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Jennifer Schell
Coolest Wine Festival Ever
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Jennifer Schell
Nagging Doubt
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Jennifer Schell
Sage Hill at Garagiste
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Jennifer Schell
Erin at Garagiste
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Jennifer Schell
Garagiste Tents
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Jennifer Schell
Garagiste Oliver
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Jennifer Schell
Pouring at Garagiste
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Jennifer Schell
Entertainment
You’ve heard the term, but it’s hard to find a place to try their wine. The name garagiste (GAR-aH-jeest ) comes from France and describes winemakers who do things a little differently, those who take risks and make small case lots, or micro cuvées in their garage or whatever space is available. You can also call them the small guys. To celebrate these small-scale wine makers, Garagiste North was held at Meyer Family Vineyards last September.
The garagistes in the Okanagan are an active bunch. “Our criteria is based on production,” said Terry Meyer Stone, who along with Jennifer Schell decided to create the event. “To be a garagiste, you can have production of up to 2,000 cases a year. The majority of us are under 1,000 and some of us only made 150 cases. Of our entire group, only two of us have actual tasting rooms.”
When asked why anyone would make wine on such a small scale, Meyer Stone replied, “No one would do this unless there was passion involved. It’s people who want to see what they can create with their grapes. You can experiment with varieties and barrels and bend the rules a little bit. There’s also a real aspect of camaraderie. We exchange challenges and successes.”
Garagiste North had a ratio of 10 guests per winemaker, and for some winemakers, this event was the first time anyone outside of family and friends had tasted their wine. The group plans on holding another small guys festival in May in Vancouver and again in September in the Okanagan.
More info garagistenorth.com.
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