Photo: Winemaker and General Manager Grant Stanley
SpearHead Winery in East Kelowna decided to replant its entire vineyard in 2025 after two hard winters caused major damage to its vines.
“Approximately 24,000 vines were planted, with material sourced from top tier nurseries with a continued emphasis on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling,” the winery writes. “The replant provided an opportunity to reassess varietal placement and site expression, informed by years of experience farming the property.”
General manager Grant Stanley and Lisa Jansen, the vineyard manager, chose to plant half the vines on their own roots. This was “a deliberate choice aimed at improving long-term resilience in the face of extreme winter events.” The explanation is that own-rooted vines can be regenerated from the roots if damaged in a freeze. When vines on rootstock are damaged, they may regrow from the rootstock which produces no fruit.
The winery expects the first crop from the estate will be harvested in 2027.
With no estate grapes available in the 2024 vintage, SpearHead – like many of its peers in the Okanogan – sourced grapes in Washington and Oregon. “Working with U.S. vineyards during the 2024 harvest allowed SpearHead to maintain a continuity in winemaking,” the winery writes. “These wines are crafted in Canada by the SpearHead team.” The wines are released as the Dual Citizen series wines and are “an intentional exploration of site and variety beyond the Okanagan without compromising house style.”
Here are notes on current releases.
SpearHead Dual Citizen Chardonnay 2024 ($36). The grapes came from Upland Vineyard in Washington’s Yakima Valley. The fruit was fermented in French oak (25% new) and aged 10 months in barrel. The wine begins with aromas of vanilla and apple, leading to flavours of stone fruits on a rich palate. 91.
SpearHead Dual Citizen Clone 777 Pinot Noir 2024 ($39). The fruit is from Cherry Hill Vineyard in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The crushed grapes had a six-day cold soak before ferment. Wild yeast was allowed to ferment the wine which was then aged 13 month in French oak (25% new). As is often the case with Oregon Pinot Noirs, this is a pretty wine with cherry aromas and flavours. The finish is silky. 91.
SpearHead Dual Citizen Pommard Clone Pinot Noir 2024 ($39). The fruit is also from Cherry Hill Vineyard. After a six-day cold soak, the fruit was fermented with natural yeast and aged 13 months in French oak (25% new). This is an exuberant wine with aromas and flavours of dark cherry on a juicy texture. 93.
SpearHead Dual Citizen Syrah 2024 ($42). The fruit was sourced from Inland Vineyard in Washington’s Columbia Valley. In the winery, the fruit was handled gently, almost like Pinot Noir and was fermented with natural yeast. I would recommend cellaring this wine for another year to allow the aromas and flavours to develop. The winery is not releasing the wine until spring because it needs more time to develop in bottle. Dark in the glass and full-bodied, the wine has flavours of plum and dark cherry. 90.
