Red Rooster Winery is back

The architecturally-striking Red Rooster Winery, after taking a year off last year to replant its vineyard, is back with several well made wines. The winery has been a fixture on the Naramata Bench for more than a quarter of a century. It was opened in 1997 by Swiss immigrants Beat and Prudence Mahrer and operated from a modest set of buildings just off Naramata Road. The name was inspired by their pet rooster, sometimes kept in a coop beside the driveway to the winery.

Ambitious to have higher visibility, the Mahrers had architect Robert Mackenzie design a palatial set of buildings on a site right on Naramata Road. Then in 2005, they sold the winery to Andrew Peller Ltd. Four years later, when they found they missed the wine business, they opened Ruby Blues Winery just north of Red Rooster. Most summers, both parking lots have been jammed with tourists – at least until Red Rooster took a year off. It is good news that this attractive location has its tasting room open again. A quick look at the winery’s website discloses a variety of tasting experiences, sometimes as simple sitting in a chair with a glass of wine and enjoying the views.

Cameron Laverock, the Okanagan-born winemaker now in the cellar, graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2015 with a degree in microbiology. After a year with a craft brewery, he moved to winemaking for a year at Summerhill Estate Winery. In 2017, he moved into the Peller group, making wine at Gray Monk Estate Winery and now also at Red Rooster. He is making some excellent wines. Here are notes on three.

Red Rooster Pinot Gris 2025 ($24). This is a delicious wine beginning with aromas of apples and stone fruits. The luscious flavours deliver peaches and ripe pears with a finish that is crisp, clean and persistent. 90.

Red Rooster Pinot 3 2025 ($22). This is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. This is as crisp and refreshing white wine, with aromas and flavours of apple, citrus and stone fruits. 90.

Red Rooster Pinot Noir 2025 ($26). This young red recalls exuberant Beaujolais. Dark in colour, it has spicy cherry aromas. The palate is full, delivering flavours of cherry and red plum. 91.