Our Vineyards
Our Desert Home
Intense sunshine and cool nights create wines with remarkable intensity and precision, reflecting our home on the Black Sage Bench.
Working with nature
The Black Sage Bench is a unique desert benchland shaped by glacial activity over ten thousand years. Successive glacial floods chiseled distinct benches into the foothills of the South Okanagan. Our estate vineyards, including Sharp Rock and Double Black, are planted across these benches on high-elevation, west-facing slopes above the valley floor.
By purposefully cultivating the steepest slopes, we can work with nature rather than against it. Airflow through the vine rows minimizes disease pressure and the need for vineyard inputs, supporting our regenerative farming initiatives. It also reduces the potential for cold injury, ensuring our efforts are sustainable over the long-term.
Long days, cool nights
The vineyards bask in the afternoon sun, benefiting from long summer days that are balanced by cool desert evenings. Late-ripening varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon thrive here, with deep sandy soils producing small, concentrated berries from low-yielding vines. The resulting wines are densely structured, combining opulent fruit ripeness with retained elegance and finesse. This gives our wines remarkable longevity, with the ability to improve in bottle over decades.
Holistic farming
The desert flora and fauna of the Black Sage Bench are essential parts of our ecosystem. Native shrubs attract beneficial insects to our vineyards, bolstering organic practices. To this end, we maintain nature corridors and buffer zones, planted with indigenous species, around the estate.
The surrounding flora also adds a distinctive aromatic signature. Subtle notes of sagebrush can be found across our wines, adding complexity and freshness to heighten the rich, bold fruit. It makes for exceptional wines that are unmistakably unique to the Black Sage Bench.
Visit us at Black Hills Estate
Discover the heart of the South Okanagan with a visit to Black Hills Estate Winery. Our Wine Experience Centre offers personalized tastings in a serene, desert setting, where you can explore our award-winning wines and learn about our unique winemaking process. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or new to wine, our team is ready to guide you through a memorable journey from vineyard to glass.