A SUNDAY IN AUGUST
NATURAL WINEMAKING 101
When I asked Michael Schindler (winemaker/proprietor of A Sunday In August) how he learned how to make wine, he said he put one foot in front of the other. Looking at a winery as a whole is daunting. The amount of science, agriculture, chemistry, biology, marketing, and bureaucracy you need to navigate is enough to make anyone’s head spin. He found it much more palatable by breaking it down into a series of little tasks.
His first major step was buying grapes. The Okanagan actually has a directory for grapes farmers would like to sell. It comes complete with prices, farming certifications, tonnage, and anything else you’d need to make a decision. The next step is turning those grapes into wine. His first attempt resulted in some pretty mediocre gewürztraminer, made in a shed and consumed mostly by his friends on their Vancouver balconies. It may not have been perfect, but technically, he succeeded. Voila!
THE BIG LEAGUES
The next step involved scaling up and honing his craft. He leased space in a small winery in the Okanagan; buying a production facility would be extraordinarily expensive and take decades to pay off. He also harassed as many winemakers as he possibly could (especially Jay from Bella in Naramata) to make cleaner, tastier wines. By asking one question at a time, he could really wrap his head around the nuances of fermentation. The wines were spectacular!
NOTORIETY
Since then, he has scaled up even further, making nearly two thousand cases per year. His wines are featured at all my favourite B.C. restaurants, including Agrius, Kissa Tanto, Burdock, Juice Bar, and OLO. He’s also one of the sweetest, most genuine humans I’ve ever met. It’s an absolute honour to represent his wines in Alberta.
GROWN AND MADE ON THE TRADITIONAL LANDS OF THE: NŁEʔKEPMX TMÍXʷ (NLAKA’PAMUX) | SYILX | OKANAGAN
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $42.00
CSPC: 816384
2022 PINOT GRIS
This wine is made from organic Pinot Gris grown in the Okanagan. The grapes underwent semi-carbonic maceration in stainless steel for three days before being pressed off. After a short élevage, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 30ppm of SO2. The label art is done by Claire Milbrath. 600 cases were produced. 13.4% ABV
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $42.00
CSPC: 890279
2022 carbonic orange
Mike’s newest cuvée is made from a blend of Gewurztraminer and Vidal. The grapes were fermented carbonically for eight days before being pressed off into stainless steel for élevage. After a few months, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 30ppm of SO2. The label art is done by Claire Milbrath. 1000 cases were produced. 12.5% ABV
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $49.00
CSPC: 871485
2022 co-ferment blanc
This wine comes from a single organic site in Peachland. Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon were direct pressed into stainless steel for fermentation and élevage. After a few months, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 30ppm of SO2. The label art is done by Celia Duthie. 250 cases were produced. 13.4% ABV
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $49.00
CSPC: 871482
2022 Rosé
This wine comes from a single organic site in Peachland. Pinot Noir underwent a day of whole-cluster maceration before being pressed off into stainless steel for fermentation. After a short élevage, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 30ppm of SO2. The label art is done by Celia Duthie. 150 cases were produced. 13.6% ABV
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $57.00
CSPC: 819426
2022 lilypond pinot noir
This wine comes from Okanagan Falls’ legendary Lilypond Vineyard. The grapes are fermented semi-carbonically for two weeks before the wine is pressed into neutral barrel for a short élevage. After a few months, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 30ppm of SO2. The label art is done by Darby Milbrath. 200 cases were produced. 13.1% ABV
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $56.00
CSPC: 890281
2022 peachland pinot noir
This wine comes from a single organic site in Peachland. The grapes are fermented semi-carbonically for two weeks before the wine is pressed into neutral barrel for a short élevage. After a few months, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 30ppm of SO2. The label art is done by Claire Milbrath. 250 cases were produced. 13.4% ABV
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $53.00
CSPC: 871489
2022 zweigelt
Back for its second iteration, Mike’s Zweigelt comes from an organic vineyard in Peachland. The grapes were fermented semi-carbonically for three days in tank before the wine was pressed off into neutral barrel. After a short élevage, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 30ppm of SO2. The label art is done by Tessa Perutz. 100 cases were produced. 12.7% ABV
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $57.00
CSPC: 810868
2022 cabernet ok
Mike was finally able to get his hands on some stellar Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to make an amped up version of his beloved Bordeaux blend from a few vintages back. The grapes come from an organic site in Okanagan Falls. Whole clusters undergo a ten day semi-carbonic maceration before being pressed off into neutral barrel for élevage. The finished wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 30ppm of SO2. The label art is done by Leia Bryans. 125 cases were produced. 13.2% ABV
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $50.00
CSPC: 890280
2022 island vibes
This certified organic vineyard is on the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island. Mike co- fermented Ortega, Foch, Pinot Noir, and Leon Millot for seven days semi-carbonically before pressing the wine off into stainless steel for élevage. After a short élevage, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 30ppm of SO2. The label art is done by Line Hachem. 300 cases were produced. 10.7% ABV
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $13.00 (375ml)
CSPC: 848673
piquette blanc cans
The grapes for this wine, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, and Sauvignon Blanc, come from vineyards across the Okanagan. Water and a small amount of fermenting juice were added to a tank with pressed grape skins. The unfermented sugars locked in the skins were extracted, and fermentation continued for two weeks before the low alcohol wine was pressed off. After élevage over winter, the wine is bottled with a small amount of organic honey for secondary fermentation resulting in a lightly sparkling wine. Only 300 flats were produced. 5.5% ABV
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $13.00 (375ml)
CSPC: 848675
piquette rosé cans
The grapes for this wine, Pinot Gris and Cabernet Franc, come from vineyards across the Okanagan. Water and a small amount of fermenting juice were added to a tank with pressed grape skins. The unfermented sugars locked in the skins were extracted, and fermentation continued for two weeks before the low alcohol wine was pressed off. After élevage over winter, the wine is bottled with a small amount of organic honey for secondary fermentation resulting in a lightly sparkling wine. Only 300 flats were produced. 5.5% ABV