Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
Food Service:
No
Food Service Info:
The Sonora Room; open for lunch and dinner
Guest House Info:
Guest house with 10 rooms, 2-bedroom penthouse
Established Date (text):
1994
Proprietor:
Jim and Midge Wyser
Vineyard Size (Text):
58.7 hectares
Winemaker:
Bertus Albertyn, Scott Stefishen
Last Productions:
30,000 cases
Distribution:
Winery, online, select wine stores and restaurants, through agencies
Editor's Picks:
Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Syrah, Meritage, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir
Description:
<p>
Named for an endangered owl, Burrowing Owl is driven by the strongly held environmental values of founders Jim and Midge <span data-scayt_word="Wyse" data-scaytid="1">Wyse</span>. (Their son, Chris, is now the winery's president and Chris's sister, Kerri <span data-scayt_word="McNolty" data-scaytid="2">McNolty</span>, handles marketing and media.) Sustainable farming is practiced here, from returning skins and stems to the soil as compost to extensive drip irrigation, preserving the Okanagan's scarce water. In 2007, it was the first winery in Canada to start using a high-tech Italian sprayer designed to recapture liquid that does not end up on the vines, meaning a recovery of half the total spray that is normally wasted. The barrel cellar, buried under 16 feet of earth, is naturally cooled. Every visitor to Burrowing Owl is involved in the winery's environmentalism, as the modest tasting fee is applied to wildlife recovery programs. The winemaking is as commendable as the green ethic. The red wines are bold and fleshy. The barrel-fermented chardonnay and the tank-fermented pinot <span data-scayt_word="gris" data-scaytid="3">gris</span> are defining Okanagan examples of these varietals.</p>
Popular
Upcoming Events
- Characters of the Okanagan Wine Tasting Experience
September 30th- October 1st, 2011
- Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival Calgary
October 14th & 15th, 2011
- Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival Edmonton
October 21st & 22nd, 2011
- Cornucopia Whistler's Celebration of Wine and Food
November 10th-13th, 2011