| BC SPOTLIGHT |
Not having been in school for 10 years, it wasn’t easy, says the
winemaker. “Everybody else had a degree, a university background, and I did not. But I was the only one there who’d actually been making wine for five years. We all helped each other, though. In the end, it made sense of everything I’d been doing. And I now understand wine chemistry—which I truly love!” Multi-Tasking Hall finds the scope and variety of his profession deeply satisfying. “It’s a little bit of everything. I love the energy and the pace. For every wine, you start out the year with an end design. You have to see where you’re going: how to put it all together, right from fermentation to bottling. Before I even taste the finished wine, I almost know what it’s going to taste like. I get to put the puzzle together before it’s even made. You have to focus. But what I really like is that it brings out the artist in me.” That artistry is already paying dividends, as Hall’s vintages are now winning accolades in their own right. Respect for the Land As NkˇMip Cellars has matured over two decades, an ever-growing number of band members have joined its staff and, like Hall, are playing important roles. Most importantly, its success contributes substantially to the band’s financial independence and consistently high rate of employment. The winery’s Indigenous identity and connection to the land are apparent at every turn, including the use of the Syilx language to name several of its premium wines. With its award-winning wines and unique tasting room featuring authentic First Nations artworks, it’s no surprise that NkˇMip Cellars and patio, and NkˇMip Desert Cultural Centre have blossomed into the South Okanagan’s most visited destinations.
The Patio Restaurant Photo courtesy of Nk'Mip Cellars
NK'MIP TALON BC VQA $32.99 374884 Expect red and black fruit up front with some cedar hints before a plush and generous lengthy palate of mulberry, raspberry and black pepper spice wrapped in supple tannins and refreshing acidity.
NK'MIP DREAMCATCHER BC VQA $26.99 615732 This Riesling-dominant blend with Sauvignon Blanc and Ehrenfelser yields stone fruit and citrus aromas before a juicy, lively,
peach-and-apple palate through a lengthy finish.
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