Tightrope Winery
The Tightrope Winery vineyard, on Fleet Rd of the Naramata Bench was purchased in 2007, from the Du Vent family. Originally it was an apple orchard that we spent a lot of time and effort converting to a vineyard. We did extensive land contouring to improve air flow and accessibility. It was planted over a two year period from 2007 to 2008.
While the property itself at Tightrope Winery is 10 acres, there is a total of 7 acres in grapes. The main varieties of grapes planted are Riesling, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Merlot with small plantings of both Cabernet Franc and Barbera. Up until 2012 our grapes were sold to various BC wineries and you may have tasted our grapes in wines from Joie, Road 13, Ruby Blues Winery, Domaine de Chaberton and Mission Hill.
The Vineyard is dominated by silt clay soils that are evident in the clay cliffs of the Naramata Bench. The terrain of the vineyard is slightly rolling that creates many different micro-climates that allows us to pick the best spot for each grape variety. The Pinot Gris is planted on an east facing slope that is the first to lose the sun at the end of the day. This prevents the accumulation of too much sugar, before the grapes have reach phenolic ripeness.
The Pinot Noir is planted on a north facing slope so that the delicate flavours of the variety are not baked out of it by the intense heat of the Okanagan summer. The Viognier is planted on a south facing slope next to a clay cliff which radiates heat at night to ensure that the late ripening grape reaches its full potential. Finally, the Riesling is planted on a southwest facing slope, which allows this late ripening grape maximum sun exposure late into the fall, ensuring optimal ripeness. All of our grape varieties are a mix of different clones and rootstocks to bring complexity to each wine.
