We create our wines in the vineyard and bring them to fruition in the winery. Contrary to modern trends, the winemaker spends the majority of his time tending the vines. We don’t think there’s a better way to make great wine.

Low impact, sustainable farming is always the goal. Drip irrigation delivers precise amounts of water to the vines while minimizing consumption of this precious resource. A small, low emission tractor reduces soil compaction. High-density spacing of rows and vines maximizes the land’s potential. No-till cover-cropping reduces carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere. A network of soil-moisture sensing stations allows us to fine-tune the vines’ water needs. Organic peat, organic fowl manure, organic foliar and soil fertilizers, organic sprays and organic micro-nutrients are used throughout the vineyard.

Usually half or more of our crop is cut from the vines during the ripening process, and then recycled into the soil. We do this both to concentrate flavours and to expand the flavour and aroma palette in the remaining fruit. It’s possible to make good wine at higher crop yields; but it’s not possible to make interesting wines with noble character at high yields. Quality means sacrificing quantity. Life is ever this way.

As much as the vineyard and winery are one, our vineyard is likewise one with the unique natural environment of the Naramata Bench. We didn’t compromise nature to create the vineyard. Instead, we created the vineyard within the existing natural terroir. Extensive wild areas intermingle with the vineyard blocks. Wild native grasses, sage, rabbit bush, mullein, arrowleaf, wild rose, pine, Oregon grape and many more varieties are encouraged. Wild life such as coyotes, deer, marmots, reptiles and scores of species of permanent and migratory birds are fostered- not harassed.

We don’t create interest and complexity in our wines through winemaking artifice. Within the whole vineyard, eight distinct mini-terroirs are exploited in order to field-blend. Complexity and character in our wines arise due to the varied slopes, soils and exposures our vines experience. We intentionally avoided uniformity in our vineyard; instead, we preserved and embraced its natural variety.

Marichel Vineyard was conceived as part of nature, and continues to live within and respect its surroundings. It’s this unique natural environment that provides the singular character of our wines.