Discover Okanagan Falls Terroir with Noble Ridge
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The Winery Story
Noble Ridge Founders Jim and Leslie D’Andreas first met while attending Queens University in Kingston, Ontario.
In the early 1980′s they moved to Calgary, Alberta where they made a home and raised their 3 children. Jim was a litigation partner with Bennett Jones LLP specializing in employment law and has authored 2 books on the subject. Leslie worked in hospital administration with a focus in health promotion and gerontology.
Leslie’s focus is now solely on Noble Ridge and Jim is now officially retired to life on the vineyard!
In 1998 Jim and Leslie set off across Europe with their 3 children and plans for adventure. When they returned home 3 months later they brought back a full family album and a realization about what they wanted to do with their lives.
The Noble Ridge story starts with true passion and abundant optimism. How else can one look at a stretch of dirt and see the makings of your life’s dream?
And this passion that created a need and this optimism that created a hope is how Noble Ridge came to be. It’s what stirred Jim and Leslie to put all their faith in soil and sunshine. To put in the type of work that requires not just eager hands but committed hearts. To strive to be the best they can be; to strive to be Noble.
In 2001 the D’Andreas bought themselves a stretch of land in the Okanagan Valley. Their original plot came with only 3.5 acres of vines that were planted in 1986. So they started planting. In 2003 their years of labour gave them their first vintage; 40 cases of Pinot Noir and 500 cases of Meritage. Today Noble Ridge has 24-acres of planted vines. Now the vineyard repays the hard work of those who’ve tilled it’s rocky soil with award winning wine.
About the Winemakers
Benoît Gauthier, Chief Operating Officer & Director of Winemaking and Viticulture
Benoît joined Noble Ridge in 2011. He brought with him local and international winemaking and viticulture experience and a passion for great wines. All of his 14+ years working in the wine industry in BC have been devoted to specializing in the Okanagan Falls terroir. With the help of his dedicated team, Benoît strives to grow premium Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne varietals. During his tenure as winemaker, his wines have been recognized worldwide with numerous significant awards, including 99 points for his King’s Ransom Meritage in the New World International Competition, a gold medal at the prestigious Chardonnay du Monde competition and Best Sparkling of the Year in the All-Canadian Wine Championships to name a few.
The key to Benoit’s winemaking success is developing a thorough understanding of the soils and microclimates found in both of Noble Ridge’s vineyards. By creating a tailored management system for each individual block that takes into account additional factors, such as the trellis system, varietal, and clone, Benoît coaxes the best out of every vine. His minimalistic approach to winemaking and judicious use of barrels, allows him to create the ultimate expression of Noble Ridge’s unique terroir.
Born in a small town in Northern Québec, Benoît went on to study Chemistry at Université de Sherbrooke, all the while spending time traveling extensively throughout Europe and North America. On a visit to the Sonoma and Napa Valleys in California, Benoît fell in love with wine, and decided that winemaking would be the penultimate application of his chemistry degree.
This decision led him to move to the Okanagan Valley in 2008 to commence his winemaking education. While studying, he developed great chemistry with a wonderful woman, Maya, who would become his beloved wife. They now have two young daughters, Lili and Clara, and a rambunctious Goldendoodle named Fozzie. Together, they enjoy a happy life of family adventures at home and in the great outdoors.
Blair Gillingham, Winemaker
Blair’s role at Noble Ridge will be to work with Benoit Gauthier to further enhance the production of premium quality wines on the estate. Blair will be involved with all the winemaking aspects of the operation.
Blair moved to the Okanagan from Victoria, BC before the harvest of 2001. His first experience was at Sumac Ridge Winery where a lightbulb went off and he knew that wine was his future. Thanks to his teaching background, Blair has followed a self directed enology and viticulture theory study while obtaining a wealth of knowledge with hands-on harvest experiences in New Zealand, Australia, and Austria. Blair returned to Penticton and has since worked for some of BC’s highest regarded wineries. He has spent the last 10 years on the Naramata Bench but his time in Austria has sparked his personal love of the varietal Grüner Veltliner, although his highest accolade achieved was for a 2015 Viognier.