The GOODS from Tinhorn Creek

Oliver, BC | It’s been a busy time at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards with the grape picking wrapping up for the year and Winemaker and CEO Sandra Oldfield celebrating the winery’s 20th harvest with a special year that saw two types of vintage emerge.

The Okanagan’s hot summer leading up to September meant that the Tinhorn Creek team was tracking the maturity of the grapes two weeks earlier than usual, a promising sign for the first vintage. Variable weather in September that ranged from hot sun to hail, wind and drizzle, lasted well into October and created the second vintage.

The good news from September’s mixed weather was that it slowed down the ripening of the grapes enough to help the flavours catch up with the rapidly rising sugars – giving an incredible intensity of flavour to the grapes at harvest, this slow down in ripening simultaneously caused some initial concern about attaining the proper ripeness for harvest, as it has done for the past three years, but ultimately the quality was attained in enough quantity to produce the full range of high-quality reds.

“This year we’ve expanded on the popularity of our Pinot Gris and our Gewürztraminer,” says Winemaker and CEO Sandra Oldfield, adding “both are pretty exceptional in the tanks right now. Variety-wise one of the stand-outs of this vintage is the Merlot – the grapes loved the hot summer and its flavours are going to knock peoples’ collective socks off when the wines are released.”

For first access to new releases and limited issue wines, join Tinhorn Creek Vineyards’ Crush Club by calling 1-888-484-6467 or emailing [email protected].

Details

32830 Tinhorn Creek Road Box 2010 Oliver, BC V0H 1T0
Telephone: 250-498-3743 | Toll Free: 1-888-484-6467 | Fax: 250-498-3228
Email: [email protected] | Web: www.tinhorn.com | Twitter | Facebook

GALLERY

The People Who Make It Happen

Sandra Oldfield – Winemaker & Owner
Kenn Oldfield – Chairman & Owner
Andrew Moon – Viticulturist/Vineyard Manager
Korol Kuklo – Assistant Winemaker
Shaun Everest – General Manager

About Tinhorn Creek

On a hillside overlooking vineyards, sagebrush, and the old gold mining creek that is its namesake, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards has been owned and operated by the Shaunessy and Oldfield families since1993. The winery is located south of Oliver, BC, at the junction of Highway 97 and Road 7 in the famed Golden Mile wine-growing district. This area, named for its rich history of farming that dates back to the early 1900s, is home to several quality wine producers. Tinhorn Creek sources fruit exclusively from its own vineyards: 150 acres of prime land on two very distinct benches. This land lends to the creation of terroir-driven wines that are classic illustrations of the place they are grown. The 100-acre Diamondback Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench is planted with a mix of red and white varieties, primarily Pinot Gris, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The 50-acre Tinhorn Creek Vineyard on the Golden Mile Bench is also planted with a mix of red and white grapes, but primarily features Gewürztraminer.

Farming their own vineyards using sustainable practices allows Tinhorn Creek full control over the quality of fruit delivered to the crush pad for each vintage. The winery produces wines in two tiers under one dynamic and compelling label. The single-varietal series includes a Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Merlot. Only worthy wines are selected each year for the winery’s top tier, winemaker Sandra Oldfield’s signature wines, named the Oldfield Series. This tier provides Oldfield with a playground for experimentation and is a creative showcase for the best wines from each vintage. All Tinhorn Creek wines evoke the unique terroir of the region: the sage-covered desert terrain.

Tinhorn Creek was the first winery in Canada to bottle its entire portfolio with Stelvin screw-cap closures ensuring consistent aging and a guarantee that the wine will be enjoyed as it was intended.