One of the oldest wineries in the Okanagan is celebrating an anniversary and it’s a big one.
“Quails’ Gate is celebrating 30 years this year,” said CEO Tony Stewart. “We’re very excited.”
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Located in West Kelowna, the land was purchased by the Stewart family almost 70 years ago.
“Our mom and dad came over here and picnicked quite a bit. One day, they decided that they wanted to buy this property,” Stewart said. “1956 is when my dad bought it and, from that, he started the vineyard.
“Then, in 1989, my brother started the winery.”
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Today, Quails’ Gate is still a family-run business.
“My two sisters, my brother and myself are all partners,” Stewart said.
The family has seen much change in the Okanagan wine industry in the last three decades.
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“There weren’t all that many wineries,” Stewart said. “It was a pretty small field of about 14 wineries when Quails’ Gate started. Today, we’re well over 200 licenses in the province of B.C.”
There will be a number of events throughout the year to celebrate the historic birthday.
This includes a new initiative – reserve paired lunches with five wines accompanying five delicious courses – which launches on May 18.
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“It’s a panoramic luncheon that we do here in the Stewart Family Room, which is really going to focus in on the correct glassware, the correct pairing with great foods from Old Vines Restaurant,” Stewart said.
As for what is upcoming in the world of wines, winemaker Ross Baker is focused on producing more reserve tier wines that are aged longer.
“We’re developing more of our chenin blanc program and our riesling program,” Baker said.
“We’re highly focused on chardonnay and pinot noir, but we have plots of land that are really showing beautiful small lot varietal expressions so we’re really excited to show that in 2019.”
In addition to more great wine and cuisine, the family has a new endeavor they will be working on in the next couple of years – a new intimate winery to be built in south Kelowna.
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