Lori and Michael Savard bought the Savard Vines property in 2003 as an Okanagan get away from their jobs in Edmonton; and where their four children – all good swimmers – could enjoy the lake. She was a nurse practitioner in cardiology and Michael was (and still is) an emergency room physician.

The first time I saw the Savard Vines logo, it brought back fond memories of my early days in Sudbury Ontario, watching the dashing Montréal Canadiens defenseman – Serge Savard, as he won eight Stanley Cups. 

To reach the winery you need to take a steep drive with five switchbacks down the mountainside.  At the end of the paved road, you find a picturesque view of the Savard vineyard and Okanagan Lake. The switchbacks, which make the approach to the tasting room so memorable, have inspired “Five Turns” as the label for a Savard Vines’ red blend.

The construction of our winery building began in the spring of 2015. It was a hectic summer being one of the hottest with a very early harvest.

The vineyard is just over 4 acres located on the western slopes of Lake Okanagan about 5 Km north of Summerland.  On a dusty day in May 2006, with the help of friends, Lori and Michael planted their first 5000 plants by hand.  The majority of the vines were planted in the spring of 2008. The general orientation of the property is facing southeast with a gentle downhill slope of 5-10 degrees towards Lake Okanagan.  Due to the natural contours and silt bluffs of the land, they are only able to farm roughly 4.5 of the 10-acre plot. The plantings include equal amounts of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris with a smattering of Cab Franc and Malbec.

The winemaking team consists of  Michael and Lori Savard alongside their consultant Pascal Madevon.  Lori studied to become a sommelier from the ISG Program in 2014. She also graduated from the Winemaking Diploma Program at UC Davis in California in 2015.

Savard Vines Purple Petal Rosé 2017

13.5 % Alcohol. The dry Pinot Noir Rosé exhibits a gorgeous pink salmon hue and an aroma bursting with ripe peach, strawberry, raspberry and apple blossoms.  The peachy palate has a fresh juicy texture with earthy undertones leading to the long mouth-watering creamy finish.

A beautiful wine just begging for a hot summer day to quench the wine enthusiast’s thirst. 

Savard Vines 5 Turns 2015

 “5 Turns” describes the 5 switchback turns down to the winery. Like the road, 5 Turns is an exciting wine!

5 Turns is a delicious red blend made from 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Gamay varietals. The wine has a gorgeous red colour.  The nose is highly aromatic and bursts with fruit.  On the palate, there are flavours of sour cherry and strawberry with a hint of spice.  This is an extremely smooth wine with well-balanced tannins and acid.

The Pinot Noir contributes elements of elegance and silk with the Gamay adding deep colour and structure and a hint of pepper.

The wine is light and refreshing yet highly versatile. It is a great entertaining wine as it stands alone well or pairs favourably with many food dishes including beef, hearty stews, salmon chicken, duck or hard cheeses.  The wine was a Gold Medal winner at the 2017 All Canadian Wine Championships.

For the complete portfolio of Savard Vines wine please visit their website.

Source: Savard Vines provided the Winery and Vineyard information.