The GOODS from Summerhill Pyramid Winery

Kelowna, BC | Summerhill Pyramid Winery is pleased to introduce Willem Semmelink as its new vineyard manager. Semmelink brings to Summerhill his deep commitment to community and ecology, and a desire to continually improve Summerhill’s vineyards for optimal quality and sustainability.

Having lived in South Africa since childhood, Semmelink is a graduate of the University of Cape Town. In his career to date, he has made a career in organic and biodynamic agriculture, notably as the orchardist, agroforestry developer, house parent and financial manager of a Camphill Community (a biodynamic farm and assisted living community for special-needs adults), and as the farm manager of a 189-hectare poly-cultural organic farm within the Wellington District of South Africa’s premier wine growing Coastal Region.

Semmelink has had the opportunity to work as a sustainable business planner, a rural development project leader, and as an agricultural consultant, helping to develop sustainable and organic vineyard management regimes in South Africa.

Semmelink came to Canada in 2008 “to learn northern hemisphere sustainable agriculture techniques and promote low input farming. This region is ripe for development into a truly sustainable industry, and I wanted to be here to make a contribution to that development”.

DETAILS

4870 Chute Lake Road | Kelowna, BC | V1W 4M3
Telephone: 250-764-8000 | 1-800-667-3538
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.summerhill.bc.ca | Facebook | Twitter

GALLERY

THE PEOPLE

Ezra Cipes: CEO
Eric von Krosigk: winemaker/viticulturist
Willem Semmelink: vineyard manager
Jesse Croy: winery chef
Gabe Cipes: biodynamics/permaculture
Stephen Cipes: founder/proprietor

ABOUT SUMMERHILL PYRAMID WINERY

Summerhill Pyramid Winery is a pioneering Okanagan Valley winery established in 1991. Owned and operated by the Cipes family, the winery has been a leader in organics, converting their own vineyard holdings to organic status shortly after the property was acquired in 1986, and helping to convert over 200 acres of Okanagan vineyards to certified organic status since then. The home vineyard in Kelowna is, as of 2012, BC’s first Demeter certified biodyamic vineyard. Summerhill considers their plots to be ‘vineyard ecosystems’ rather than viewing them as industrial farms. The philosophy of winemaking is that organic and biodynamic grapes, grown in harmony with the ecosystem, is the starting point for authentic, expressive, terroir driven wines. The portfolio of Summerhill wines has earned Summerhill the title of ‘Canadian Wine Producer of the Year’ from the IWSC in London, England (2009).

Summerhill has also been at the forefront of sparkling wine production in the Okanagan. The winery was founded with the production of Cipes Brut, a traditional method cuvee based on Riesling and Chardonnay, and has gone on to garner international acclaim for sparkling wines, including a gold medal from France (Chardonnay du Monde, 2000) and a trophy from England (IWSC, 2010), both for the estate grown Cipes Gabriel Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine.

The winery is also home to the Sunset Organic Bistro, featuring seasonal Okanagan wine paired cuisine in a rustic, relaxed atmosphere. Executive Chef Jesse Croy draws from the bounty of regional organic farmers, including an onsite half-acre biodynamic vegetable patch.