Photo by Chris Stenberg
Pénélope Roche
Pénélope Roche, co-owner, vigneron and winemaker at Roche Wines.
Born with wine in her blood, Pénélope counts six generations of viticulture and winemaking at Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, the small family estate whose elegant wines rival the Crus Classés of Bordeaux.
From oenology and viticulture studies in Bordeaux to winemaking in Spain, New Zealand and Australia, Pénélope brings to the Okanagan a profound and holistic understanding of the grapevine’s relationship with its environment, from a winemaker’s perspective.
Pénélope is also a winegrowing consultant and teaches viticulture at Okanagan College.
O&V: How did you get started in the wine industry?
Pénélope Roche: I was born into a winemaking family in Bordeaux, Southwest of France. My family used to own a winery in Pessac-Leognan since the French Revolution. I took after my dad in 2005 and became our family’s 6th generation winemaker. I did not realize I wanted to work in the wine industry before I was 16, I guess when you are born in it that's not the first thing that comes to mind. I had first wanted to become a chef!
O&V: Where did you go to school or apprentice?
Pénélope: When I realized I wanted to make wine I went to a wine and viticulture boarding school in Sauternes (close to Chateau Yquem) for three years before I went to university in Bordeaux. In total, I studied winemaking and viticulture for six years before I went traveling.
O&V: Have you worked in any other countries?
Pénélope: I made wine in Spain in 2004 in Ribera del Duero, then in 2005 I had the dream to make two vintages in one year and left for New Zealand where I met my husband, Dylan, who was there for the same reason. I later travelled to Australia, Margaret River and Tasmania, before coming back to France to work with my dad for the 2005 crush. I eventually came to the Okanagan with my husband in May 2011 to one day create our own winery. Thankfully, that dream came true! 2021 marks our 10th year since arriving in the Okanagan.
O&V: What is your favourite varietal to work with?
Pénélope: I think I have a preference for red wine, Cabernet Franc might be one of my favorites. It needs to be treated well, and when it does, it can give you some amazing wines.
O&V: What is the best thing about your job?
Pénélope: The best part of our job is the diversity of what we do. We are so lucky to be able to follow the evolution of a plant every year and make beautiful things out of its fruit. It is really scary to be dependent on nature, but when you hold a bottle of your own wine after all the steps involve in making it, you feel pretty proud.
O&V: Is there a particular wine or vintage that you have made that you are most proud of?
Pénélope: It's hard to answer this question because I feel like answering it would be like choosing which of our kids I prefer most! I will not be able to answer that because I love each of them equally. I think with winemaking it is pretty similar, you learn from all of them for many reasons and every year is different. That is the beauty of it!
