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TINHORN CREEK
VINEYARDS
O
n a hillside overlooking vineyards, sagebrush, and the old gold mining creek that is its namesake,
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards has been owned and operated by the Shaunessy and Oldfield families since
1993. The winery is located south of Oliver, BC, at the junction of Highway 97 and Road 7 in the famed
Golden Mile wine-growing district. This area, named for its rich history of farming that dates back to the
early 1900s, is home to several quality wine producers.
Tinhorn Creek sources fruit exclusively from its own vineyards: 150 acres of prime land on two very
distinct benches. This land lends to the creation of terroir-driven wines that are classic illustrations of the
place they are grown. The 100-acre Diamondback Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench is planted with a mix
of red and white varieties, primarily Pinot Gris, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The 50-acre Tinhorn Creek
Vineyard on the Golden Mile Bench is also planted with a mix of red and white grapes, but primarily
features Gewürztraminer.
Farming their own vineyards using sustainable practices allows Tinhorn Creek full control over the
quality of fruit delivered to the crush pad for each vintage. The winery produces wines in two tiers
under one dynamic and compelling label. The single-varietal series includes a Gewürztraminer, Pinot
Gris, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Merlot. Only worthy wines are selected each year for
the winery’s top tier, winemaker Sandra Oldfield’s signature wines, named the Oldfield Series. This tier
provides Oldfield with a playground for experimentation and is a creative showcase for the best wines
from each vintage. The series includes 2Bench White, Red, and Rosé, all proprietary blends as well as a
Merlot, a Syrah, a Pinot Noir, a Cabernet Franc and, when conditions allow, a Kerner Icewine. The red
wines in the Oldfield Series are aged for three to four years prior to release. All Tinhorn Creek wines
evoke the unique terroir of the region: the sage-covered desert terrain.
www.tinhorn.com
AN OVERVIEW
T
inhorn Creek was the first winery in Canada to bottle its entire portfolio with Stelvin screw-cap
closures. Screw caps provide the best seal and eliminate cork and oxidation problems. Stelvin
closures also ensure consistent aging and a guarantee that the wine will be enjoyed as it was intended.
Open year-round, the winery offers a tasting bar, a wine store and gift shop. The friendly, outgoing
winery team will enthusiastically walk visitors through the wine tasting experience and make the
culture of wine approachable. A self-guided tour featuring education stations and a demonstration
vineyard provide both enthusiasts and those overwhelmed by wine with a comfortable environment to
expand their wine knowledge at their own pace. Taste grapes right off the vine and compare a glass
of wine from the same varietal. Visit the spectacular barrel cellar to view the hundreds of French and
American oak barrels. Miradoro Restaurant, opened April 1, 2011, is a partnership with Manuel Ferreira
of Le Gavroche in Vancouver and is situated adjacent to the
amphitheatre and barrel cellar. Offering panoramic views of the
scenic South Okanagan Valley, a meal at Miradoro is perfect
way to end a day of wine touring. For a more casual lunch
or snack to take on a hike or picnic, the tasting room offers
prepared picnic fare from Miradoro. The winery grounds make
an ideal location to relax.
During the summer, the winery offers concerts and theatre
productions in an outdoor amphitheatre set amid the vines.
The Tinhorn Creek Canadian Concert Series provides one of
the best entertainment experiences in the south Okanagan.
For the past five years, the winery team has booked Canadian
talent exclusively and has attracted some big names in the
music industry, such as Blue Rodeo, Spirit of the West, 54–
40, Lisa Brokop and Colin James and Bedouin Soundclash.
Performances are scheduled from late spring to early fall and
sell out quickly. A great way to stay connected with the winery
throughout the year is through the Tinhorn Creek Crush Club. Purchase one case per year to receive
great perks. Benefits include access to special small lot and pre-release wines, discounts on wine and
merchandise as well as invitations to attend member events to taste the latest releases, meet new
people, and mingle with winemaker Sandra Oldfield. Events and offerings change annually; please visit
our website.
www.tinhorn.com
AN OVERVIEW
B
efore it became fashionable to do so, the owners and management were committed to sustainable
practices at the winery and in its vineyards. Tinhorn Creek is passionate about taking care of the
environment. Environmental initiatives include native plant restoration, a beetle release program and
the installation of a fence to separate snakes from field workers and equipment.
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards adds to its sustainability practices by becoming the first Canadian winery
to complete the Climate Smart program and offset their carbon footprint to become Canada’s first
Carbon Neutral Winery. Climate Smart, launched in 2007 and similar to other
programs world-wide, teaches business principals to
measure, reduce and offset their carbon footprint.
Winemaker Sandra Oldfield and General Manager Shaun
Everest participated in the program, fully embracing the
values and philosophy, and have taken the winery to a new
level of environmental responsibility. The Climate Smart
Program enabled Everest and Oldfield to calculate the total greenhouse gas emissions produced by the
winery, target areas to cut emissions with a continued effort towards 100% carbon neutral practices,
and finally, offset the carbon footprint with the help of Vancouver based Offsetters, Canada’s premier
provider of high quality solutions for individuals and organizations seeking to reduce their climate
impact. This initiative is ongoing with participation with both Climate Smart and Offsetters to reduce
carbon footprints on an ongoing basis.
As a part of Tinhorn Creek carbon footprint reduction policies, the winery recently started using bio
diesel in all tractors and installed double walled enviro-tanks to store the bio diesel. Tinhorn Creek
is the first South Okanagan vineyard to be utilizing bio diesel, which is supplied by Moresby Fuels of
Oliver.
Celebrating over 15 years in the South Okanagan, Tinhorn Creek remains the number one winery
destination where people throughout the west will continue to enjoy the wines for many occasions to
come. Evoking classic south Okanagan terroir, Tinhorn Creek offers wines that rank among the best in
the world. The winemaking team continues to find new inspiration and, with the winery’s approach to
community and sustainability, the future looks brighter than ever.
For more information on Tinhorn Creek Vineyards call 1.888.484.6467, visit www.tinhorn.com
check us out at facebook.com/tinhorncreek and our twitter page @tinhorncreek.
www.tinhorn.com
AN OVERVIEW
QUICK FACTS:
The Winery:
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards
Year Established:
1993
First Release:
1994 – Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Merlot
Location:
Road 7 and Highway 97, Oliver, British Columbia
Winemaker:
Sandra Oldfield – President, CEO & Winemaker
Assistant Winemaker: Korol Kuklo
Viticulturist:
Andrew Moon
Key Grape Varieties: Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Muscat, Kerner, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petite Verdot
Wines:
Tinhorn Creek Varietal Series wines, Oldfield Series premium offerings
60% red and 40% white wine production
35,000 cases annually (average)
1,100 oak barrels; mixed American and French
100% Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) approval
Ownership: Bob and Barbara Shaunessy
Kenn and Sandra Oldfield
Shaun Everest
Winery: Opened May 1996; an 836 sq. metre production facility, 279 sq. metre tasting room/admin, 465 sq. metre barrel cellar , 231 sq. metre admin building,
371 sq.metre restaurant.
Visitor Experience:
Self-guided winery and vineyard tours
Winery tasting bar and gift shop
On-site Restaurant
Snacks and picnic area
Summer Concert Series
Golden Mile hiking trail
Special winemaker events and activities
www.tinhorn.com
CONTACTS
WINERY CONTACT
WINERY ADDRESS
Julie Copland-Stene
Marketing Manager
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 403.201.2147
537 Tinhorn Creek Road, Box 2010
Oliver, BC V0H 1T0
[email protected]
Phone: 250.498.3743
Toll Free: 1.888.484.6467
MEDIA CONTACT
Tiffany Soper
Hawksworth Communications
#250-1199 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC, V6E 3T5
[email protected]
604.609.6678
www.tinhorn.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Tinhorn Creek History and Timeline
2. What To Do At The Winery
3. Land Stewardship and Environmental Efforts
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Taking Care of People
The Okanagan Valley
The Vineyards
Bios
Winemaking Philosophy
Vineyard Philosophy
www.tinhorn.com
HISTORY AND TIMELINE
A RICH MINING HISTORY
The south Okanagan has a history of gold and silver
mines that date back to the 19th century. Tinhorn
Creek Vineyards takes its name from the creek that
runs above the property and an historic mining site
that drew miners hopeful of making a quick fortune.
The site still draws interest from current day miners.
The Tinhorn mine claim site is located on the north
side of Tinhorn Creek, 5 km southwest of Oliver, BC.
It lies along the southern edge of the historic Fairview
mining camp.
The Tinhorn, Big Horn and Fortune claims were
owned and operated by the Tinhorn Quartz Mining
Co, and staked on a vein of quartzite in 1896. It has
been recorded that 274 tonnes from which 1400
grams of gold and 467 grams of silver were recovered
was produced from the Tinhorn mine site. Most of
the gold was recovered in 1898, with the remaining
ore recovered in 1910, probably from the old stamp
mill tailings.
While visitors to the area today are unlikely to strike gold, a rich experience awaits at the winery and the
surrounding Golden Mile hiking trail that travels past the old mine site.
TINHORN CREEK VINEYARDS HISTORY
The original owners of the three properties at the Tinhorn Creek site were Walter and Martha Reid. They
moved to the site in the 1960s, and after much earth moving, developed the land into vineyard. When it
came time for Walter to retire, he subdivided the property into two large vineyards, and retained some
acreage to work on during his retirement. Tinhorn Creek purchased one of the vineyards, 25 acres in
size, bought from Terry and Halina Wells (Terry was a schoolteacher at South Oliver Secondary School
and built the house that Sandra and Kenn Oldfield reside in). The other vineyard was first sold to Peter
Serwo (founder of Golden Mile Cellars, recently renamed Road 13 Vineyards), who sold it to Hans Fischer,
who then sold it to Tinhorn Creek’s owners. Hans Fischer stayed on as Tinhorn Creek’s vineyard manager
until retirement in 2003.
www.tinhorn.com
TIMELINE
1993 Purchased 80 acres vineyard land (22 planted)
1994 Purchased 79 acres vineyard land
Planted 38 acres of vineyard land
Made initial vintage of 1,200 cases wine, 4 of 6 varieties
1995 Planted 34 acres new vineyard. Open for initial sales in the fall
1996 Planted 18 acres new vineyard
1996 Opened 1115 sq. metre winery and retail facility in May. Initial Alberta sales in November
1997 Planted final 48 acres. Planting complete. Fourth vintage of 14,200 cases, all varieties
1998 Introduction into Manitoba market
1999 Redesigned Tinhorn Creek label introduced across the whole portfolio
Completed construction of 400-seat outdoor natural amphitheatre
2000 Introduction to Ontario market. Initial year for positive cash flow
2001 Awarded Canadian Wine Awards’ “Red Wine of the Year” for the 1998 Merlot
2002 Opened 465 sq. metre barrel cellar – home to over 1100 barrels
2003 At age 65, Hans Fischer retires as vineyard manager 2004 10th anniversary. Introduced Oldfield’s Collection reserve Merlot
Introduced the Stelvin (twist-off) closure
2005 Bottled 200,000th case of wine
2006 Moved production to 100% Stelvin closures
Introduced re-designed label across the whole portfolio
Achieved milestone sales of 41,497 cases
Launched new 2Bench white blend under the Oldfield’s Collection banner
2007 Released first Syrah (2004) under the Oldfield’s Collection banner – 50 cases
2008 Kenn Oldfield retires as general manager to pursue special projects on behalf of Tinhorn Creek. Shaun Everest assumes the role of general manager.
2009 New packaging unveiled in spring 2009. A subtle change in the winery’s top tier with the name changed from Oldfield’s Collection to Oldfield Series.
2009 The winery’s 15th anniversary
2010 March - Ground is broken and construction began for the restaurant
2010 2 new wines in the Oldfield Series are released, 2Bench Rose June 1st and 2Bench Red October 1st
2011 Miradoro Restaurant Opens April 1st
2012 Received Salmon Safe Certification
2013 Named a Top 10 Brand of 2012 by Wine Business Monthly
Released first Oldfield Series Cabernet Franc (2010) February 1st
www.tinhorn.com
WHAT TO DO AT THE WINERY
THE WINERY FACILITY
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards is situated on a hillside, surrounded by
vineyards and sage-covered terrain. A poplar tree lined drive leads
visitors to gardens and a fountain – designed to resemble Tinhorn
Creek, which runs above the property. Visitors are ultimately led
to a beautiful, rich yellow-coloured winery facility, which acts as
a beacon, welcoming wine lovers to the south Okanagan Valley.
The winery overlooks lush vineyards with views of the grape
crush pad. The impressive interior galleries have a view of the
stainless steel tanks, oak barrels, and the cellar below. All the
stone structures around the winery – the arch, the central garden,
the walls along the east edge – were built from rocks sourced from
the vineyard when the land was prepared for the Gewürztraminer planting.
SELF-GUIDED TOURS
Tinhorn Creek’s innovative self-guided tour of the winery, barrel cellar and demonstration vineyard
enables visitors to stay as long as they wish, and provides ample information about viticulture and
winemaking for beginners or wine aficionados. Taste grapes right off the vine and compare a glass of
wine from the same varietal. The friendly and knowledgeable wine shop staff is on hand to fill in any gaps
and answer questions. Special or guided-tours can be arranged for groups of 10 or more.
TASTING ROOM AND WINE SHOP
The tasting room and wine shop are well stocked with many gift ideas for the wine enthusiast. Buses
and groups are welcome, and a picnic from Miradoro Restaurant can be purchased from the tasting room
fridge and enjoyed on a hike or on the sun-drenched winery patio. The wine shop and tasting room is
open March 1st until December 31st from 10am to 6pm and from January 2nd until February 28th from 10am
to 5pm.
MIRADORO RESTAURANT
The restaurant features panoramic views of the scenic South Okanagan Valley and overlooks the
abundant land that produces many of the ingredients used in the dishes. The market cuisine menu
has a Mediterranean influence and will emphasize the seasons and be sourced from regional suppliers
whenever possible. The wine list features Tinhorn
Creek wines, both current and library offerings, but
also includes selections from other BC wineries. In the
summer dinner and concert packages will be available
for a full nights enjoyment. The restaurant is open
from March – December.
www.tinhorn.com
WHAT TO DO AT THE WINERY
CRUSH CLUB
The Crush Club offers members year-round perks from Tinhorn Creek.
Benefits include access to special small lot and pre-release wines,
invitations to attend member only events to taste the latest releases,
meet new people, and mingle with winemaker Sandra Oldfield, as well
as discounts on wine and merchandise. Events and offerings change
annually; and are listed on the website. A one-year membership to Crush Club is a unique gift idea and
the winery staff is happy to arrange gift memberships.
Crush Club members may select from three different programs. Visit the website for details.
THE AMPHITHEATRE
Constructed in 1998, Tinhorn Creek’s amphitheatre was originally a gully that was back-filled with earth
removed from where the winery stands. The new slope created a bowl overlooking the breathtaking
south Okanagan Valley, and is now a spectacular 400-seat outdoor venue – home to the winery’s annual
Summer Concert Series.
THE CANADIAN CONCERT SERIES AT TINHORN CREEK
Tinhorn Creek’s concert series consists of five concerts, one each month from May through September
From the outset, the series has been extremely successful with each
performance selling out well in advance. After a number of successful
seasons, Tinhorn raised the bar from a music perspective and had
Colin James perform (another sold-out performance) at a special 10th
Anniversary Concert. This event proved that the demand was hot for
Canadians to see Canadian artists while enjoying Canadian wine and
an idea was borne. Now, each year, Tinhorn Creek holds a special
“Signature Concert” where one of Canada’s premier artists plays the
final September show of the season. Past performers for the “signature concert” have been Colin James,
Spirit of the West, 54-40, Prairie Oyster, Lisa Brokop, Blue Rodeo, and Bedouin Soundclash.
THE GOLDEN MILE TRAIL
For active guests, Tinhorn Creek has developed a short “Golden Mile” hiking trail featuring stunning
valley views that takes hikers past vineyards and the Tinhorn Creek stamp mill ruins.
The Golden Mile Trail was the brainchild of Tinhorn Creek employees in the mid 1990’s who thought
that the hills made a perfect hiking loop. They wanted to create a place where visitors to the winery
would hike, enjoy the wilderness around the winery and embrace the history of the area. To get things
happening, they spearheaded the project by mapping out the trail, arranging signposts, and talking with
local landowners and rangeland lessees. In 1997, the trail was ready for hiking, and was expanded in 1999
through a government work program to include Hester Creek and Gehringer Brothers estate wineries. At
the same time, an information kiosk was installed. Tinhorn Creek spruces up the trail annually to keep it
in good repair for all visitors.
www.tinhorn.com
CARE FOR THE LAND
LAND STEWARDSHIP AND
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS
Tinhorn Creek owners, Kenn and Sandra Oldfield, have embraced a multifaceted stewardship approach
to protect the critters in the vineyards and the environment in their care. As a result of their efforts,
The Land Conservancy (TLC – www.conservancy.bc.ca) has recognized Tinhorn Creek Vineyards as a
Conservation Partner. The ongoing stewardship programs include:
ENDANGERED SNAKE PROTECTION PROGRAM
Tinhorn Creek partnered with the South Okanagan-Similkameen Stewardship Program (SOSSP) on a
Snake Pilot Project to protect snakes and workers. The project included snake barrier fencing and worker
safety training.
The fence, just over a foot high, keeps the snakes out of the vineyard and in their natural areas. When
visiting the winery, visitors can see the fence off to the left as they drive up the main driveway.
Based on the success of this pilot project, the SOSSP reports that snake fencing is being used in many
other local areas including residential developments, a resort, and a hydroelectric substation. Fencing is
also used to keep snakes off roadways where traffic mortalities are high.
The success of the Worker Safety workshops prompted the Agricultural Environment Partnership Initiative
to fund this project for another season.
ANTELOPE BRUSH HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRAM
The Antelope Brush habitat of the south Okanagan is a fragile ecosystem. In 2004, Tinhorn Creek staff
with TLC and SOSSP replanted over 600 native shrubs, wildflowers and bunchgrasses at the top of the
Tinhorn Creek vineyard. This was the second replanted area on the property.
In 2006, an SOSSP representative reported a high survival rate of most species including sumac, rose,
mock orange, yarrow, brown-eyed Susan, sage and buckwheat. Unfortunately, many of the antelope
brush plants have not survived. This is not surprising, but still disappointing, as larger plants do not
replant well. Maintenance and supplemental planting was performed in 2008.
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DALMATIAN TOADFLAX WEED CONTROL
In June 2004, Tinhorn Creek looked for an environmentally friendly way to deal with the non-native
Dalmatian toadflax weeds. Instead of using herbicides, 400 Mecinus Janthinus (stem-boring beetles)
were released. Although the adults feed on leaves and stems, the damage is done after the females lay
eggs inside the stems. As the larvae mature, they feast on the inside of the stems and disrupt the weed’s
growth.
The goal is to establish a long-term balance between the beetle and toadflax populations. The program
is working successfully. Most of the plants in the target area are stunted and not flowering. The beetles
are busy doing their jobs and have spread to patches of toadflax more than 100 metres from the original
release site.
www.tinhorn.com
PROTECTING THE NATURAL
HABITAT
The team at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards
believe that as stewards of the land,
they must strive for a balance between
agriculture and nature. They work hard to
protect the indigenous plants surrounding
the vineyards and have reintroduced
many plants to areas razed during past
construction projects. The goal is to
create a natural habitat that promotes and
fosters a place for beneficial critters and
bugs. Some replantings include:
Smooth Sumac
(Rhus glabra – Rhus, meaning “red” and
glabra, meaning “smooth”)
Its name denotes the smooth bark of this
plant combined with the deep red hue of its leaves in the autumn. Smooth sumac is found at lower
elevations of the Okanagan Basin. It spreads rapidly and forms an excellent slope stabilizer. The berries
of this shrub provide an important winter food source for birds. Throughout the year this plant changes
its look considerably. In spring, it blossoms with small pyramid-shaped yellow flowers. In the summer, its
leaves look bright green and waxy. In the autumn, the leaves of this deciduous shrub turn vibrant red for
a short time and then fall off for winter.
Antelope Brush (Purshia tridentada)
A “signature plant” that only occurs south of Penticton. Sometimes referred to as the antelope-brush
ecosystem, this plant community is globally imperilled and is one of Canada’s most endangered ecosystems.
The majority of the remaining tracts are on privately owned land. Antelope brush is a member of the rose
family; in May it blooms with tiny, brilliant yellow flowers. It grows in well-drained soils, composed of
windblown sand and gravel deposited by the melt waters of the Ice Age glaciers. Cryptogrammic crust
– a layer of lichens and mosses over the soils – retains moisture, aids with seed propagation and helps
to prevent weed establishment.
Brittle Prickly-Pear Cactus (Opuntia fragilis)
The only species of cactus found in the southern Okanagan Basin. Interior native people used the inner
stem of this cactus as an additive to soups or mixed with fat and berries in cakes. The brittle prickly-pear
cactus is found throughout Tinhorn Creek’s property. While patches were disturbed during the building
of the winery, the team’s sensitive approach since construction has helped to retain many plants. In late
spring to early summer, look for small peach-coloured flowers that turn to yellow on this cactus.
www.tinhorn.com
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
IN THE WINERY AND THE VINEYARD
Because the winery enjoys a desert climate, fungicide, pesticide and herbicide sprays are minimally used
compared to wetter viticulture areas in the world.
• The team monitors crop and canopy of the vines on an ongoing basis, which is important for early detection
of any mould and pest problems. Weather stations help them predict mould conditions so that they can
reduce their spray program.
• When the winery planted their vineyards, they chose pest-resistant rootstocks to match drought and soil
conditions.
• The vineyards utilize a mixture of grass seeds for vegetation between
the vine rows. This permanent cover crop helps to enhance the soil
quality and reduces erosion and runoff. In addition, all prunings, leaves
and clusters removed during the year are left in the vineyard rows to add
to the soil’s organic nutrient content.
• First winery in BC to conver to Bio-Diesel.
HABITAT SURROUNDING THE WINERY
• No toxic baits or fumigants are used to control vertebrate pests in the
Tinhorn Creek vineyards. Instead the team modifies the pests’ habitat
(such as removing unnecessary brush and rocks) and also uses exclusion
techniques (such as snake fencing, deer fencing, netting and sound
repellents for birds).
• Habitat for beneficial birds (such as owls, hawks and eagles) is maintained, including all trees bordering the
vineyard property. The winery team has also encouraged songbirds with bluebird nesting boxes throughout
the winery land.
• Tinhorn Creek has protected areas of their property through agreements with The Land Conservancy so
that sensitive areas will not be developed.
• All of Tinhorn Creek’s vineyards have a buffer zone between the vineyard blocks and surrounding sensitive
areas – either in the form of other neighbouring vineyards’ blocks or a cleared zone of at least 6.1 metres.
• The winery team consults frequently with local biologists that are familiar with the sensitive species on
the winery’s property to help the team make decisions on how to manage their vineyard operations around
these species. The winery also participates and hosts various collaborative year-round seminars in the south
Okanagan to help identify and protect sensitive species they may come into contact with during normal
vineyard operations.
• Native grasses, shrubs, and xeriscape are used whenever possible around the property. The team uses
native bunchgrasses, plants and hydro seeding to renew areas that have been disturbed.
• New vineyard blocks are being seeded with native grasses that require less irrigation.
• The vineyard management team prefers relocation of wildlife such as rattlesnakes, bears, frogs rather than
termination
www.tinhorn.com
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
WINERY CELLAR AND GROUNDS
• Landscape residuals are chipped and used again on the property as mulch or added to compost.
• All grape pomace (seeds, skins and stems during harvest) is composted on-site for direct application
to the vineyards.
• Cellulose powder & filter sheets used in wine filtration is incorporated into the compost.
• More frequently, cold stabilization of white wines (tartrate stabilization) utilizes a filtration
technology that no longer requires the use of bulk chilling of tanks – a very costly use of energy in a
wine cellar.
• Used barrels are sold or recycled – approximately 200 wine barrels per year.
• Barrels are treated with steam rather than hydro-filling to reduce water usage at the winery.
• Tanks are cleaned with a high pressure new system which reduces water consumption by 80%.
• Final rinse water is recycled for further applications in the winery
• All wines undergo analysis “in house” which reduces the need to ship samples to be analyzed off-site.
PACKAGING AND SHIPPING
• Home market sales reduce the winery’s carbon footprint; 95% of Tinhorn Creek’s wine is sold within British Columbia and Alberta.
• The winery’s wine bottles are made from 50% - 60% recycled glass with the majority coming
from the BCLDB and the recycling program in BC. This glass is produced within approximately 440 km of the winery. All of the glass comes in on full truckloads to reduce the winery’s carbon footprint.
• The winery does not source any packaging products from Asia – again to reduce the carbon footprint.
• All glass, cardboard, scrap metal, paper, and pallet wrap from both the winery and vineyard operations are recycled.
• Paper stock and cash register tapes are made from 100% recycled paper.
• All wooden pallets that arrive at the winery from glass manufacturers are recycled back to the manufacturers.
• All wooden pallets used for shipping wine to market are recycled in a province-wide pallet system.
• All shipping case inserts come from recycled material cardboard.
• Whenever possible, the winery consolidates pallet shipments of wine to reduce shipping.
www.tinhorn.com
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
AREAS OF SUSTAINABILITY ADDRESSED
• Tinhorn Creek has become Canada’s First Carbon Neutral Winery
• Replanted areas disturbed by the construction with native shrubs and grasses
• Converting approximately 100 acres of the existing vineyard from overhead irrigation to drip irrigation
over 4 years (started in 2010)
• Purchasing an additional diesel enviro-tank for vineyard operations
• Using biodiesel for tractors and other vineyard machinery
• Reducing the amount of water used for tank cleaning in the cellar
• Moved to paperless faxes, CFL lighting and green cleaning products in the offices
www.tinhorn.com
TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE
CHARITABLE GIVING
In 2005, Tinhorn Creek named the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada as their charity of choice for their
corporate giving program. While the team at the winery has always worked to be good corporate citizens
and supported many charities, the winery felt the time had come to put some structure to their efforts and
truly make a difference. In true Tinhorn Creek fashion, they developed the criteria for the program and then
began identifying organizations that best met Tinhorn Creek’s priorities. The “Three C’s” quickly came to the
forefront in the criteria for consideration.
CANADIAN – a must. Tinhorn Creek thinks Canadian first.
CHILD FOCUSED – something that is very important to Tinhorn Creek. They want to leave this world a
better place than they found it and know of no better way than to make sure kids are well taken care of.
COMMUNITY BASED – in the communities where they do business. With 95% of Tinhorn Creek’s wine sold
in BC and Alberta, they felt it was most important to support an organization that has chapters in Vancouver,
Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton and, of course, Oliver.
How much to give? Another question they asked themselves. They’re proud to say that the figure arrived at
was 2.5% of their annual net income before taxes. As a yardstick, they feel this level of giving measures up to
corporate social responsibility standards. It’s important for the amount they give to increase as they become
more successful. There’s a built-in incentive for a win-win outcome.
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards was very pleased to name the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada as the organization
they selected. To date, the winery has donated over $100,000 cash plus in-kind donations of wine & auction
items to this charity. Each year, through consultation with
the individual chapters, the organization selects projects
that support children across the spectrum of age ranges.
The chapters can rely on this funding and plan on it being
there for them to fund the many valuable services they
provide to young people. These include programs such as Food and Nutrition at School or the Beltline
Youth Initiative, which exposes marginalized high-risk youth to mentors, leadership, cultural awareness,
volunteerism, positive adult role models, a safe place to belong and a stable support system.
Tinhorn Creek also gives back to the community in many other ways through the donation of stays in a
guesthouse among the vines at the winery. The “Vineyard Getaway” package has been an extremely popular
item in the myriad of silent and live auctions to which it has been donated in British Columbia and Alberta
over the years.
www.tinhorn.com
THE OKANAGAN VALLEY
L
ocated in the southwestern interior of British Columbia, The Okanagan Valley lies in a rain shadow
situated between the Coastal and Monashee mountain ranges. The lack of precipitation combined
with a warm climate makes it one of the warmest and most arid places in Canada. Imposing mountain
ridges and a chain of freshwater lakes play host to orchards and vineyards and spectacular natural sage
and grass-covered terrain. The area between Oliver and the US border is the northernmost tip of the
Sonora Desert, which begins on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico.
With over 2,000 hours of sunshine and 12 inches of rain annually, summers are generally very hot:
daytime temperatures in July and August can reach 40°C, and are often above 30°C for several days in
a row. The 250-kilometer chain of lakes that runs along the valley floor (Lake Okanagan is the biggest
at 144 kilometres long and 3.5 kilometres average width) is the source of irrigation water for the area.
The lakes also have a moderating affect on the vineyards, with nighttime summer temperatures often
dropping to 12°C. These cool evenings result in the development of intense flavours and natural acidity
in the grapes.
In summer there can be a four-degree average daily difference in temperature between Kelowna (in the
central Okanagan Valley) and Osoyoos (in the south near the US border). This results in a preference to
grow red varieties in the south and white varieties in the cooler north. Precipitation is spread evenly
throughout the year and averages 16 inches in the north and 8 inches in the south. Winters can be cold
and can see temperatures dropping below zero for short periods of time.
The central part of the Okanagan Valley, between Kelowna and Naramata, is narrow and marked by steep
hillsides, making the area for planting vineyards limited. The Naramata bench area (near Penticton) is
marked by sloping vineyards in close proximity to the lake, with excellent exposure to the afternoon
sun.
H
igher-altitude vineyards, some of which are planted on slopes, dot the Okanagan Falls area, with a
few vineyards planted on terraces. From Oliver to Osoyoos, the valley fans out with flatter land in
the Black Sage Bench area. This is where the majority of grape acreage is planted, and is the area with
the greatest potential for new development.
There are widespread differences in the soils and climates of the various grape-growing sub-regions
throughout the valley; Kelowna, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Golden Mile and Black Sage/Osoyoos Lake
Bench. The southern part of the valley has deep sandy soils whereas the area around Kelowna is mainly
composed of clay and gravel.
www.tinhorn.com
THE VINEYARDS
T
inhorn Creek sources fruit exclusively from its own vineyards: 150 acres of prime land on two very
distinct benches. This land lends to the creation of terroir-driven wines that are classic illustrations
of the place they are grown. The 100-acre Diamondback Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench is planted
with a mix of red and white varieties, primarily with Pinot Gris, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The 50-acre
Tinhorn Creek Vineyard on the Golden Mile Bench is also planted with a mix of red and white grapes, but
primarily features Gewürztraminer. Farming their vineyards using sustainable practices allows Tinhorn
Creek full control over the quality of fruit delivered to the crush pad for each vintage.
At the Tinhorn Creek and Diamondback vineyards workser pruce using a “bilateral cordon, vertical shot
position” training system. This means that two arms (cordons) split from the truck and the shoots are
positioned vertically, to allow more sunlight to reach the grape clusters. It is fortunate that, on both the
Tinhorn Creek and Diamondback acreages, vine rows can be planted in a north-south orientation.
Since the valley is narrow and runs north-south, it tends to funnel weather patterns in these directions.
Rain and morning dew can accumulate on the clusters and cause mould to form on the clusters if not
quickly dried out. The north-south alignment of the rows lets the wind blow through the rows, drying
the clusters quicker and reducing the amount of fungicide needed in the vineyard. The north-south
orientation also helps to ripen the grapes quicker as the clusters are more fully exposed to the morning
and afternoon sun.
www.tinhorn.com
VINEYARD PROFILE
DIAMONDBACK
DIAMONDBACK VINEYARD ON THE BLACK SAGE BENCH
T
inhorn Creek’s 100-acre Diamondback Vineyard is located on the Black Sage Bench, which is home to
approximately one third of the Okanagan Valley’s vineyards. This area was first planted with hybrid
grape varieties that were later removed in 1988 under a government program to replace less desirable
grape varieties with premium vinifera grapes.
The land sat fallow for several years before
replanting began. Twenty minutes north of
Osoyoos, the Black Sage Bench sits on top of
sandy soil that can be up to 300 feet deep.
Affectionately known as “The Beach”, the
soil on the upper elevated area of Black Sage
Bench makes planting challenging, as a freshly
dug hole fills with sand immediately. The soil
has lower nutrient and organic matter content
than other areas in the valley. Moreover, there
is a high evaporation rate as water drains right
through soil; thus requiring more irrigation
than other sites. Fortunately, the benefits outweigh the challenges, which is apparent each year upon
harvest.
T
he Black Sage Bench area is a protected ecological habitat that preserves antelope-brush, bunchgrass,
sage and prickly pear cactus. These plants are critical habitat for the survival of several animal species,
including the burrowing owl, tiger salamander, sage thrasher, night snake and badger. Today, the Black
Sage Bench is planted with primarily vinifera grapes and is one of the most important viticulture regions
in the Okanagan Valley. Its changeable mesoclimate makes for completely different grape ripening
conditions.
The Diamondback Vineyard has a southwest facing elevated location and enjoys both early morning and
late afternoon sun. In the summer months, the site can get anywhere from two to three additional hours
of sunlight per day compared to the Tinhorn Creek Vineyard. The grapes planted at this site can ripen
one to three weeks prior to the same varieties at Tinhorn, in part due to this sun exposure.
The Diamondback Vineyard has 100 acres planted with eight varietals. Planting began in 1994 with Pinot
Gris and Cabernet Franc. More plantings followed including Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. By 1997,
the Diamondback Vineyard planting was finished. More recently, Semillon, Syrah and Malbec have been
planted at this site.
www.tinhorn.com
VINEYARD PROFILE
DIAMONDBACK AERIAL MAP
www.tinhorn.com
VINEYARD PROFILE
TINHORN CREEK
TINHORN CREEK VINEYARD ON THE GOLDEN MILE BENCH
T
he 50-acre Tinhorn Creek Vineyard on the Golden Mile Bench is also home to the winery, amphitheatre,
wine shop, barrel cellar and the oldest block of vineyards.
The Golden Mile Bench region starts at Fairview Road in Oliver and extends to Road 13. Although this area
measures longer than a mile, it was first referred to the
“Golden Mile” in the mid 40s as it gained its reputation
as rich farmland.
In the late 1910s, the area was divided into plots for
soldiers to farm upon returning from World War 1. An
open irrigation canal (the “Ditch”) that was completed
in 1929 between Vaseaux Lake and Osoyoos turned the
arid land into a lush area suitable for ground crops and
tree fruits in the mid-1930s. At the same time an old
mine site reopened and the area enjoyed an economic
boom. The reputation of this farming community
combined with the area’s history of gold and silver
mining, led to the area’s name “Golden Mile”. The area
became a highly desirable viticulture site beginning in the late 1960s when vineyards were first established.
The Golden Mile is located on an upper bench, with the elevation making it significantly warmer than the
valley floor, and helping the vineyard escape damaging spring and fall frosts. The Tinhorn Creek vineyards
at this site get the first morning sunlight. By late afternoon, the sun dips behind the hills, and in the cool
summer evenings, the grapes develop their exquisite flavours. The unique mesoclimate for this vineyard
includes the east-facing site, which offers good early morning sun exposure. To the west of the vineyards
lies the Thompson Plateau. The sun goes behind this ridge early in the day relative to the other side of
the valley. This vineyard can be in shade as early as five o’clock in the summer months making it a cooler,
slower ripening area. The downward slope of the vineyards provides good airflow and, mainly due to
water drainage, varietals ripen differently uphill versus downhill.
T
he soils on the western side of the valley, known as the Golden Mile Bench, consist primarily of clay
loam soil with various sized rocks, which designates the Golden Mile Alluvial fan. In fact, the stone
archway above the winery entrance was constructed with rocks from the Gewürztraminer vineyards.
These heavier soils are more difficult to plant due to the large number of rocks; but the soil holds moisture
longer, so less irrigation is required. Additionally there are high amount of nutrients, so less fertilizer is
needed. With these conditions, the vines grow more vigorously. As a result, the vineyard team does shoot
removal and leaf thinning during the summer to keep the fruit exposed to the sun and to ensure the vine
is in balance.
The previous owners planted Pinot Noir in 1989, Merlot between 1989 and 1991, and Kerner and Chardonnay
in 1990. Today, there are eleven varieties of grapes planted at this site including Gewurztraminer, Pinot
Gris, Syrah, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
www.tinhorn.com
VINEYARD PROFILE
TINHORN CREEK AERIAL MAP
www.tinhorn.com
BIOS
WINEMAKER
SANDRA OLDFIELD
SANDRA OLDFIELD – President, CEO & Winemaker
S
andra Oldfield grew up in Marin and Sonoma counties in California. She
received her bachelor of arts in business administration with a focus in
international business. After graduation, Sandra chose to work in the tasting
room at Rodney Strong Vineyards while she decided what she wanted to
pursue with her degree. After a year of working in the tasting room, a position
came up in the cellar for a lab person. It was then that she realized that she
preferred working on the production side of the wine business. After this
revelation, Sandra took two years of prep courses (chemistry, physics, etc.) at
Santa Rosa before starting at University of California at Davis (UC Davis) in the
summer of 1993. Her research focus was the ripening Cabernet Sauvignon.
Seven different wineries allowed Sandra to use their vineyards for her research
and she was given the use of the Mondavi facilities to make her wine.
While attending UC Davis, Sandra met Kenn Oldfield. Kenn had recently purchased the Tinhorn Creek
Vineyard and was at UC Davis learning more about vineyard care and practices. Kenn convinced Sandra
to get involved and they struck an agreement. Serendipitously Kenn found both his winemaker and
a wife. Sandra was excited about the opportunity to get involved in the still young wine industry in
British Columbia and was very optimistic about the region’s ability to produce great quality wines.
S
andra oversaw the first vintage at Tinhorn Creek in 1994 by commuting between BC and California
while on a work visa. In 1995, Sandra moved north to Oliver and married Kenn that summer. The
pair settled in a house perched at the top of the vineyard with a sweeping view of the valley and of the
winery goings on.
Sandra brought the production from 1,000 cases in 1994 to over 37,000 cases in 1999. Sandra put her
studies on hold while getting the winery up and running to full production. Once at full production,
Sandra resumed her studies and was awarded her master’s of Enology in 2002.
In 2002, while watching the men’s gold medal hockey game during the Salt Lake City Olympics, Sandra
noticed that she was not cheering for the Americans, but for the Canadians to win. It was in that
moment that Sandra realized that she had become Canadian and needed to make that official. She
began preparation for a series of exams and, in October 2002, she officially became a Canadian citizen –
a proud moment for the entire winery team.
Sandra firmly believes that the wine is made in the vineyard and the winemaker just babysits the wine
until it goes into the bottle. For this reason, she strongly supports a winery being an estate winery
because of the full control they have over vineyards.
www.tinhorn.com
WINEMAKER
SANDRA OLDFIELD
S
andra loves winemaking as it is such a diverse job. She is involved in everything from the vineyard,
production, marketing, food and wine pairing, and education (of staff and visitors). In March 2008,
she added the title and responsibilities of director of operations at the winery while still maintaining
her winemaker status. She now oversees the Tinhorn Creek and Diamondback Vineyards, tourism at the
winery and, of course, winemaking.
In December 2004, Sandra and Kenn adopted their daughter Melody Grace Oldfield when she was two
days old. Over the years, Sandra and Kenn had assembled five dogs and a cat; so Melody came home to a
house full of playmates.
Living on a hill has its advantages and its drawbacks, such as teaching Melody how to ride a bike. As a
result Sandra found a new use for the cellar… it makes a great place for Melody to learn how to ride a
bike. One of Sandra’s next goals is for Melody to get tall enough so that she can work the off-pack table on
the bottling line.
When Sandra is not down in the cellar overseeing her team or minding Melody, she is stealthily hunting
down vintage items on eBay, driving her 1966 Mustang, taking a dip in the pool, or soaking in the hot tub.
www.tinhorn.com
Q&A
SANDRA OLDFIELD
INTERVIEW Q & A – Sandra Oldfield
Q: What made you decide to become a winemaker?
A: Quick answer: I got tired of selling dresses at Macy’s! Real answer: I fell into wine sales at Rodney
Strong winery in Healdsburg [California] and one season I luckily got a harvest job in the QC lab. I found
I was coming to work early and leaving late for no pay, and that was when I decided I needed to go into
winemaking as a career. There had never been a job before that I wanted to soak up as much as I could
every waking hour.
Q. What is your winemaking philosophy?
A. Winemaking is not really a philosophy, it’s a beverage; but my thoughts toward winemaking are 1)
Know your grapes because then you can know your wines. 2) Do your job right in the vineyard. 3) Pick
’em ripe. 4) Don’t screw it up after they’re picked. 5) Lastly, have a good time doing what you do and the
wines will respond. To summarize... “It’s the grapes, Stupid.”
Q. What excited you most at the prospect of making wine in the Okanagan Valley?
A. Most exciting was the newness – new vineyards, new plantings, new wines, new winery with new
equipment, new employees, new role as a winemaker, new husband and kids, new country, etc., etc.
Everything was new.
Q. When did you realize that the Okanagan Valley would become your “home”?
A. Before I moved here in the summer of 1994, I walked out to the tip of what is now our demonstration
vineyard (the winery had not yet been built) and surveyed the valley before me. The sun was setting and
it was as spectacular then as it is now. I asked Kenn if he was sure good wine could be made here and he
said yes. Then I knew I’d move.
Q. Over the years, how have you evolved your winemaking strategy?
A. It changes constantly. Every year we learn a huge amount from our vineyards, our wines, our employees,
and our customers… all this feedback gets used in a real way. We’ve reduced or eliminated the oak that
our white wines see over the years. We’ve refined the type of oak our red wines see – more French for
longer periods of time. We strive to make a wine that tastes like the varietal that we taste in the vineyard.
We still use the same vineyard blocks as when we first started, but now we know which sections of our
blocks are different from one another and how to treat the grapes when they come into the winery.
Overall, I am a bit looser with respect to the winemaking plan than I was in 1994 because I let the
weather and the grapes themselves set the plan for the year rather than me trying to imprint on top of
the grapes.
www.tinhorn.com
Q&A
SANDRA OLDFIELD
Q: What is the part of your job that you most enjoy?
A: Vineyard sampling in the fall with my daughter. It’s usually
on a weekend because I have to get caught up and I like to do
it without distractions. It’s just the two of us and we are talking
as we’re walking the rows. I get a real feel for the grapes during
these walks – and for my daughter.
Q. Who has most inspired you as a winemaker?
A. Well, she’s not a winemaker but she might as well be because
she has mentored or trained at least 10 other winemakers in
California, and that is my friend Sharon Dougherty. She works
as the QC director at Matanzas Creek Winery and is a pioneer
female in the industry. She never ever cut corners when it came
to quality decisions – do it right or don’t do it at all. She inspired
me to apply for UC Davis even though I never thought I would be accepted into that enology program.
Second, almost every professor I had at UC Davis was inspiring. Not many universities can you say that
about. They taught me that there is no right answer – just the one you have found that works for your
unique site and situation.
Q. How do you feel about sustainability and what are you doing to achieve that?
A. Now it is quite a buzz word, but when you look into what we have been doing here at Tinhorn
Creek since we started we have been doing quite sustainable practices all along – growing only estate
grapes, managing those acreages and the way we run our winery. Currently we have a growing list of
sustainable practices on our website and they include our stewardship with our surrounding habitats,
vineyard practices, and winery practices including recycling or reusing almost all waste generated. We
set goals in our vineyard, winery and packaging operations to add more sustainable practices to what we
do here each year. I guess you could say I have taken on sustainability because it is my passion. I live on
the property and so I take it very seriously.
Q. What is your favourite grape variety to work with and why?
A. Hard question. If I define “favourite” as easiest – because not all work should be hard – then that
would be Merlot. Once you do your job well in the vineyard with crop thinning, and harvest the grapes
on the right day, then that wine makes itself. “Favourite” from the standpoint of a challenge is the
Cabernet Franc because it takes a lot more work to make a good one. It’s more difficult to harvest ripe
and when we make a good one we all feel a lot of pride.
www.tinhorn.com
Q&A
SANDRA OLDFIELD
Q. What is the most common myth in winemaking?
A. We work very hard during harvest, and then we all take long vacations until the next harvest. Tell me
where that winery is because I will gladly pattern Tinhorn Creek after it!
Q. If you could wave a magic wand, how would the BC wine industry change?
A. That wineries that sell their wines for $50 a bottle by appointment only or wineries that sell for real
value or wineries that make a huge amount of wine and export around the world or wineries that make
a tiny amount and only sell out their front doors would all realize that we are in the same industry; and
it is the Customer that is King. In order to have a thriving industry we have to see that we are all in this
together. When I lived in Sonoma County, E.& J. Gallo attended the same tourism meeting that tiny A.
Rafanelli did and they could talk like they were neighbours – because they were.
Q. Will there be a signature grape variety for the Okanagan Valley? If so what is your prediction?
A. Merlot – I still think we do that so well overall, both in the vineyard and the winery.
Q. What’s your favourite wine and food pairing?
A. With a wine from Tinhorn, it would be the Oldfield Series 2Bench White with scallops that have been
pan fried in butter, 2Bench White, garlic and lemon. That’s my new favourite. In general, I also love a
well-structured red, like a Bordeaux, with a nice cut of beef from the BBQ. I don’t do that too often, but
I like it when we do.
Q. What has been the proudest moment in your career to date?
A. We all felt very proud – winery wide – when we won the first “Red Wine of the Year” at the Canadian
Wine Awards with our 1998 Merlot. Really, though, my proudest time is when any customer starts a
sentence with the phrase “I usually don’t drink (fill in the blank)...but I like your (fill in the blank)...” There
is nothing better than that because it means that our wines are getting people to expand what they’ll
try. That is just great.
Q. What is the one consistent comment that you received from wine enthusiasts about your wines?
A.
Probably something to do with consistency – either consistent wine quality, consistent prices,
consistently nice employees, etc. This goes hand in hand with using the same vineyard acreage, the same
winemaker, the same family run ownership, and same philosophy since day one.
Q. If you could work or do harvest in another wine region where would it be?
A. Alsace – I am convinced that they put pixie dust in their wines!
Q. What career would you pursue if you were not a winemaker?
A. Marine biologist – although pretty hard to do that in Oliver, so I’ll stick to winemaking. I’d leave
winemaking to be a senior advisor to President Obama, but I don’t think that will ever happen either.
www.tinhorn.com
Q&A
SANDRA OLDFIELD
Q. What do you do when you are not at work?
A. Spend time with my daughter Melody. Have friends over. I also work on home renos, shop eBay, follow
quite a few US political blogs and, every once in a while, plan a nice trip.
Q. How do you juggle motherhood and winemaking?
A. It’s quite a complicated schedule during harvest or bottling – sometimes I have my day planned right
down to the minute to make it work. I’m lucky because I work with an excellent group of people who
can really make things happen if I have to take some time off. Melody has taken priority; but what is nice
is that she is becoming more and more interested in vineyard and winery operations, so I don’t have to
keep her as separated from what I do at Tinhorn anymore.
Q.
A.
Do you come from a history of winemakers?
I often get asked if I come from a family history of winemaking, etc. The answer is no; my father was
an auto mechanic who owned his own business in San Francisco. No one in my family really drinks wine
on a regular basis, so I definitely found it on my own.
www.tinhorn.com
BIOS
Andrew moon - Viticulturist/Vineyard Manager
Andrew Moon moved from Australia at the end of June 2009 to join the
team at Tinhorn Creek. He moved from a town approximately 160km
north of Melbourne, Victoria.
In Australia Andrew worked for Ormonhill Vineyards, Colbinabbin Estate
and Freeman’s Bridge Vineyards. He has a Trade certificate in Viticulture
Brit Bendigo, a Diploma in Viticulture from Melbourne University
and completed 3 years of a Bachelor of Science Degree (Geog.) at the
University of Newcastle. In Australia Andrew supplied fruit to a number
of wineries over the years including, Rosemount, Seppelt, Penfolds, Hanging Rock and Wild Duck Creek,
achieving placement in premium and super premium wine labels.
Andrew is a typical Aussie who loves beer, wine and food and appreciates the great outdoors, hence
making British Columbia and Tinhorn Creek a very attractive place to work. Andrew says “I hope to add to
the great mix of talent already assembled at Tinhorn Creek Winery.”
KOROL KUKLO – Assistant Winemaker
Assistant winemaker Korol Kuklo, joined the winemaking team at Tinhorn Creek
Vineyards in 1998, just in time for the vintage that saw Tinhorn Creek’s 1998 Merlot
win “Red Wine of the Year” at the Canadian Wine Awards. As with many in the wine
industry, Korol’s move into the world of wine resulted from a career change. In her
case, it came after a move to British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley following a career as
a food service technician working primarily in a hospital and institutional healthcare
setting in the Lower Mainland. Korol earned a food service technician diploma from
Langara College in Vancouver, BC.
Prior to assuming the assistant winemaker role under the guidance of Tinhorn
Creek’s chief winemaker, Sandra Oldfield, Korol headed up the lab at Tinhorn and
was responsible for all of the quality control for the winery. Korol has been instrumental in Tinhorn Creek’s
move to Stelvin (twist-off) closures on 100% of its wines. “We couldn’t make the move soon enough,” she
says. “The consumer loves it and the wine is better for it.”
Korol lives in Osoyoos, BC, with her husband, Joe, and their three Boston terriers – Benny, Joon, and Stella.
www.tinhorn.com
BIOS
KENN OLDFIELD – Chairman and Owner
Chairman and owner of Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, Kenn Oldfield has led the Tinhorn
team since its inception in 1994. Originally from Muskoka, Ontario, he moved to
Alberta after obtaining a B.A.Sc. in chemical engineering. After 14 years in the oil
industry, he turned his attention to a new venture – Tinhorn Creek Vineyards in
Oliver, BC.
By 1994, Kenn had taken all the course work for a master’s degree in viticulture from
the University of California at Davis. Over the next three years, he completed the
huge task of planting 150 acres of vineyard land. He also oversaw the building of the
winery, the outdoor amphitheatre and the barrel cellar.
In 2008, Kenn stepped back from the general manager’s position to create and spearhead special projects
for Tinhorn and to make more time for leisure and for working on his old air-cooled VWs.
SHAUN EVEREST – CFO & VP Finance & Administration
After ten and a half years as Tinhorn Creek’s marketing manager, Shaun Everest
moved into the role of general manager/chief financial officer in 2008.
Originally from Toronto, Ontario, Shaun moved out west to do his master of
business administration degree at the University of British Columbia, with a focus
on marketing and international business. And, like many eastern transplants, Shaun
never went back.
After graduating with his MBA, Shaun held various positions with some large
corporations such as Coca-Cola and Scott Paper; but he believes that those big
company days were just preparing him for life at Tinhorn Creek. Shaun says, “I can’t
imagine doing anything else. We’ve got a fantastic team and, of course, the most important thing is what’s
in the bottle.”
www.tinhorn.com
BIOS
JULIE COPLAND-STENE
Marketing Manager
With 17 years of experience in sales and marketing in the food and wine industry,
Julie Copland-Stene was the ideal candidate to join Tinhorn Creek team as the
Alberta sales & marketing manager in 2003. In the four and a half years that
she held this position, Julie significantly increased market share and brand
awareness through traditional and grassroots marketing efforts. In March 2008
she became marketing manager for the winery. She loves wine marketing, for
the challenge of working with a product tied so closely to the land and nature;
forces that cannot be controlled.
Born and raised in Calgary, Julie completed a bachelor of commerce with
a marketing major at the University of Calgary and a general arts & science
diploma from Mount Royal College. Her experience includes six years at Big Rock Brewery, including a
position as marketing manager. After joining the winery team, she went on to complete levels 1 and 2 of
the International Sommelier Guild program. Today, Julie still lives in Calgary with husband Gary and their
three children and shares her time between her Calgary office and the winery. During her off-duty time,
she enjoys watching classic movies and the Food Network, trying out new recipes, listening to live music,
travelling to European or tropical destinations and of course, drinking wine!
MARK BUTSCHLER
BC Sales Manager
Born and raised in Vancouver, BC, Mark Butschler has always had a love of wine
and food. His career began in the restaurant industry with corporate chains (The
Cactus Club and Spectra Foods) and premier Vancouver restaurants (Century Grill
and Joe Fortes). From there he found a home with Pernod Ricard Canada for nine
years before moving to the Summit Fine Wines team, part of the Jackson estates
wines family.
Mark contributes an in-depth knowledge of the BC market having worked in
Vancouver, Whistler and Vancouver Island. He has also travelled the world visiting
many of the major wine regions including France, Italy, Chile and, of course the
Okanagan. He is currently working on his certified sommelier from The Court of Master Sommeliers. His
new Vancouver-based role with Tinhorn Creek Vineyards gives him a chance to focus his attention on a
special winery with a great history of fabulous wines, and to promote the winery in all corners of British
Columbia. His passion for wine is apparent when you meet Mark; he is a true ambassador. In addition to
wine and food, Mark’s other passions include triathlons, mountain biking, running and hiking.
www.tinhorn.com
WINEMAKING
PHILOSOPHY
WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY BY SANDRA OLDFIELD
I
t’s about the grapes. The more effort you put into your
vineyard, the easier it is in the cellar once the grapes are
harvested. This is why we use only our estate grapes to make
our wines. We know the acreage, the gravel spurs, the sun
exposure, the pockets of ripeness in any given block. We feel
that is where we are at a big advantage, in that we already have
a plan for winemaking long before harvest has started. Let the
grapes show you what the wine will be. Any time I have tried
to “direct” a wine toward a style that is different from what
the grapes give me, I find the wine eventually comes back to
where it wants to be – not where the winemaker wanted it to
go.
• We practice minimal handling of the wines once they are put
into oak barrels to age.
• We have explored 100% varietal wines since our inception in
1994 and we still find that our Varietal Series of wines really
showcase what makes those varieties special in the vineyard.
• The new blends we are doing in the Oldfield Series are unique
because we have put the blend together in the vineyard with
respect to what we have planted. In other words, the 2Bench White and 2Bench Red blends are the
blends they are because we have planted our vineyards to give us those grapes. Again, much of the wine
is “blended” before it ever comes into the winery.
• Let the vintage year drive the wines – weather, etc. has such enormous impact on our wines. Since I
cannot change the weather, then I have to accept what kind of year I get and go from there.
• Lastly, we seal all bottles with a Stelvin screw-top – why put so much effort into a wine and then ruin
over 5% of the final product by putting a bad cork in the bottle? If you’re all about quality, then carry that
through right to the end.
www.tinhorn.com
VINEYARD
PHILOSOPHY
VINEYARD PHILOSOPHY BY ANDREW MOON
S
ustainable vineyard management! The goal is to
manage the vineyards as naturally as possible,
and to always keep the vines looking for a little
‘love’, which results in the best possible quality
grapes. This takes a little extra care by the vineyard
staff and manager.
The vineyard team works hard to ensure that
grapes are strong and healthy. This means closely
monitoring irrigation, pest and diseases, soil
fertility and vine nutrition. Gone are the days of
turning the water on by a given date, soil moisture
is monitored and the berry size is controlled to
give that perfect size for wine quality.
Drip irrigation has and will revolutionise the grape industry within British Columbia. The evolution
from overhead irrigation will increase grape quality and reduce pesticide use, a key component in
sustainable vineyard practices.
With the addition of drip irrigation we are planting native grasses between the vines, reducing
water use and attracting beneficial insect populations back to the vines. Working closely with
research institutions, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards are diversifying the biomass and moving away from
mono culture.
I am happy to say that my philosophy on growing grapes is symbiotic with the existing excellence
of wine making that already exists at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards. This is indeed a rare existence
within the wine industry; it is easy to be naturally South Okanagan.
www.tinhorn.com