Quails' Gate Winery

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Quails' Gate Winery
Location Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Appellation Okanagan Valley
Founded 1956
first Vintage 1989
Key people Tony Stewart (CEO & Proprietor), Ben Stewart (Chariman & Proprietor) & Grant Stanley (Winemaker)
Parent company Privately Owned
Cases/yr 50,000
Known for Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir
Varietals Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Old Vines Foch, Chardonnay, Chasselas, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Chenin Blanc
Other products Restaurant, Wineshop
Website http://www.quailsgate.com
Tasting open to public & special events
The entrance of Quails’ Gate Winery
The entrance of Quails’ Gate Winery

Coordinates: 49°50′34.27″N, 119°34′58.96″W

Quails’ Gate Winery is a Canadian Winery located on the shore of Okanagan Lake in Westbank, British Columbia. Situated in the heart of British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, Quails’ Gate produces over 50,000 cases of wine per year. The entire portfolio of Quails’ Gate wines are best known for their Family Reserve Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Quails' Gate's Wineshop and Old Vines Restaurant are open daily, year round to the public.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

Quails’ Gate was founded by the Stewarts, one of the Okanagan’s pioneer horticultural families. Richard John Stewart arrived in the Okanagan Valley from County Kildare, Ireland in 1908. He and his 2 brothers purchased several parcels of land and established nurseries. In 1956, his son Richard Stewart acquired the Allison Ranch on which the winery now sits and started planting vines along with fruit orchards. His son Ben, a banker by trade started working at Quails’ Gate in the 1980s. In 1989, the family abandoned the orchards and focused the properties on producing wine, relaunching the business as Quails’ Gate Estate Winery. In 1992, Richards' other son, Tony, left his career as a stockbroker to return to the family business.[2] Tony now runs the business still privately held by the Stewart family.

[edit] Winemaker

Vancouver native Grant Stanley learned his winemaking skills in New Zealand at Montana Wines and Ata Rangi Wines before returning to North America in 2001. Over the next 2 years, he refined his skills in growing Pinot Noir at several Oregon wineries before taking the position of winemaker at Quails’ Gate in 2003.[3] To date, his vintages have won over 50 medals in regional, national and international competitions.[4]

Old Vines Foch 2005
Old Vines Foch 2005

[edit] Vintage Reports

[edit] Awards

Old Vines Restaurant
Old Vines Restaurant

[edit] Old Vines Restaurant

Known for "creativity and quality of food coming out of the kitchen,"[5] the Old Vines Restaurant is situated on the vineyardscape of Quails’ Gate Winery with a picturesque view of Okanagan Lake. Named one of Wine Spectator's "four best places to dine in the Okanagan."[6] The menu features seasonal, local & sustainable ingredients reflecting the terroir and complementing the wine offerings. Seating is offered outdoors or indoors, including a large private dining room for elegant private events.[7] Reservations can be made online at OpenTable.com.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Quails’ Gate Estate Winery - Okanagan Valley
  2. ^ http://www.amazon.ca/Wineries-British-Columbia-John-Schreiner/dp/1552856038/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199759906&sr=8-4 John Schreiner p.268
  3. ^ http://www.amazon.ca/Wineries-British-Columbia-John-Schreiner/dp/1552856038/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199759906&sr=8-4 John Schreiner p.269
  4. ^ Awards & Honourary Achievements
  5. ^ Vancouver Courier...Restaurant Reviews
  6. ^ Wine Spectator | Feature Teaser - Canada Finds its Napa
  7. ^ http://www.quailsgate.com/media/OVR.pdf