Journal

Vineyard Spotlight: SMETHURST

Harvest 2022 will be a landmark event for us, as our crush pad will see 65 acres of estate-grown fruit from our 5 vineyard properties coming in for the first time since each of them was purchased in 2021. While we have worked with fruit from some of these properties in the past, we'll be seeing certain blocks for the first time. We feel extremely fortunate and motivated to realize the results of this vineyard over which we maintained complete control throughout the growing season.

Perhaps the most stunningly beautiful site in our portfolio of estate vineyards is the 11-acre Smethurst Vineyard on the Naramata Bench. With plantings on this site dating back to 1982, the vineyard is located immediately up the hill and to the east of Nichol Vineyard. Plantings include varieties familiar to the JoieFarm portfolio including Gamay, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc. Additionally, there are individual blocks of Ehrenfelser and Syrah, the latter of which butts up against Nichol Vineyard's 'Reservare' block of Syrah, which happens to be the oldest block of Syrah vines in Canada. Two pre-existing blocks of Merlot were ripped up by our team earlier in the year and replanted to Sauvignon Blanc vines, which have taken successfully over the growing season.

The vineyard's slightly higher elevation assists in moderating the most intense heat of the growing season, while its Southwestern aspect allows for maximum exposure and lengthy days of ripening. This means that the grapes on this site have the opportunity to ripen more slowly and evenly, collecting sunshine without the intense heat that a lower elevation site might offer, ensuring elegant fruit profiles that will retain the acidity and freshness that is hallmark to our house style.

We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with this fruit for the first time this harvest, and we can't wait to share the spoils with you in the future once the wine is in bottle and ready for release.

Click here to see a virtual snapshot of Smethurst Vineyard.