BCGA Viticulturist of the Year 2022
Lisa Bawald (left to right), John Bayley, Viticulturist of the year David Kozuki, and Kara Kozuki.
David Kozuki of Golden Retreat Vineyards was named the 2022 Viticulturalist of the year by the BC Grapegrowers Association.
President John Bayley, the viticulturist at Blasted Church, said Kozuki personifies the spirit of the award, to recognize those “who strive to grow the very best wine grapes.”
Bayley said naming the winner was very difficult this year, as the other two nominees were John Pires of Phantom Creek and Graham O’Rourke of Tightrope Winery, both known for extremely high quality wines.
The Golden Retreat Vineyards were first planted by Kozuki’s grandfather, and Bayley says that since inheriting the family farm, Kozuki has meticulously worked to produce some of the Okanagan’s best wine grapes.
“A short conversation with David in his vineyard and you get a clear sense for his vision and how he strives to grow the very best wine grapes,” Bayley said at the award ceremony.
“David is a farmer at heart, his family has a long history of farming in Summerland. The research and forethought he put into amending the soil and planting the vines paid off. There is no disease pressure nor pest pressure visible in his rows.
“There are many exceptional growers in BC,” Bayley added. “It is the detail in the vineyard and his perfectionism that made David stand out.”
Great grapes make for great wines, and the BCGA says that has been the case with the wines made from Golden Retreat Vineyards. For example, the Spearhead Pinot Noir - Golden Retreat has won multiple awards, including a Platinum finish at the 2021 Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in BC Wine.
The BCGA’s Viticulturalist of the Year award is not just focused on recognition. The award includes a $2,000 bursary from event sponsor Cohort Wholesale to attend a viticulture conference or educational event.
Kozuki will also be a judge for next year’s award.