3 Mile Estate Winery is a family affair located on the Naramata Bench between Hillside Estate Winery and Laughing Stock Winery. Sisters Gayle and Colleen share all the hats in the Tickle Trunk of winery operations with help from their husbands, their children and their (retired) father. Consulting winemaker Kelly Symonds gives Colleen a hand in the cellar to create their lineup of unique, small production wines made from grapes that are primarily grown on their reunited historical site.
The winery opened in 2010, overcoming the challenging growing conditions with amazing alacrity. Their 2011 vintage went just as well, in spite of limited cooperation from Mother Nature. The wines are fantastic and can be found, among other places, on the by-the-glass list at the Smack Dab – Manteo Resort in Kelowna. Gayle and Colleen are particularly excited about the upcoming 2012 vintage. The 2012 Gewürztraminer is stunning, with classic notes of spice, lychee and roses. The palate is exactly as a Gewürztraminer should be, with lychee, rose petals and a hint of honey and apple blossoms all balanced out with fantastic acidity, which will make this wine a great partner for a variety of dishes. The 2010 Trio is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah with a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon for good measure. The nose delights with ripe black cherry, vanilla and spice. On the palate fine tannins support more black cherry with hints of tobacco, cedar, cloves and black pepper.
3 Mile Winery has a total production of roughly 1400 cases, so there isn’t much to go around. If you really want to try their wines, the best thing to do is visit their tasting room which also doubles as a guest house, an antique furniture boutique and an art gallery featuring local artist Janice Blyth.
~ Courtney Fossett