Faced with historic winter damage and reduced crop yields in BC, Quails’ Gate responds with its most ambitious Plume Collection yet—sourcing from the Pacific Northwest while preserving quality and house style
British Columbia’s wine industry has been tested in recent years—by wildfires, heat domes, and especially by brutal winter events in both 2023 and 2024. These conditions have forced many wineries to make difficult choices, and for Quails’ Gate, one of the Okanagan Valley’s most recognized producers, those choices led them to look south of the border.
The result is a renewed and reimagined Plume Collection—a series of wines that explores premier terroirs beyond the Okanagan, while preserving Quails’ Gate’s commitment to quality and house style.
“By the time January 2024 hit, we knew we had to act quickly,” says winemaker Jeff Del Nin. “We’d already had several years of diminished yields, and 2023 was as extreme for us as 2024. We just couldn’t rely on local fruit alone anymore.”
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Originally launched in 2009, Plume was once a Napa-based project, offering a California cabernet and chardonnay exclusively for the Canadian market. In 2021, the brand took a domestic turn with a cabernet sauvignon from BC’s Similkameen Valley. But after two consecutive winters devastated estate crops in Kelowna, Quails’ Gate leaned into Plume’s spirit of exploration.
“Plume symbolizes freedom and discovery—just like the plume of a quail, which is both rooted in heritage and free to explore new landscapes,” Del Nin explains.
The Plume Collection symbolizes freedom and discovery.
The 2024 Plume Collection features wines made in the Okanagan from grapes sourced from acclaimed vineyards in Oregon and Washington—pinot noir and rosé from Ribbon Ridge and Dundee; chenin blanc from Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills; and pinot gris from the cool-climate Westmount Vineyard in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. A 2022 cabernet sauvignon from Similkameen rounds out the set.
“With Plume, we focused on quality above all else,” says Del Nin. “We weren’t going to compromise. That meant identifying AVAs and vineyard sites that aligned with our stylistic expectations—and travelling, tasting, and making the calls firsthand.”
Terroir-driven decisions
The site-specific sourcing behind Plume speaks to a clear strategy. Oregon was a natural fit for pinot noir and pinot gris, though even there, careful selection was key.
“We went further south for pinot gris to a very cool site near Monmouth, where ripening was slow and acid retention was excellent,” Del Nin says. “For pinot noir, we knew we had to be in Dundee and the Chehalem corridor—where most of Oregon’s finest pinots come from. We wanted something close in character to our own Dijon-clone pinot.”
Winemaker Jeff Del Nin.
For rosé, Ribbon Ridge delivered an elegant, expressive profile that won out over other trial lots.
“It was a case of making the wine the same way in both sites and choosing the better result. Ribbon Ridge was the clear winner,” he says.
The chenin blanc, meanwhile, came from 40-year-old vines in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills—chosen for their similarity to Quails’ Gate’s Clone 220 chenin.
“We tried Oregon chenin as well, but it didn’t match our profile. The Horse Heaven Hills wine was breathtaking—vibrant acidity, soft minerality, and a near match to what we do in our Distinction Collection,” says Del Nin.
Executing harvest and vinification across borders wasn’t easy. Del Nin often had to shuttle between Oregon and Washington to monitor pressing, juice transport, and final decisions.
“We were fighting a war on three or four fronts,” he says. “We still had some BC fruit, plus California fruit (for our Field and Flight series), and now Oregon and Washington for Plume. But we knew the quality was worth the effort.”
The wines were made at both Quails’ Gate and, in the case of the 2023 Pinot Noir, at Oregon’s Archery Summit—whose vineyards in Dundee supplied the fruit.
“Archery Summit did a fantastic job. This wine fills the gap until we’re back to producing estate pinot,” Del Nin says. “It’s fruit-driven, minimal oak, and a great representation of the region.”
The Similkameen-grown 2022 Plume Cabernet Sauvignon stands as a testament to BC’s potential—when conditions allow.
Quails’ Gate overlooks the picturesque Lake Okanagan.
“It’s from the Blind Creek Vineyard, which I know well from my days at Road 13. It’s one of the most consistent high-quality cabernet sites in Canada,” Del Nin says. “The Similkameen has more uniform soils, which is great for reds—but winter kill and fire risk are constant concerns.”
With a return to more typical yields not expected until at least 2025 or 2026, the Plume Collection will continue to play a vital role in Quails’ Gate’s portfolio.
“We didn’t want to put non-Okanagan wines under the Quails’ Gate label. But with Plume already in market, it was the perfect vehicle to continue delivering high-quality wines,” Del Nin says. “And so far, guests at the estate and members have responded really well.”
2024 Plume Collection – tasting notes
Quails’ Gate sent over five of their Plume label wines for sampling:
2024 Plume Pinot Gris
Sourced from the Westmount Vineyard near Monmouth, Oregon, cooled by the Van Duzer gap. Bright lemon zest and green apple aromas lead into crisp pear and honeydew flavours. Fresh, vibrant finish with cool-climate acidity. ($32)
2024 Plume Rosé of Pinot Noir
From Ribbon Ridge’s hillside vineyards, this elegant rosé displays delicate wild strawberry, rose petal, and citrus aromas. Flavours of ripe raspberry and white peach are lifted by refreshing acidity. ($29.99)
2024 Plume Chenin Blanc
Sourced from Horse Heaven Hills’ 40-year-old vines. Vibrant aromas of peach and lime zest precede juicy apricot and honey notes, balanced by bright acidity and a soft minerality. ($35)
2023 Plume Pinot Noir
Crafted at Archery Summit in Oregon using high-elevation Dundee fruit. Aromas of black cherry and violet open to wild strawberry and earthy tones. Silky tannins and a balanced, elegant finish. ($48)
2022 Plume Cabernet Sauvignon
From BC’s Blind Creek Vineyard, this structured red offers vibrant black fruit, licorice, and violet aromas. Complex flavours of black currant, mint, and sage. Powerful yet refined. ($52)
– Carmelo Giardina is the principal editor for VineRoutes
