Overlooking the city of Penticton & the Okanagan Lake, Roche Wines vineyard can be found on the southern edge of the Naramata Bench.  Farming the vineyards by use of organic methods is important to owner/winemaker couple Dylan and Pénélope Roche. The Roche family moved to Penticton in 2011 from Bordeaux, France, certain of the success soon to be seen in the Okanagan Valley wine industry.

After several years of searching for the perfect property in the Naramata to Okanagan falls region, Dylan and Pénélope finally discovered their 8 acre property with four acres of vines on the Upper bench road in 2014. It was on this site a mere 5 minute drive from downtown Penticton that Roche wines opened their doors to the new winery and tasting room in 2017. Here you can learn more about the History of Roche Wines and traditional French production methods while sampling the range of small batch wines on offer.

Domaine Roche

Set against the gentle slope of Campbell Mountain ensuring good drainage and ideal exposure, the twenty-two year old ungrafted vines are deeply rooted in a mix of silt, organic matter and gravel. This vineyard site adjoins the winery and includes 3 acres of Schonberger, 1 acre of Zweigelt, 1.12 acres of Chardonnay and 0.63 acres of Pinot noir. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were planted in summer 2017.

Kozier Organic Vineyard

Located 4 km north of the winery, Roche Wines utilise grapes from the Kozier Organic vineyard. The 15-acre property was planted in 2007 in a west facing, gently sloping amphitheatre that is steeper as it approaches the mountain side.

Gravel, sand and organic material from the mountainside above mix with denser glacial silt. The certified organic farm benefits from the synergy of a warm microclimate with cool soils ensuring long, even ripening.

Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Viognier and Gewurztraminer are planted according to variations in slope orientation and subsoils to meet the needs of each variety.

From pruning to harvest, every decision is made based on observation and experience, with one priority – to obtain the purest, most balanced grapes possible by treating the grapevine and its ecosystem as inseparable and co-dependent partners.

‍

‍