Okanagan Crush Pad boosts vineyard holdings

Canadian winery Okanagan Crush Pad has acquired a large, 50 acre, vineyard parcel in the Oliver sub-region of the Okanagan Valley.

The Secrest Mountain Vineyard as it is known has been farmed under license by the winery since 2010 and is soon to receive organic certification.

OCP’s chief winemaker Matt Dumayne said: “We are able to produce some of the best sparkling, Pinot and Gamay that I have made over the course of my career from this vineyard.

“The cool, high altitude location gives exceptional grapes and we can harvest at full physiological ripeness with lower sugar levels and subsequently create delicate, lower alcohol wines – which is exactly our aim.”

The acquisition means that Okanagan Crush Pad now owns 80 acres of vineyards across three sites (the other two being in Summerland) and there are plans to plant a further 55 acres across those sites to boost the total acreage under vine to 135.

Co-owner Christine Coletta commented: “Owning and controlling our grape supply is critical to our future, and we’ve been very fortunate that the previous owners of Secrest Mountain Vineyard, the Wise family, shared our vision and put in three years of hard work to convert the farm to organic practices. The more work done in the vineyard, the less required in the cellar, which fits fully with our winemaking ethos.”