Seasoned winemaker Graham Pierce is headed to the Naramata Bench. Pierce has joined Ruby Blues as full time Head Winemaker. Pierce, who is best known for making ten vintages of Black Hills’ flagship Nota Bene, takes over winemaking operations at Ruby Blues, effective immediately. Most recently Pierce was director of winemaking at Kitsch and prior to that at Time Winery.
(From the Ruby Blues release)
“We are excited beyond belief to have Graham come on board as our Winemaker” said Ruby Blues winery president and owner, Prudence Mahrer. “He understands and supports our stylistic direction of our wines and desire to remain a small, high-quality, hand-crafted winery. With his passion and exacting precision, I know that our wine customers at Ruby Blues will love his future releases. Even better, we are developing plans to enable Graham to produce some very high-end wines for us that we feel will become icons in the BC Wine Industry.”
Prudence Mahrer and Graham Pierce at Ruby Blues
Pierce says he is “super excited to have this opportunity to come and work with Prudence and the dynamic team from Ruby Blues.” He adds that “their sincere, hand-crafted approach to their winemaking has won them an incredibly loyal following,” which resonates with him. … “I feel an affinity to this style of wine and am attracted to the very innovative winemaking culture they have created here”
About Graham Pierce
(From the release). Graham has an extensive knowledge of the Okanagan wine region in addition to his experience in the winery operations. This works in tandem with his comprehensive viticulture and winemaking background. Pierce is British Columbia born and bred, growing up in Horseshoe Bay.
He joined the Okanagan wine industry in 1997 when he joined Summerhill Pyramid Winery as culinary director after several successful years spent in and around the Vancouver restaurant scene. At Summerhill he discovered a passion and interest in both winemaking and viticulture.
While studying winemaking at Okanagan University College he worked as assistant winemaker at Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery before progressing to head winemaker in 2003. A unique opportunity came up in 2008 as the Winemaker at Black Hills Estate Winery in Oliver, BC. He worked there for ten extraordinarily successful years before joining Time Winery as Director of Wine. This was followed by a two-year stint directing the winemaking and viticulture at Kitsch Wines in Kelowna.
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