Every now and then everyone likes to have a make-over. You do change over time and what fit once before no longer seems valid. You may have new values and ideas that you want to bring forth. I received this press release from Monte Creek Winery (was Monte Creek Ranch Winery) on their update. A clean new logo. I also like to see that they are looking toward further sustainable practices. It’s a good practice for everyone to follow.
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[Monte Creek, BC] Monte Creek Winery in the Thompson Valley is undergoing big changes – a refinement to the name and packaging, and investments in winery infrastructure, all to better reflect the team’s commitment to quality, ongoing innovation, and sustainable practices.
A New Look That Represents the Winery’s Ethos
“We felt that our brand needed an update to better align with our vision,” shares Erik Fisher, general manager at Monte Creek Winery. “Over the last eight years, we’ve invested our time and resources into creating a motivated, innovative, and sustainable operation, and the look we had was not reflecting this anymore. We are ready for wine lovers to understand who we are both in the bottle and on the shelf: a premium product that is delicious and sustainable.”
The new look came to life when working with designer Adrienne Van Haeren of Signify Design. The design conveys a sense of straightforward authenticity in describing the nature of the winery, environmental conditions, and processes.
The center of the new logo illustrates an M, symbolic of both Monte Creek and the rows of the vineyards. The C on the bottom incorporates the C from Monte Creek and is also symbolic of the ancient lake that formed the terroir. The negative space within the monogram that forms a V, signifies the Thompson Valley. The monogram resembles a thumb print, to reflect the winery team’s intentional handcrafted process.
The Living Land series is a celebration of the idea that great wines only come from balanced vines and earth that is truly alive and thriving. It speaks to the idea that to grow incredible fruit, you must promote and maintain an environment that is healthy and working with nature, not against it.
The 2020 Living Land Rosé and 2020 Living Land Sparkling Rosé are current examples from this series. The Rosé was awarded a Double Gold at the 2021 All Canadian Wine Championships and the Sparkling Rosé Gold at the 2021 BC Lieutenant Governor’s Awards. The Living Land series also features La Crescent, Chardonnay, Sparkling, Rosé, Piquette, Pinot Noir, Foch, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Merlot.
The Pioneer series makes a nod to the history of the area, as it relates to pioneers, frontiersmen, and prospectors – even train robbers like Bill Miner – as they sought their fortunes in the area that is now the home to Monte Creek Winery. Pursuing viticulture in the Thompson Valley embodies the pioneering spirit as well. “We are at the boundary of cool climate viticulture and it is when wineries push boundaries that exciting, unique, and delicious wines are made,” comments winemaker Galen Barnhardt. The Pioneer series includes the popular Hands Up White and Hands Up Red blends.
Sustainability is one of the core values at Monte Creek Winery. The team believes in and practices regenerative agriculture, a practice that includes the rehabilitation and conservation of the ecosystem. Examples of the winery’s techniques include a compost program and using cover crop blends with Indigenous species. The winery website has more details for those who wish to learn more about the team’s projects.
The vineyards are farmed organically with permaculture in mind. The team utilizes “chicken tractors” in the vineyard (allowing chickens to graze row by row), and is also a Certified Salmon Safe farm, certified for its practices that protect and enhance salmon health and habitat through transformative land and water management practices.
Monte Creek Winery’s sustainable practices don’t stop in the vineyards. The onsite Terrace restaurant is 100% OceanWiseTM, and the winery team has employed several initiatives that reduce energy consumption and waste, all geared to minimizing the winery’s carbon footprint. Examples of these initiatives include using pigs to eat food scraps from the kitchen, and growing produce that’s used in both restaurant dishes and drinks.
Through its sustainable practices, high-quality wines, and guest visits, the winery’s mission is to become the best wine experience in British Columbia. This experience starts the moment consumers see the packaging on the bottles, which now better aligns with the winery’s values of quality, innovation and sustainability. The winery invites people to tag them on social media at @montecreekwinery to share their thoughts on the new look. The wines can be ordered by visiting www.montecreekwinery.
About Monte Creek Winery
Through quality, innovation and sustainability, Monte Creek Winery in the Thompson Valley is turning unique growing conditions into award-winning premium wines.
The winery offers expansive views of the Thompson Valley, showcasing vineyards with the backdrop of the river, hills, forests and hoodoos, all of which are home to wildlife.
Monte Creek Winery is situated on a 1,200-acre property, with 75 acres of grapes planted in the Thompson Valley, plus 40 planted acres in the Similkameen Valley. With a focus on sustainable and regenerative farming, the wines made at Monte Creek Winery are a celebration of the purpose and place.
The Ancient Waters series refers to prior geological events that have shaped the region’s terroir. Without the natural occurrences of the past, we wouldn’t have the prized soils that we benefit from today. To showcase these unique features of our landscape, we create minimal intervention wines by working with our environment, not against it. The Living Land series signifies our use of biodiverse and regenerative agriculture techniques to sustain this unique land and all that it gives us.
In the spacious tasting room and guest centre with its distinctively picturesque views, visitors are welcomed with warm hospitality to enjoy a tasting, shop for local products, dine seasonally, or host private events. The grounds, greenhouse, and winery await you. Until your next visit, discover more at montecreekwinery.com.
