Our Estate Vineyard
Our wines are crafted exclusively from fruit grown on our single estate vineyard, located on Skaha Bench in Penticton, British Columbia.
After an extensive three-year search for the perfect site, John Skinner discovered a 56-acre west-sloping bench, once home to the largest apricot orchard in the British Commonwealth. Surrounded by an amphitheater of rock and overlooking Skaha Lake, the site offered the long, hot summer days, ideal airflow, and complex soil composition necessary to produce world-class wines.
The apricot orchard in 1962
The fallow land covered in tree stumps in 2003.
In 2004, the Skinner family purchased the property, clearing and contouring the land to optimize conditions before planting began.
A meticulous planting strategy was developed based on detailed soil analysis, heat unit measurements, and airflow studies.
The 27 acre vineyard is now home to over 57,500 vines, planted in high-density 7’x3’ spacing, with each variety selected for its ability to thrive in the estate’s unique conditions.
Clones and rootstocks were sourced from a Bordeaux nursery, ensuring complexity and consistency in every block. Unlike traditional north-south row orientation, our vines are planted east-west to encourage optimal airflow and mitigate frost risk.
Our vineyard’s soil is a dynamic mix of topsoil, glacial silt, clay, sand, volcanic ash deposits, and underlying gravels, providing excellent drainage and nutrient diversity. By 2013, soil analysis confirmed that vine roots had begun penetrating the gravel layers, further enhancing terroir-driven characteristics.
In 2018, Skaha Bench became the fourth officially recognized sub-GI of the Okanagan Valley, highlighting our distinct terroir. This designation allows us to proudly feature Skaha Bench on the front label of our wines, reinforcing our commitment to expressing the unique character of our estate vineyard.
Block Legend
Click the block for full details.
*Infill plantings done in 2006 and 2009 around initial blocks planted in 2005.
Block M
*Infill plantings done in 2006 and 2009 around initial blocks planted in 2005.
Vineyard Blocks
Environmental Stewardship
Sustainable farming practices are central to our approach—we eliminated all non-organic treatments by 2010. Instead of herbicides, we employ a grape hoe to till under the vines to remove weeds, while predator birds such as hawks and owls naturally control pests.
Environmental stewardship extends beyond vineyard care. Our irrigation strategy focuses on root training to reduce water usage, while solar panels, installed in 2017, generate enough renewable energy to power our operations and contribute excess energy back to the grid.
After losing a third of our 2010 harvest to a family of black bears, we installed an electrified perimeter fence, ensuring that both our crops and local wildlife remain undisturbed.
At Painted Rock, every decision is made with precision and intention, ensuring that our vineyard remains a thriving, sustainable source of exceptional wines for generations to come.
From a vision to A reality
Our journey at Painted Rock began in the late 1990s with John and Trish Skinner’s belief in the Okanagan Valley’s enormous, yet largely unrealized, potential.