Jentsch Cellars is located just south of Road 13, at 4522 Highway 97, Oliver, BC. Our brief history as a winery started in 2012 and has already been recognized nationally and internationally as a producer of fine vintage wines. Jentsch Cellars are Chris and Betty Jentsch. So you are in the know, “Jentsch” is pronounced like “bench” with a “Y”. Say “Yench”.
“C. & C.” are Betty and Chris’ middle in
itials. The Jentsch family history of farming in the Okanagan Valley can be traced back to 1929 as tree fruit growers. At the turn of the millennium Chris began the conversion of the cherry orchards to vineyards. Blocks of cabernet sauvignon , cabernet franc, merlot, petit verdot, malbec and syrah were planted. A small amount of viognier and gewürztraminer were grown. In 2010 Chris added a 10-acre site in Summerland (Okanagan Lake Vineyard) ideally suited to growing chardonnay. The early years saw grape production sold to area wineries. In 2012 Chris decided to use his own grapes for a test vintage, that brought some encouraging results, and there was no turning back. Conversion of the old cherry packing plant on Hwy 97 near Oliver to a winery followed. Our wine shop opened a year later and despite its small size, welcomes thousands of visitors every year. Winemaker Amber Pratt guided the 2013 - 2016 vintages and produced many award winning wines. Paula Cooper now guides the winemaking team at our Oliver winery. In November 2017 Chris and Betty decided to down size and sold the Golden Mile Bench vineyard. The cellar still holds yet to be released wines from 2016 2017 and 2018. Going forward production is projected around 4,000 cases annually based on grapes from Our Summerland, Testalinden Creek and Eugenio Vineyards. August 2019 saw the purchase of adjacent land to our Summerland chardonnay vineyard for a new vineyard that was planted the spring of 2020 with Pinot Noir.
