Benton Lane Winery

Benton-Lane grows 100% of its Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay. This is because they use costly, labour-intensive practices in the vineyard to make the fruit more flavorful and balanced. If they were selling their grapes, they wouldn’t incur the cost of these extra measures. So, Benton-Lane grows rather than buys which ensures a higher quality product.

When Benton-Lane founders Steve and Carol saw the vineyard for the first time, they thought they had won the lottery–it was perfect, especially for Pinot Noir.

The vineyard was a historic, beautiful sheep ranch called Sunnymount. They learned that this name came about over 100 years ago due to Prairie Peak to the west that protected the ranch from winter storms. This mountain carves the rain clouds, sending them north and south while the ranch bathes in sun. Exposure to the sun produces wine with full flavour.

The Benton-Lane vineyard is nestled in the middle of a peninsula-like outcropping of the Coastal Mountain Range on a gentle southeast slope. This aspect allows the vines to receive both the benefit of early morning sun and full exposure throughout the day. The vineyard also rests high enough so the cold night air drains down to the valley floor, which helps the vines escape harmful frosts. The vines are above the valley fog-line yet low enough to escape the strong winds at the top, both of which would adversely affect grape quality. The volcanic soils are brick red due to their high iron content and are deep and well-drained, ensuring active and healthy root systems.