In the spring of 1998, ground was broken on the construction of Martin Malivoire's winery. This would require the repurposing and expansion of an older steel farm structure overlooking a ravine that jutted into the Bench. The location was opportune, for it allowed the new winery to descend the side of the ravine to the creek bed below. This, in turn, would allow the winery to engage gravity as a production engine.
The concept, new at the time to Canada, held that fine wine benefits when eased gently through its stages. Movement by gravity causes minimal stress to wine and allows closer control of potentially harmful oxygen exposure. Evidence was soon to follow. A series of tiers were equipped to enable the first steps in vinification, sorting and crushing, at the uppermost level, and succeeding steps to occur below.
Late that summer of 1998, the new winery crushed its first Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Maréchal Foch. #20yearsin20posts