginning either, comments Stewart.


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