Tinhorn Creek Vineyards

About Tinhorn Creek Vineyards

Discover the beauty and exceptional quality of Tinhorn Creek vineyards, nestled among stunning vineyards views and sage-covered terrain. Located in the heart of BC’s famed Golden Mile Bench, the first sub-appellation in the region, our vineyards are recognized for their unique terroir and outstanding quality.
Tinhorn Creek has been crafting award-winning wines since 1993. As the number one winery destination evoking classic south Okanagan terroir, Tinhorn Creek proudly offers 100% estate grown wines, growing grapes on both the Black Sage and Golden Mile benches. Visit us for an unforgettable winery experience, featuring wine tastings, self-guided tours, summer concerts, a wine club member’s lounge and tastings of our award-winning wines, which rank among the best in BC.
Tinhorn Creek is committed to responsible stewardship for the land, people, community and the future, paying homage to the winery’s roots and ideals. The picturesque Estate is also home to the Miradoro Restaurant – where rustic meets elegant, in delicious harmony.

Representative Biography

Leandro Nosal, Winemaker

Leandro joined the team at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards as Winemaker in the Summer of 2020. With more than 10 years of experience under his belt, Leandro has honed his winemaking skills by studying and working with the best in the industry, internationally and in Canada.
Born and raised in Mendoza, Argentina, Leandro is a true winemaker at heart. A proud 4th generation winemaker, wine has always been a part of his life. From a young age, Leandro had the opportunity to wonder around his family vineyards and learn the intricacies of the industry. He knew he wanted to continue the family tradition; therefore, he pursued a career in winemaking. His passion to learn more about viticulture and wines took him around the world, gaining knowledge from traditional wine regions from the Old World such as France, Italy and Spain, and from the New World such as New Zealand, California, Canada and even the incipient Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico.
Leandro is passionate and genuine about his love for wine and the Okanagan Valley. He believes the South Okanagan is one of the most promising wine regions in North America. He fell in love with the valley after his first visit back in 2011. It was that hot dry climate that reminded him of his home in Argentina so he knew this was the place to be.
He believes that low intervention winemaking is the best way to make wines that truly show their terroir. His goal is to continue to be a steward of the land while crafting wines that speak to their place of origin.

Why We're Cool

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards produces two Chardonnays; a single vineyard reserve tier Chardonnay from the Golden Mile Bench sub-appellation, and a VQA Okanagan Valley designate Chardonnay.

The winery operates two estate vineyards in the southern Okanagan Valley; one in the cool Golden Mile Bench sub-appellation on the west side of the valley, and the other on the warmer Black Sage Bench on the eastern side. The Golden Mile Bench benefits from a late afternoon shadow that protects the vines from the burning late-day sun and allows the vines to open back up in the cool shade during the afternoon and evening. Vineyard management in the Golden Mile focuses on adjusting canopy density to encourage ripening and mitigate disease pressure, and lowering crop levels in order to encourage ripeness. Diamondback Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench requires a very different approach; canopy must be managed to protect grapes the afternoon and evening sun (this vineyard gets direct sunlight as late as 9pm), vines yield is used to control phenological ripeness, and the vineyards require more frequent irrigation due to lack of water retention in the vineyard’s sandy soils and the extreme heat of the area.

The cellar uses a hands off approach with Chardonnay. Hand-picked grapes for the reserve tier Chardonnay are whole cluster pressed and barrel fermented using native yeasts. Barrel fermentation can take as long as four months to complete, and all Golden Mile Bench Chardonnay goes through 100% malolactic fermentation. The Golden Mile Bench Chardonnay spends approximately 15-17 months in barrel, while the Okanagan Valley Chardonnay is bottled after 7-9 months in a combination of French and American oak (20% new). Because the perfect growing conditions produce sufficient sugar and a naturally balanced level acidity, both wines achieve an excellent level of freshness and warmth without the need for adjustments in the cellar.