come to an end and the yeast, now dead, falls to the bottom of the tank to become lees. As things slow down, equipment is cleaned and the vineyard prepared for another winter. The quality of a vintage is already starting to emerge in the young wines, wines that will spend somewhere between a few months to a few years in the cellar before they are ready to be bottled. There is something about the completion of a harvest: the accomplishment of being a part of a natural process. The grapes, now safely guided through the winemaking process, have completed their annual cycle. And as the wines are tasted, adjusted, finished and bottled, it is a one-time experience never to be repeated. Nature captured in a bottle — a new vintage created for us to enjoy. Waiting for pickup.
Autumn in the vineyards.
Photo: JF BERGERON / TOTA
Photo: winebc.com
the crush
Canadian Wine Producer of the Year “This international recognition is an honour for Summerhill, and a triumph for certified organic wine.” - Stephen Cipes, proprietor
4870 Chute Lake Rd. Kelowna (250) 764-8000
summerhill.bc.ca