Township 7 is delighted to announce the acquisition of Blue Terrace Vineyard in Oliver, BC. Located at the north end of the renown Black Sage Bench, this vineyard has been a centerpiece to the winery’s premium wine program since their founding almost two decades ago. The property’s distinct gravel soils and wind swept ridge provides a unique kind of terroir that produces the stellar grapes necessary for fine wine. The purchase brings the winery’s total estate vineyard holdings to 24 acres, including their Naramata Bench and south Langley vineyards. In addition, Township 7 works with 9 longtime, small, family growers throughout the south Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys.
Ideally situated for growing premium vinifera grapes, Blue Terrace’s stony soils retain heat throughout the cool September and October evenings allowing the fruit to thoroughly and consistently ripen, as well as provides a distinct minerality to the grapes. A consistently windy site atop the bench also enables the winery to sustainably manage the property. The breezes afford less disease pressure on the vines and thus decreases the need for spraying. The property’s 12 acres were planted in 2000 with Cabernet Sauvignon French clone 169, which typically produces a big and bold Cabernet with intense complexity; Merlot clone 181 from Bordeaux’s Pomerol region; and Sauvignon Blanc clone 297 also from France.
Mike Raffan, General Manager, Township 7 Vineyards & Winery commented, “we purchased Blue Terrace for a number of reasons, however the primary one is to maintain and improve the quality and quantity of our fruit supply in the future, as well as our desire to control our grape sources in a very competitive market. We have been buying grapes from grower Andy Marsel since his first harvest almost two decades ago and have worked ever more closely with him over the years in how the vineyard is managed. We thank him for his dedication and careful stewardship of the property.”
Winemaker Mary McDermott, Township 7 Vineyards & Winery noted, “the grapes from Blue Terrace truly show their special sense of location from the warm, gravel strewn, and sandy earth of this unique property. We designate them for our Reserve Merlot, NBO, Cabernet Sauvignon and Reserve Sauvignon Blanc single vineyard wines and the vineyard has really proven itself over the years in producing fruit that is an ideal phenolic ripeness, healthy, and beautifully balanced. Going forward, we are planning to implement some additional improvements such as optimizing specific blocks for specific wines, further decreasing yields in order to increase flavour concentration, and investing in advanced weather and vine monitoring technologies that produce the best quality fruit possible.”
