A winning niche in the Shuswap
‘Retirement’meant starting fromscratch to build successful Celista winery.
By Susan McIver A
passion for the land, an entrepreneurial spirit and hard work have taken Jake and Marg Ootes, owners of Celista Estate Winery, from being novice farmers to winners of double gold at the 2014 All Canadian Wine Championships competition. While living in Yellowknife, they were looking for retirement property in the Shuswap, when in 1995 Marg fell in love with their 160 acres on the north shore of Shuswap Lake.
“When I said I’d take all of it or none of it, the realtor was speechless and Jake rolled on the ground,” she recalled with a wry smile.
The property consisted of neglected hay fields, overgrown Christmas trees and brush. “It had no hydro, no roads, no fences, nothing,” Jake said. The Ootes returned to Yellowknife where Marg, an art dealer, owned the largest art gallery in the Canadian North. “It took three years, but I sold the gallery and we paid cash for our property,” said Marg, who vowed never to have a mortgage on farmland. Originally from The Netherlands, Jake had been in the publishing business. From 1995 to 2004 he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories and a cabinet member as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. The Ootes spent holidays at their property from time of purchase until 2005 when they became permanent Shuswap residents. During this time they developed their property and built a house.
“I remember locals laughing when I asked them how to make money from farming,” Marg said.
Jake got the idea to plant grapes when he overheard a conversation at the farmers’ market. In 2002, he planted two experimental acres of vines, gradually added more over the years and now has a total of seven acres under vine.
16 British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Winter 2014-15
Marg and Jake Ootes toast
another successful season at Celista Estate Winery.
SUSAN MCIVER “I had no knowledge, or
understanding, of a vineyard-winery operation. I didn’t even know how to drive a tractor,” Jake said.
Within a few years, however, he had mastered grape growing and vineyard work.
An early challenge was selecting the varieties most suitable for the cold climate and shorter season. “Snowfall to the cordon protects the roots from winter kill, but some branch kill does occur,” Jake said.
Over half of the vineyard is planted in Marechal Foch and Ortega. A red variety of French origin, Marechal Foch is named after the French marshal Ferdinand Foch, who played a prominent role in the First World War.
The hybrid grapes are small, purple- skinned with deep inky-coloured juice and produce sturdy flavourful reds. Ortega, a white variety of German heritage, produces wines with the aromas of Muscat and peach and is
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