Naramata winery avoids growing trend of big consolidation
Credit to Author: Mary Beth Roberts| Date: Sat, 23 Nov 2019 14:14:57 +0000
At Black Widow Winery, Dick and Shona Lancaster are bucking the creeping trend of consolidation among the Okanagan’s family wineries. With their daughter Shannon and son James now also in the business, this Naramata boutique is set up for a second generation to take over.
Most wineries established since 2000 are still run by the founders, often without a second generation in the wings. Even where family members are involved, the cost of buying a winery from the founders is prohibitive. That explains why George and Trudy Heiss sold Gray Monk Estate Winery several years ago to Andrew Peller Ltd. even though three of their children had senior roles at the winery (one is still employed there). Mission Hill owner Anthony von Mandl acquired CedarCreek Estate Winery in 2013 from Senator Ross Fitzpatrick and Road 13 Vineyards in 2019 from Mick Luckhurst. And Arterra Wines Canada, the third of the Okanagan’s big consolidators, took over Culmina this summer from Don and Elaine Triggs.
These are all good operators, but they are not family.
At Black Widow, there usually is a Lancaster in the tasting room. Dick, who was born in Toronto in 1953, had been an award-winning home winemaker for more than 30 years when he and Shona bought a seven-acre Naramata Road vineyard in 2000. They were looking just for a summer retreat. “And as soon as we got a vineyard, the goal was to set up a winery,” Dick says. By 2006, he had resigned as chief financial officer of a major building materials company to open Black Widow. Daughter Shannon joined in 2011, mentoring as a winemaker with her father. The winery bought a second Naramata vineyard recently, about the same time son James, who has marketing skills, joined the business.
The winery produces about 3,000 cases of top-notch wines annually from its well-grown grapes. “We like wines that have some real flavour and character to them, and that comes from really ripe grapes,” Dick says.
This wine begins with aromas of citrus and pear. On the palate, there are flavours of pears, peaches and apples. The texture is generous, the result of fermenting 10 per cent of the must in new French and American oak barrels. The wine lingers on the palate with a long, dry finish. 92/100 ($22.90)
This is a blend of Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Schönburger, fermented separately in stainless steel. The wine begins with spicy aromas of citrus. On the palate, there are flavours of ripe pear and pink grapefruit, with a spicy, dry finish. 90/100 ($22.90)
This wine is sold out at the winery, but a search of wine stores and restaurants is justified. This is a delicious wine with aromas and flavours of black cherry and plum mingled with black pepper and cassis. 93/100 ($42)
Many wineries now are releasing natural wines. The book that helps you understand them is Natural Wines: An Introduction to Organic and Biodynamic Wine Made Naturally by Isabelle Legeron MW. It is available at Chapters Indigo for $34.95, less if you order the ebook. It helps you appreciate (or not) the most controversial wines being released today.