Sage Hills
Situated in Summerland, on a bluff overlooking Okanagan Lake, the Sage Hill estate is comprised primarily of Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Gewürztraminer. The grapes enjoy a diverse range of soil types, as the soil higher on the bluff is more dense, becoming more sandy and silty as the estate slopes down toward the water. The bedrock here is a mix of mudstone and sandstone.
The vineyards have been organically farmed since their planting in 2007. This practice is aided by the winds that consistently blow southward along the lake and through the vineyards, moderating temperatures and helping suppress fungal pressures.
Keenan Thrussell, son of the estate owner Rick Thrussell, took over the winemaking and vineyard management in 2017 and has focused on the true expression of the estate. This means focusing his attention on the health of the soil and the biodiversity of his vineyards. For example, Keenan has chosen not to introduce foreign cover crops, having observed that the cultivation of non indigenous cover crops alters the natural yeast cultures in the vineyard and on the surface of the grapes.
Thus maintaining the indigenous ground cover and surrounding sage bushes means the estate’s yeast population is a true reflection of the land. The wines, naturally fermented by those yeasts, are in turn an unmasked expression of the family’s estate.