Updated Nov 10, 2023.
Horseshoe Found is more than worth a detour, especially if you’re Similkameen bound. We ‘found’ Horseshoe Found thanks to a tip from nearby Orofino, where we’d just enjoyed an idyllic tasting. As we were leaving we asked, “What’s new” and were directed a little further east along Upper Bench Road, then right on Lowe. I love the ties that bind this spectacular valley, where everyone really pulls together to help their neighbours.
A proverbial labour of love, Horseshoe Found is tucked into the half-basement of a house on the slope that leads from Upper Bench to Hwy 3. It’s the work of Michaela and Pavel Horak. And by ‘work’, I mean just that. Except for some harvest help, the couple handles every task themselves, including farming their three acre vineyard. Michaela suggests to us that Horseshoe Found is the smallest (licensed) winery in the province. And, as we taste between the few tanks and barrels, we’re pretty sure she’s right.
Horseshoe Found: a taste for change
Michaela and Pavel Horak in their vineyard (image supplied)
Like many others, Michaela and Pavel come from backgrounds other than farming and winemaking. Michaela was an accountant and Pavel a mechanical engineer. After coming to Canada from the Czech Republic in the early 2000s they worked in Vancouver. In search of a lifestyle change they drove east all the way to Nelson, looking at real estate. It was on the way home that they discovered the property that has now become their winery. After a decade or so of commuting back and forth they made the valley their permanent home.
From the moment you turn into the small driveway, there’s something utterly charming and very genuine about Horseshoe Found. A simple sign asks you to park and walk around to the winery, that overlooks the vineyard. On the door another sign asks you to call Michaela, who is probably working in the vineyard. When I phone I see her wave at me from between the vines and she makes her way up. Opening the door to the cool of the cellar, she apologizes for the lack of space.
Truly, a lucky find
We chat and taste tucked in between the tanks and Michaela’s very compact desk. As we sample the three wines on offer, she talks about their experiences. They’re entirely ‘hands on’, doing everything themselves and following organic – biodynamic practices as closely as possible. The vineyard looks healthy and vigorous, along with plenty of natural ground cover to nurture beneficial insects.
So, what about that name? When planting their first vines the couple kept discovering horseshoes in the soil. It turned out that their land was once part of the community’s original rodeo ground. The first ‘Horseshoe Found’ hangs in the cellar.
Currently Horseshoe Found grows Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer and Muscat. Their production is limited to a few hundred cases. Yet while the quantities may be small the commitment is huge. Their equipment is basic, covering just the necessities. The couple follow a mantra of minimal intervention. The wines, all clean, in balance and well made, leave a charming and lasting impression. You may find the Pinot (and possibly others) on the wine list at Klippers’ Row Fourteen, just down the way.
Remarkably, they offer free delivery (worked into their busy schedule), and some of the most generous minimum order requirements around, to points between Cawston and Kelowna, and Princeton to Vancouver. Payment is by either e-transfer or cash. The best cell signal for e-transfer is outside the cellar door. ;-)
Check out one of Similkameen’s best kept secrets… Though it won’t be for long.
Horseshoe Found Pinot Noir 2021 BC VQA Similkameen Valley
Hand-harvested from the home vineyard (planted 2006) on September 17th, 2023, considerably earlier than usual, at the end of the ‘heat-dome’ vintage when the mercury hit 45C. This site is on the leading edge of an alluvial fan that flows down from the upper bench. Indigenous yeast fermented on skins for 11 days. Aged 18 months in new and neutral French Oak. Forward, wild red fruits such as strawberry and raspberry, plus violet and floral hints; light to medium bodied palate with that definite, quintessential Similkameen mineral streak through the middle, pleasing herbal notes and a savoury edge. Opens beautifully given more time in the glass. Vegan friendly. Excellent BC Pinot value, $26. 92+ pts. Gold at All Canadian Wine Championships. Available online. https://www.horseshoefoundwinery.com/product/2021-pinot-noir/ and at better private stores.
Horseshoe Found MuscGewürz 2020 BC VQA Similkameen Valley
Gewürztraminer and Muscat Ottonel, hand-harvested and stainless steel fermented separately. Michaela and Pavel prefer a drier style, which also allows them to harvest the Muscat before the bees swarm it. An aromatic, dry wine defined by floral and blossom notes with just a hint of sweetness in the end. $27 taxes included. All wines are natural cork and wax sealed. 91 pts.
Horseshoe Found Viognier 2020 BC VQA Similkameen Valley
Hand harvested Viognier from a nearby single vineyard. Four months in used French oak. Lifted citrus and mineral hints followed by a crisp, clean entry to a blossom toned, peach and mineral palate wrapped in juicy acidity, with a slightly creamy texture and lengthy finish. $25 taxes included. 91 pts.
Horseshoe Found Winery, 715 Lowe Drive, Cawston, BC. 778 773 9605
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