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Nichol Vineyard

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Details

RR1 S14 C13 -1285 Smethurst Rd | Naramata, BC | V0H-1N0
Telephone: 250.496.5962 | Fax: 250.496.4275
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.nicholvineyard.com
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    People

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    While it was not always apparent to Ross Hackworth that he would one day be a Naramata winery owner, as a person who appreciates fine wine, he had enjoyed the wines from Nichol Vineyard for a number of years before he bought the winery from founders Alex and Kathleen Nichol.

    It’s fitting that Ross would purchase a winery in Naramata, as he grew up there and his family ran an orchard in the area. Ross started his adult life with an education in business, and based from Vancouver worked as a sales executive for many years with a major pulp and paper company. Always interested in wine and attracted to the craft, Ross would spend his spare time making wine as a home winemaker. He would make enough wine to enjoy with family and friends, but with a full time career that involved much travel he could not get too serious about winemaking. Instead, Ross’ frequent business travel and entertaining with fine dining opportunities exposed him to wines from all over the world and helped him develop his palate.

    While Ross was leading an executive lifestyle, meanwhile, the Nichols opened the Naramata winery in 1993 after converting an orchard into a vineyard; in doing so they planted the first Syrah in the Okanagan: the first Syrah in Canada. While skeptics of the then-new industry thought they were crazy to plant Syrah on a cold climate site, the resulting wines likely inspired many others to plant what is now one of the Okanagan’s important red varieties.

    In 1999, Ross returned to Naramata to spend weekends helping his friend restore what is now the Heritage Inn and Spa. In the process, he reconnected with his roots and bought a home in Naramata. After making wine as a hobbyist for so long he decided to take the leap and as he says, legitimize his winemaking, by taking the step of winery ownership. As he sought his own vineyard, the Nichols were preparing to retire. Serendipity. Ross and the Nichols worked out an agreement for Alex to mentor Ross for a couple of vintages, as Ross recognized that home winemaking and owning a winery are very different things! Ross was an apt student, for the quality of Nichol wines quality of Nichol wines has continued to improve.

    Together they worked on the 2003 to 2005 vintages. Ross also spent long hours with Kathleen Nichol and learned the specific viticulture requirements for managing this premier site. Transition to full owner operator was completed in February of 2006.

    In the vintages since, Ross has remained true to the site and fundamental Nichol style. While investing in a new winery facility, equipment and plantings of Syrah, the focus has remained on the land and it’s unique cold climate location.

    About Nichol Vineyard

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    Village Grown, World Class, True to Our Roots

    Nichol Vineyard, known among Canadian wine lovers in the know, has been operating in Naramata Village in British Columbia using 100% Naramata fruit since 1993.

    Owner and winemaker Ross Hackworth’s focus is to maintain a small estate winery, striving to grow world-class wines. The recognition Ross has been receiving for his wines is testament to the work he is doing at the tiny Naramata winery. Since 2006 he has been at the helm creating premium, limited vintage wines, carrying on the tradition of the winery’s original owners and namesake, Alex and Kathleen Nichol.

    The vineyards sit on a pocket of land tucked against steep, heat-radiating red granite cliffs, and are perfectly situated: under the former Kettle Valley Railway and above the deep blue Okanagan Lake. This site offers the ideal place to grow grapes that produce wines with intense fruit and bright acidity.

    Looking west across from the vineyard and over Okanagan Lake, you can see the shores of Summerland and the landmark Giant’s Head Mountain. The soils at Nichol Vineyard were created during the prehistoric time when volcanic activity and glaciation provided the till, granite, bedrock and silt, which all come together to create a unique, rugged site that generates fine wines.

    Our Wines

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    Since 1993 Nichol has been creating wines exclusively from grapes grown in Naramata. Our vineyards, on a pocket of land tucked against steep heat-radiating rock cliffs, are the ideal place to craft wines demonstrating intense fruit and refreshing acidity. Our soils – glacial till, granite shards, bedrock and silt – create a site that is extreme and unique. Click here to browse and purchase our wines.