Mission Hill Winery
Encyclopedia
Mission Hill Winery is a Canadian
wine grower
and producer. It is based in West Kelowna, British Columbia, in the Okanagan Valley wine region.
Anthony von Mandl was a wine seller in Vancouver
during the 1970s and assisted in preparing a feasibility study regarding growing grapes in the area for Josef Milz, a Mosel based winery. While the German vintner did not go ahead with a purchase, von Mandl decided that the area was worth investing in, and in 1981 purchased the abandoned Mission Hill estate. von Mandl is also the founder of Mike's Hard Lemonade Co.
.
The first Chardonnay
made by John Sims, who had just joined the winery, in the 1992 vintage won the trophy for "Best Chardonnay" at the 1994 International Wine and Spirit Competition
, becoming the first Okanagan winery to receive significant overseas recognition.
Olson Kundig Architects were commissioned in 1996 to rebuild the winery and associated buildings. This was the first winery project undertaken by the design firm. The work was completed in 2000 at an estimated cost of thirty-five million Canadian dollars. The centrepiece and focal point of the design was a twelve story and 85 foot high bell tower, with four bells cast by Fonderie Paccard
in Annecy, France who also crafted the bells for St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York and Sacré-Cœur in Paris. The largest bell weighs nearly 800 kilograms.
The estate was named Canadian "Winery of the Year" by Wine Access as part of their Canadian Wine Annual
in 2001 and 2007.
.
in New Zealand, having worked there since 1978.
Michel Rolland
, a prominent French oenologist, has been consulting at the estate since 2005.
Mission Hill estate produces wines across four tiers. Their entry level wines are labeled as "Five Vineyards". The next tier are the "Reserve" wines, followed by "SLC" (Select Lot Collection) and the top tier "Legacy" series.
The flagship "Oculus" is a Bordeaux style red wine made from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It is named after circular windows
used in classical architecture.
The estate has a sixty-seat restaurant called "Terrace" that opened in 2002. It overlooks Lake Okanagan. In 2008 it was named by Travel + Leisure
magazine as one of the five best winery restaurants in the world.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
wine grower
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
and producer. It is based in West Kelowna, British Columbia, in the Okanagan Valley wine region.
History
Mission Hill Winery was established in 1966 by a group of local businessmen at a cost of approximately $500,000.Anthony von Mandl was a wine seller in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
during the 1970s and assisted in preparing a feasibility study regarding growing grapes in the area for Josef Milz, a Mosel based winery. While the German vintner did not go ahead with a purchase, von Mandl decided that the area was worth investing in, and in 1981 purchased the abandoned Mission Hill estate. von Mandl is also the founder of Mike's Hard Lemonade Co.
Mike's Hard Lemonade Co.
Mike's Hard Lemonade Co. is a United States-based manufacturer of alcoholic beverages. It is named after its flagship and original product, Mike's Hard Lemonade, a well-known mixture of lemonade flavor and an unflavored hard liquor base....
.
The first Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
made by John Sims, who had just joined the winery, in the 1992 vintage won the trophy for "Best Chardonnay" at the 1994 International Wine and Spirit Competition
International Wine and Spirit Competition
The International Wine & Spirit Competition is an annual wine competition founded in 1969 by the [German/British] oenologist Anton Massel.. Each year the competition receives entries from over 80 countries worldwide. The awards given by the competition are considered to be some of the highest...
, becoming the first Okanagan winery to receive significant overseas recognition.
Olson Kundig Architects were commissioned in 1996 to rebuild the winery and associated buildings. This was the first winery project undertaken by the design firm. The work was completed in 2000 at an estimated cost of thirty-five million Canadian dollars. The centrepiece and focal point of the design was a twelve story and 85 foot high bell tower, with four bells cast by Fonderie Paccard
Fonderie Paccard
Fonderie Paccard is a French foundry founded in 1796, which has cast more than 120,000 bells located throughout the world. The foundry has been continuously operated for seven generations by the Paccard family. The largest bell cast by Paccard is the World Peace Bell....
in Annecy, France who also crafted the bells for St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York and Sacré-Cœur in Paris. The largest bell weighs nearly 800 kilograms.
The estate was named Canadian "Winery of the Year" by Wine Access as part of their Canadian Wine Annual
Canadian Wine Annual
The Canadian Wine Annual is the yearly guide to Canadian wineries from Wine Access magazine, Canada’s authoritative guide to wine and food. The Annual is published every spring and includes a complete listing of Canadian wineries, as well as maps, accommodations and other travel information...
in 2001 and 2007.
Vineyards
Until 1996, Mission Hill had purchased grapes from vineyards owned by others to produce wine, with no vineyard holdings of its own. It started to purchase its own vineyards in 1996. Mission Hill now owns 900 acres of vineyards, which account for around 12 percent of the total vineyard space in British Columbia. The vineyards are primarily located in the Southern Okanagan Valley, as well as Naramata and Mount BoucherieMount Boucherie
Mount Boucherie is a mountain located in West Kelowna on the west shore of Okanagan Lake, British Columbia, Canada, opposite the city of Kelowna. It is the remnants of a former stratovolcano created nearly 60 million years ago. Between four and six different glacial periods over the past 50...
.
Wines and winemaking
The current chief winemaker is John Simes who joined the estate in 1992. Simes was previously head winemaker at Montana WinesMontana Wines
Montana Wines is New Zealand's largest wine company, owning vineyards in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, and Waipara.- History :Montana was founded by a Croatian immigrant, Ivan Yukich , who planted his first vines in 1934 in the Waitakere Ranges west of Auckland. The first wine was sold in...
in New Zealand, having worked there since 1978.
Michel Rolland
Michel Rolland
Michel Rolland is an influential Bordeaux-based oenologist, with hundreds of clients across 13 countries and influencing wine style around the world...
, a prominent French oenologist, has been consulting at the estate since 2005.
Mission Hill estate produces wines across four tiers. Their entry level wines are labeled as "Five Vineyards". The next tier are the "Reserve" wines, followed by "SLC" (Select Lot Collection) and the top tier "Legacy" series.
The flagship "Oculus" is a Bordeaux style red wine made from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It is named after circular windows
Oculus
An Oculus, circular window, or rain-hole is a feature of Classical architecture since the 16th century. They are often denoted by their French name, oeil de boeuf, or "bull's-eye". Such circular or oval windows express the presence of a mezzanine on a building's façade without competing for...
used in classical architecture.
Other
Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure is a travel magazine based in New York City, New York. Published 12 times a year, it has 4.8 million readers, according to its corporate media kit. It is put out by American Express Publishing Corporation, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express Company led by...
magazine as one of the five best winery restaurants in the world.