Blue Mountain Vineyard
Encyclopedia
Vaseux Lake
Vaseux Lake is a freshwater lake located along th course of the Okanagan River in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. The lake has the towns Okanagan Falls to the north, and Oliver to the south. The lake stage is controlled by McIntyre Dam...
in Okanagan Falls, British Columbia
Okanagan Falls, British Columbia
Okanagan Falls is a community located on the south end of Skaha Lake in British Columbia. Originally named Dogtown, which was derived from the name Dog Lake , the current name derives from the former small set of the falls that used to lie on the Okanagan River at the outlet of the lake.-References:...
is a Canadian Winery
Canadian wine
Canadian wine is produced in mainly southern British Columbia and southern Ontario. There is also a growing number of small scale producers of grapes and wine in southern Quebec and Nova Scotia. The two largest wine-producing regions in Canada are the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia and the...
. Situated near the bottom of British Columbia's
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
Okanagan Valley, Blue Mountain produces over 12,000 cases of wine per year. Blue Mountain’s tasting room is open by appointment only.
History
In 1971, Proprietor Ian completed his Agriculture degree and purchased his first parcel of land which now constitutes Blue Mountain’s vineyard. Described as “the most radically laid-out vineyard in the Okanagan Valley,” Blue Mountain’s picturesque view, overlooking Vaseux LakeVaseux Lake
Vaseux Lake is a freshwater lake located along th course of the Okanagan River in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. The lake has the towns Okanagan Falls to the north, and Oliver to the south. The lake stage is controlled by McIntyre Dam...
, is very isolated from the main valley corridor. The local terroir provides Blue Mountain with varying “micro-climates” conducive for grape-growing of differing varietals. It was the unique qualities of the terroir that led Mavetys to establish the vineyard near Okanagan Falls.
For over 2 decades, the Mavetys supplied their grapes by contract to other commercial wineries. In 1991, the Mavetys had sufficiently refined their skills at viticulture and wine making so as to release their first wines under the Blue Mountain label. Shortly after the first release, The Mavetys’ son Matt joined the family business. Matt earned a degree in agricultural economics from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
(his father’s alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
) and a post-graduate degree in viticulture studies at Lincoln University
Lincoln University, New Zealand
Lincoln University is a New Zealand university that was formed in 1990 when Lincoln College, Canterbury was made independent of the University of Canterbury...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Matt’s mother Jane runs the winery’s marketing operations.
