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DETAILS

Region: The Okanagan
1305 Smethurst Road, Naramata
778-514-0026

Hours

Open by appointment daily until Spring 2018. Please call or email us for a tasting.

Gallery

  • View from Daydreamer Winery - 2013 copy
  • Marcus at Daydreamer winery - 2013 copy
  • Jasper & Taylor checking Daydreamer Chardonnay - 2013 copy
  • Harvesting Syrah at Daydreamer Winery - 2013 copy
  • Harvest in the Okanagan - 2008 copy
  • Daydreamer Winery in construction -2013 copy
  • Daydreamer Syrah grapes- 2013 copy
  • Daydreamer Merlot vineyard - 2013 copy
  • Daydreamer Merlot grapes - 2013 copy
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  • 0122 copy

The People Who Make It Happen

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Marcus Ansems, Wine Maker
Rachel Ansems, General Manager

About Daydreamer Wines

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Daydreamer is a small family run winery based on the beautiful Naramata Bench in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. It is the brainchild of Rachel and Marcus Ansems who have both been involved in the wine industry for over 15 years.

Rachel and Marcus have both been “Daydreaming” about their own little wine company for forever and a day. They wanted to create a unique and memorable winery where a focus on fine wine was the ultimate goal. Small batch processing, with a sustainable approach is the mandate for this project. They want to make limited production wines from the best sites in the Okanagan Valley with a special focus on the wines of the Naramata Bench. Okanagan Valley is unique because the North to South orientation offers a range of climates suitable for many of the best vitis vinifera varieties such as Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay Pinot Gris and Viognier.

Marcus is a second-generation winemaker who fell in love with wine as a young boy helping with vintage in his native home Australia. He has worked over 30 vintages around the world making wine in Europe, South Africa, Australia and Canada. With many years of experience as a Partner, General Manager and Chief Winemaker at multiple wineries, he really understands from the most intimate level what makes an iconic wine. He has also been directly involved with setting up over five new winery projects and has achieved international success with his wines. For the last five years he has travelled to over 20 countries working as an international wine buyer and consultant and has recently passed the Theory and Practical sections of the prestigious Master of Wine examination.

Daydreamer makes uncompromising small batch wines with a focus on minimal handling. This is the Daydreamer Winemaking Philosophy:

· Find a great vineyard where the fruit speaks to you.

· If the grapes are organic-then all the better.

· Harvest the grapes when they are balanced-acidity is as important as sugar.

· Treat the grapes gently, hand pick and use basket presses if possible.

· Work the ferments by hand-it is good for you and the wine.

· Use new oak sparingly- as it will mask the fruit.

· Gravity and time are your friend. Wines will filter themselves given enough of both.

· Use sulfur sparingly- avoid adding anything to the wine that you don’t absolutely need.

· There is no secret to making good wine, it’s all just about attention to detail.

· Make wines that you want to drink – not just wines that will win medals.