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Ancient Hills
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Ancient Hills Pinot Gris.
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Tasting room.
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Ancient Hills winery.
Visitors are welcomed with a hint of lavender and a spectacular nestled view of the Central Okanagan.“We had to buy or establish an existing business within two years of coming in,” Richard says.
A graduate in economics from Erasmus University in Amsterdam, Richard served in the Royal Netherlands Army, before conscription was suspended, and worked with his father in the Middle East as a consultant. Despite their efforts to study the commercial landscape, which included traveling around, it soon became apparent to the Kamphuys that they could not transfer European knowledge to Canada.
“Two years was not enough time to become familiar with all of the factors,” Richard explains.
Hedging their bets, they purchased a property on a hillside 10-km north of Kelowna centre consisting of a 47-acre apple orchard and an older house. “I did not know at the time that the business would not fly,” Richard says. “But I realized the business was not worth a lot since we only paid for the land. The trees were free and there was no goodwill charge.”
After running the orchard for a couple of years, Richard learned that the orchard had been a vineyard in the 1940s. Some of the old vines, probably Okanagan Riesling, still survive. But the bitterly cold winter of 1949-50 severely damaged the young vines and ended the venture.
The history of grape growing on the land goes back even further, to 1930 when the Rittich Brothers planted vinifera vines in the district. They tested 40 or so European varieties, subsequently reporting the results in B.C.s first wine book, European Grape Growing in Cooler Districts Where Winter Protection is Necessary, published in 1941. Their trials did not revolutionize grape growing in the Okanagan primarily because wineries of the day were not willing to pay a premium for better quality grapes that were more difficult to grow.
After six years of running the apple orchard, the Kamphuys considered going into high density trees but, with oversupply pushing prices down, decided against it. While they examined growing grapes, Richard wanted to thoroughly assess the feasibility of the business before taking the plunge. “The only experience I have is enjoying wine with my family,” he says.
He took courses on grape growing and winemaking at Okanagan College (then called Okanagan University College) in Penticton, and forged ahead with a decision to plant a 16-acre vineyard on their property in 2005.
While the area is considered a frost pocket and marginal for European grapes, he planted 27,000 vines on a strip of land 25-metres above Kelowna Airport that is west-facing and catches the sun from 8 a.m. to sunset, which is “just right for the correct varieties.” He selected early ripening varieties, such as Lemberger and Pinot Noir, recommended by the Rittich Brothers, as well as Pinot Gris, Gewürtztraminer, Zweigelt and Baco Noir.
For the Kamphuys, planting a vineyard was a stepping stone to achieving their main objective of opening a winery. “My interest focused more on producing wine and adding value to our grapes,” he says.
In 2008, construction started on a winery designed by Penticton-based architect Robert Mackenzie. An impressive structure, the setting is wholly rural and offers a spectacular panorama which includes a bird’s-eye view of the airport from the patio.
Opened in 2011, the winery already produces 2,000 cases a year and is equipped for up to 3,500 cases, 60% red and 40% white. The modern winemaking set-up features variable lid tanks that adjust capacity to volumes without the use of nitrogen. Richard credits consulting winemaker Christine Leroux for a big part of Ancient Hill’s success.
“I rely on her projection capability on what to do to get the results we want. But the taste profile of our wines, which emphasizes a richly concentrated fruity character, is determined by our vineyard and location.”
In the vineyard, Richard prefers a Weed Badger and no longer uses herbicides, except for young vines, as “they weaken soil and plants.”
Asked if they have ever considered moving to a more southerly location in the valley, more conducive to growing grapes, Richard replies, “I like Kelowna. It is the centre of a promising market with a growing population, which brings us a steady stream of clients. The south is getting saturated with wineries.”
Selling varieties like Lemberger – the name is similar to that of a smelly cheese – presented a special challenge. Rather than invest in a marketing campaign to get the name better accepted, Richard preferred to take a creative approach.
“There is a tendency to get into blends,” he says. “The end result is what counts, not necessarily the grape varieties in the bottle.” The wine would be named Lazerus, a 60/40 mix of Lemberge and Zweigelt.
In the case of Baco Noir, a French-American hybrid, “it outsells everything else in the wine shop.”
On the commercial viability of Ancient Hill, Richard concludes that risks are unavoidable despite careful planning.
“You invest in the ground and wait, hoping the varieties will do well. We succeeded making good wines. Then we built a winery, but you don’t know the end result until you open your doors. The key is how you project your brand. It comes down to pouring your wine at tasting events where you win or lose.” ■
