Quails` Gate information sheet CEO/PROPRIETOR: Tony Stewart

Q uails ’ G ate I nformation S heet
Q uails ’ G ate
is a
K elowna - based , family business
S tewart F amily
owned
and operated by the
CEO/PROPRIETOR: Tony Stewart
DIRECTOR OF SALES: Peter Wille
Contact: 250-769-4451 ext. 265 | [email protected]
WINEMAKER: Nikki Callaway
DATE ESTABLISHED: The Stewarts, pioneering horticulturists in the Okanagan valley since 1908, established
the vineyards in 1956 and opened the winery in 1989.
WINERY CAPACIT Y: 60,000 cases=540,000 liters / Average Tonnage Crushed=950/
Estate Production=75%
VINEYARD: Our vineyard is situated on the favourable south facing slope above Lake Okanagan and below
the extinct volcano Mount Boucherie. The vineyards are planted in a mixture of volcanic rock and clay (glacial/
glaciolacustrine). Although difficult to farm, Quails’ Gate believes that this terroir contributes to wines that are
rich, concentrated and interesting in character.
HIGHLIGHTS: Our 125 acre lakefront property is located on the historic home site of Okanagan pioneers the Allison Family (1870s). The vineyard consists of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, ‘Old Vines’ Marechal Foch,
Riesling, Chasselas, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Merlot, Optima, Cabernet Sauvignon and
Gamay plantings.
uails’ Gate is an industry leader in viticulture and places an emphasis on the development of exceptional wines
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through extensive research of new experimental varietal clones, canopy management techniques with high-density
plantings and crop control which is used to significantly reduce yields and concentrate fruit flavours. Production
focus is ultra premium VQA and internationally recognizable wines with a focus towards Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay.
Q uails ’ G ate E state W inery C ompany P rofile
Quails’ Gate Estate Winery is nestled in the beautiful Okanagan Valley in the southern interior of British
Columbia. Our 125 acre lakefront property is located on the historic home site of Okanagan pioneers the Allison
Family (1870’s). The vineyard is owned and operated by the Stewart family and employs more than 80 permanent
employees and approximately 80 seasonal/casual employees. Of all its wines, Quails’ Gate is perhaps best known
for the superior quality of its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They, along with many of the winery’s other products,
have garnered a host of national and international awards and accolades.
We recently welcomed Nikki Callaway as head winemaker during the 2013 summer. She, alongside a winery
crew of two assistant winemakers and two cellar hands, remains focused on minimal intervention in winemaking
and letting all the various beautiful components of our terroir fully express in each vintage. The vineyard team,
managed by Jozsef Breti, deliver multiple touches per vine in a growing season ensuring that each grape cluster has
opportunity for optimal development. Our vineyard is situated on the favourable south facing slope above Lake
Okanagan and below the extinct volcano Mount Boucherie. Although difficult to farm, Quails’ Gate believes that
this terroir contributes to wines that are rich, concentrated and interesting in character.
Old Vines Restaurant was designed to offer its guests an ultimate experience of wine and food in a spectacular
vineyard setting. Heralded as one of the leading destination restaurants in British Columbia, Old Vines
Restaurant was privileged to be recognized in 2010 as Vancouver Magazine’s Best Winery Restaurant in the
province and to be ranked 17th in the 20 Best Winery Restaurants Around the World by the Daily Meal in 2013.
Winery Chef Roger Sleiman, now in his 8th season at the winery, and his culinary team are steadfast in their
pursuit of fresh simplicity. Our menu is inspired by regional Okanagan and West Coast ingredients prepared in
the classical tradition. By partnering with local growers and artisinal producers, we are able to create food that
reflects our region and compliments Quails’ Gate’s wines for an unsurpassed wine & food pairing. Not only do
we strive to utilize the best local ingredients, but also to promote sustainable agriculture through the Vancouver
Aquarium Ocean Wise program and other sustainable growing initiatives.
Opened in June 2007, our panoramic Wine Shop is home to our tasting bar and gift boutique. Our Wine Shop
features a stunning view of Okanagan Lake and the Quails’ Gate Vineyards and offers a premium selection of
our award winning wines, wine accessories and other unique gift items. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff provide
guests with information about our products and also conduct tours and tastings to give visitors a hands-on
understanding of our vineyard and winery operations.
Increasingly rare in our valley, Quails’ Gate remains an Estate winery and is family owned and operated. The
Stewart family is very involved in the winery and up to 3 generations of the Stewart family can be seen on the
property at any given time. Their passion for exploration and discovery still guide our mission as a company to
become champions and innovators of the local industry.
A visit to our winery is an exploration of the senses and a experience to be savoured. Our mission as a winery is to
provide each guest with the opportunity to experience and learn about our passion- great food & wine. It is one of
the reasons that our local neighbours include a visit to our winery as a ‘must-see’ of the valley and our reputation
for hosting is renown. Whether you are learning about viticulture in our daily tours of the property or having a
lunch with good friends, we strive to make each visit memorable. We welcome you to our winery and hope to see
you back soon.
B iographical P rofiles
T ony S tewart – CEO & P roprietor
Tony returned to the family business in 1992. As CEO of Quails’ Gate Estate
Winery, he directs much of his energy in creating an environment that will enable
Quails’ Gate to succeed as one of the world’s best wine houses. Tony is passionate
about ensuring that Quails’ Gate visitors receive exceptional product and service.
He and his team are confident and excited about leading the way in winery
culinary tourism. In addition, Tony devotes much of this time to local, industry,
provincial and national associations.
R oger S leiman - C ulinary D irector
Quail’s Gate Estate Winery welcomed Roger as Winery Chef in 2006, when the
lure of the beautiful Okanagan Lake and family lifestyle drew him to the valley.
Since that time Chef Sleiman has re-focused the culinary program at Old Vines
restaurant with his basic cooking principles of fresh simplicity. Chef Sleiman’s
philosophy and commitment to ensure the consistent supply of only the best
regional ingredients has never wavered. Chef Sleiman has been a stalwart of the
winery’s vision for outstanding guest experiences and regularly showcases the best
of the valley with that objective in mind.
N ikki C allaway - W inemaker
Nikki started her career as a cellar hand working in Bordeaux and southern
France, learning the European traditions and history of wine making. She
completed a Diplôme National D’Oenologue at Université Bordeaux II in 2007
before heading to South Africa to work with Waterford Estate winery. Nikki
returned to Canada in 2009 to become an Assistant Winemaker at a large scale
operation in the Okanagan. Her vision to work with a premium boutique style
winery was actualized when she joined the Quails’ Gate team. The intimate
nature, small batch processing and focus on quality at Quails’ Gate are a perfect
fit to her style and passion as a winemaker.
B iographical P rofiles
P eter W ille – D irector
of
S ales
Peter immigrated to Canada from Denmark as a child, but later returned for
his wine education throughout Europe where his passion and knowledge for
fine wines was built. He was a champion and leader of the Fine Wine Division
for Mission Hill Family Estate travelling extensively throughout Canada and
the rest of the world as first Director of Sales and later as Director of Export.
His goal, as the Director of Sales for Quails’ Gate winery, is to expand into new
markets showcasing the exceptional quality of BC wine.
B ill W ightman – D irector
of
H ospitalit y
Bill returns to Kelowna with over 34 years in the Canadian wine industry in
different roles from sales to hospitality with reputable wine companies such as
Peller Estates and Calona Vineyards. He has also served on the committees in
many local charitable programs including Director of the Wine Festivals society
and the Greg Adams foundation. In 2012, Bill returned to the Okanagan from
the Niagara region and joined the Quails’ Gate team as Director of Hospitality.
Together, he and his outstanding team, strive to provide exemplary hospitality
and exceed our guests’ expectations with every experience.
V iticultural P rogram
at
Q uails ’ G ate
Our belief is that great wine starts in the vineyard. As a second generation winery Quails’ Gate prides itself in
having been grape growers for over 50 years. Over this time we have been able to research the best selection of
vines for the valley and the best techniques to use. This unique position has allowed our winery the luxury of
having some of the most mature vinifera plantings in Canada along with the most extensive selection of mature
Dijon Pinot Noir clones.
Because of our long history the viticulture program is always of utmost importance. We are continuously making
improvements to our vineyards and winery facility. Today we farm approximately 200 acres of which 160 acres
are controlled by Quails’ Gate. Managing 85-90% of our vineyards enables us to ensure high quality viticulture
practices are employed. The vineyard team is very meticulous about their practices to ensure that the vines are
given the best chance to succeed. All of our grapes are hand harvested to ensure that 100% of the grape’s integrity
is maintained. Machine harvest, though quicker, can damage the grapes and diminish their quality.
S ustainabilit y
Quails’ Gate prides itself on being a leader in sustainability and environmental stewardship.
With a tradition of low impact viticulture practices our philosophy has been to do more with less.
We employ a holistic ecosystem management approach to grape-growing to preserve the diversity of our natural
surroundings without compromising on the quality of fruit. Our commitment to sustainability can be measured
by our use of remote vineyard monitoring stations which allow us to;
• target chemical applications
• utilize drip irrigation to conserve water
• operate fewer vehicles in the vineyard
We are also using organic fertilizers and nutrients, supplemented by our composting program.
Our commitment to sustainability applies to all of Quails’ Gate and has led to a reduction of overall waste by over
50%; certification of Old Vines Restaurant as Green Table and a partner in the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean
Wise Program; use of Eco-glass bottles in our winery, which are light-weight and contain high recycled content.
Sustainable practices in the winery include water conservation, equipment upgrades, use of BIOPURE filter pads,
and recycling initiatives of both
man-made and natural by products during the wine making process. In other parts of our operation, we focus on
waste reduction and waste diversion with composting, reduced printing, and use of recycled office materials.
As a part of our commitment to the environment Quails’ Gate has partnered with Nature Conservancy of Canada
in the development and protection of important ecological sites throughout the Okanagan Valley. We have also
participated on the advisory panel and as a pilot participant in the BC Sustainable Winegrowing program as of
2011.
Q uails ’ G ate V ineyards
O wned & O perated
by
Q uails ’ G ate
B oucherie M t V ineyards - L ower B oucherie B ench
Approximately 1450 degree days
Closer proximity to Lake Okanagan results in a slightly cooler temperature than the Upper Boucherie Bench.
The soils here are rich in diluted mineral deposits, silt, sand and clay. The composition here is much finer than
the upper bench, so the vines don’t have to work as hard to get the water and minerals required. The gently sloped
vineyards provide excellent drainage and the East to West plantings allow for ideal sun exposure. Plantings here
include: Chasselas, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot, and Syrah.
Q uails ’ G ate V ineyards - U pper B oucherie B ench
Approximately 1500 degree days
Across Boucherie Road, you will find the Upper Boucherie Bench which sees slightly warmer temperatures
than the Lower Bench. The soils are loaded with mineral deposits, as well as glacial till, volcanic rock and large
boulders. The complexity of the soil forces the vines roots to dig deep to get nutrients, which creates great
complexity and depth in the fruit. The slope of the vineyards here also provides excellent drainage with East to
West plantings allowing for ideal sun exposure. Plantings here include: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
Chardonnay, Gewurtraminer and Marechal Foch.
Q uails ’ G ate V ineyard
O wned & O perated
by
Q uails ’ G ate
O ld V ines V ineyard (O soyoos )
Approximately 1500 degree days
Osoyoos is considered to be a Desert climate with only 300 mm of precipitation annually and average
temperatures 3°- 5°C higher than Kelowna. Deep, rich sandy soils dominate the vineyards, where the oldest vines
are 34 years old. The soil composition combined with hotter temperatures makes Osoyoos perfect for late ripening
red varietals. A longer, hotter growing season allows the grapes to reach their peak ripeness and thrive whereas
diurnal temperature fluctuation of cool nights helps to retain acidity. Planted varieties include: Chenin Blanc,
Marechal Foch, and Syrah.
Q uails ’ G ate M anaged V ineyards
O wned & O perated
by
Q uails ’ G ate
S unnyside
Approximately 1400 degree days
This vineyard is located above the shores of Lake Okanagan only about 500 metres from Quails’ Gate. The
soils here are very different than those found in the Estate vineyards, they are fine and rich in diluted mineral
deposits in a mixture of silt, sand and clay. Planted varietals include: Chasselas, Chenin Blanc, Ehrenfelser,
Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Riesling.
B lue F ox
Approximately 1400 degree days
Planted in 2012, this vineyard is located 1.5 kilometres down the road from Quails’ Gate. This is a level site with
well-drained silty and sandy soils. Farther from Lake Okanagan, this is an ideal location for white varieties that will
prosper in cooler temperatures in the fall. Planted varieties include: Chardonnay and Chasselas.
P atricia
and
M art yna
Approximately 1200 degree days
Located on the east side of Lake Okanagan in South East Kelowna, these two vineyards are less than 750m apart,
and only 8 kilometres directly across the water from Quails’ Gate. The temperatures here are slightly cooler than
the west side. Taking advantage of westerly exposure this location is ideal for early ripening, cool climate white
varietals. The soils here are comprised of sandy loam and gravel. Planted varieties include: Gewurztraminer and
Riesling.
Q uails ’ G ate 2014 V intage R eport
Similar to the previous year, 2014 saw a total of 1389 growing degree days, above the 10 year average by 73 days.
The season was warm and steady, with few heat spikes and the appropriate amount of precipitation (136mm in
total) to keep the vines fuelled for a healthy crop.
The fall was unusually mild and our harvest started early in September (18th). It was a year that all the varietals
seemed to ripen almost in unison, resulting in the vineyard and winery team working seamlessly together to get
each varietal in and crushed at the optimal time. Although throughout the valley, yields were 10% higher than
expected, the fruit came into the cellar clean, healthy and in great condition.
Harvest began with Sauvignon Blanc followed by Foch and continued with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Optima,
Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Syrah, Merlot, Chasselas, Chenin Blanc and Riesling. By November 5th, only 6
weeks after starting, harvest was complete and the winery was full.
Early samples of the 2014 aromatics white wines (Riesling, Chenin Blanc & Gewurztraminer) are showing
wonderful vibrancy and lifted high tones. Bright fruit-forward flavours supported by a racy backbone of acidity
lead to perfectly balanced wines that will no doubt last the test of time. The much anticipated Rosé has a beautiful
subtle hue and has bright strawberry and vanilla with a hint of sweetness on the palate reflecting the care and
attention given to it in the winery.
Our flagship Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in barrel are also looking to be exceptionally well balanced, rich in
flavor and body. With our ability to process the wines in small batches and our winemaker’s eye for detail, we are
beginning to see some distinct personalities in our best known varietals.
Q uails ’ G ate 2013 V intage R eport
The 2013 vintage will be regarded as one of the warmer seasons at our Estate vineyards, and the first wines created
under the direction of our new winemaker, Nikki Callaway. Early budbreak at the end of April and flowering
in early June set the grapes to be developing ahead of average by as much as two weeks throughout most of the
season. Though warm, the temperatures rarely spiked so high that the vines were under threat of shutting down
due to heat or water stress.
In early September, cool nights on the Boucherie Bench, where our Estate vineyard lay, created the ideal
conditions for ripening. Favourable diurnal temperature fluctuation helped to maintain a backbone of signature
crisp, fresh acidity while the warm days encouraged development of lively aromas and flavours in the grapes and
color in the skins. The warm daytimes brought lush fruit forward character in all of our wines from the 2013
vintage, particularly our cool climate varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer and Chenin Blanc).
In total, we saw 303mm of rainfall at Quails’ Gate in 2013. We were not under any significant pressure to pick
early due to this rainfall despite other areas of the Valley suffering from both rot and hail during parts of the
summer.
As harvest descended in the valley, we achieved optimal ripeness in some varietals as early as September 18th.
Crush began early with the Old Vines Reserve Foch and continued with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Optima (very
successful Botrytis “Noble rot” with sugar at 38°Brix), Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Syrah, Merlot, Chasselas,
Chenin Blanc and Riesling. Constant communication between the winery team and the vineyard team ensured
that vineyard blocks all across the Valley were picked at optimal ripeness, while the crush pad ran continuously at
full capacity. By October 23, a mere 5 weeks after starting, harvest was complete, the largest ever in Quails’ Gate
history.
The overall impression of the wines from the 2013 vintage is of bright fruit-forward and expressive wines
that showcase our terroir. Our aromatic wines are stunning with exuberant aromas and surprising length. In
particular, the Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Chenin Blanc are all promising to be very outstanding. Our
flagships Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are also notable wines for the 2013 vintage. The cool nights preserved
natural acidity and encouraged plenty of colour in the Pinot Noir while contributing richness to the Chardonnay.
Q uails ’ G ate 2012 V intage R eport
The 2012 vintage has been heralded as a banner year around the Okanagan by many growers. What started as a
wet year slowly developed into one of the lengthiest, sun-filled and rain-free summers. Lingering warm afternoons
and cool evenings were crucial in promoting ripening while maintain crisp freshness.
Budburst promptly began on April 28th and continued for a few warm weeks while the majority of May and June
were very rainy with over 100 mm of precipitation in some vineyards. Flowering was spread over ten days in late
June and the rest of the summer was spent training the vines to promote high quality fruit by shoot positioning to
allow air-flow, cluster thinning to concentrate flavours, and some leaf-pulling to capture sunlight and encourage
colour development.
From July 21st on things became very interesting. An extended period of 115 days without rain allowed the vines
to focus their energy on fruit development versus leaf vegetation before verasion on August 23rd. After the grapes
turned color, more rain free days ensured development of optimal ripeness, concentration and Brix levels giving
the end result of lingering long finish flavours that are well balanced with alcohol and tannins.
Harvest seemed to occur in perfect unison as our team was able to pay full attention to each varietal, juggle tank
space and move wines through for various stages of fermentation or aging in a sequential and orderly manner.
Harvest continued for a full month at a moderate pace with higher than average days of sunshine, warm weather
patterns and little pressure from the weather to get fruit in. Ice wine harvest occurred on January 19th with a small
but concentrated batch of fruit.
Most notably, the Pinot Noirs in our portfolio show great balance in the initial numbers (Brix, pH and TA),
indicating a ripeness and freshness in terms of acidity but moderate to high development of the red fruit character
boding well for the end result in the glass. Celebrating a decade of winemaking for the Stewart family and Quails’
Gate winery, Grant Stanley was particularly enthusiastic about the initial flavour profile and balance in the Pinot
Noir fruit, calling it the ‘vintage of the decade’.
Q uails ’ G ate 2011 V intage R eport
The 2010-2011winter was mild with a few notable cold events. A cool spring saw budbreak start on May 3rd, a full
three weeks behind previous vintages. Flowering also followed this pattern, occurring up to a week or two later
than earlier vintages.
Delayed fruit set and cool temperatures in the spring provided the backdrop for an optimal season for Pinot
Noir and Chardonnay grape growing: cool and consistent. Our style of viticulture includes a rigorous schedule of
shoot positioning, leaf pulling and cluster thinning which all contributed to priming the vines to develop sugars,
phenolic ripeness and balanced acidity. Everything was pulled together with some mid-September sunshine that
encouraged sugar accumulation just in time for Harvest.
We started the vintage as usual with the Foch which was picked on October 3rd. Harvest continued with the
Pinot Noir, and our vineyard in Oosoyoos followed with the remainder of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, before
moving on to the other varieties in an impressive picking schedule that concluded with Merlot and Cabernet
Sauvignon. Much like the rest of the growing season, harvest continued later than usual and finished up on
November 9th - again a full 2 weeks later than the 2009 vintage.
While the Brix (sugar) in the fruit was lower than in earlier years, the acidity was balanced and in general the 20102011 vintages is regarded as an ideal year for cool climate grapes and development of subtle an nuanced Pinot noir
and Chardonnay. Crisp and well balanced acidity has also been observed in our dry Riesling and Chenin Blanc
during this record harvest year.
Q uails ’ G ate 2010 V intage R eport
The 2010 vintage at Quails’ Gate winery began on October 4th. Early ripening varietals, Marechal foch,
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were the first varietals to hit the crush pad, with the remainder following over the
month of October, finishing the harvest on November 23rd with an early Ice wine pick during the winter’s first
cold snap.
A very late budburst and cooler than average spring provided many challenges in the vineyard with early shoot
thinning followed by aggressive crop thinning after fruit set. This work has resulted in our vines carrying the
smallest crop through to harvest than ever before, we were rewarded for our efforts with good ripeness across
all varietals in a cool year. Disease pressure from a very rainy September was negated by leaf removal around the
fruiting zone to ensure maximum exposure to sun and wind.
The vineyard and winery team assembled for vintage 2010 represented the most seasoned and experienced crew
yet, with over 90 Quails’ Gate harvests combined. Flavours and aromas at fermentation and blending are most
promising and a strong indication that we have some great wines to work with and bottle for release in 2011 and
2012.