Chenin Heaven

Cellar Report: Chenin Blanc

Barclay Robinson, Winemaker

We caught up with Winemaker Barclay Robinson to understand what makes the South Okanagan a perfect growing region for Chenin Blanc.

Slide to get a behind-the-scenes scoop from Barclay ->

What makes Chenin Blanc unique and well-suited to the growing region of the South?

"Grown on the Golden Mile Bench on the west side of the valley, this site receives gentle morning sun balanced with evening shade from the mountain, giving this grape the perfect opportunity to develop a citrus profile driven by silkiness."

What can you tell us about the 2022 growing season for Chenin with the transition to organic practices?

"What you’re putting on the grapes and into the soil allows us to really take care of the land we are farming from. Our sustainable farming practices create a multitude of wild plants in our vineyards that we culture in our rows, giving us more flavours in the fruit and resiliency in the vines."

What are the main differences when making a Traditional Method sparkling vs. a still wine?

"When making a Traditional Method Sparkling, one of the the main differences is the pick time. When making a sparkling, we usually pick the fruit 3 weeks earlier than we would for a still. We do this to capture bright acidity and a neutral wine base, as the flavour evolves from aging on yeast lees during secondary fermentation in bottle."