Two Wineries That Excelled In The 2025 Bumper Year
In the agricultural world, a “bumper year” refers to a season of unusual abundance: a massive, record-breaking harvest where vines or crops produce far more fruit than average. However, not every bumper year is a great year.
When David McBean, General Manager and sommelier at Watermark Beach Resort, started sourcing wines for the 15 Park list, the 2025 vintage on the Naramata Bench looked promising on paper. Abundant fruit, a welcome turnaround after the difficult harvests of 2023 and 2024. But abundance has a way of separating the careful producers from the rest. Wineries that left too much fruit on the vine found themselves with flat, flabby wines despite a season that should have delivered. The ones who made the harder call and dropped fruit, managed yields and let the vine focus, produced some of the most vibrant Naramata Bench Pinot Gris in years.
Two of them are now on the 15 Park wine list.
The Naramata Bench
Image credit: Tightrope Winery
The Naramata Bench is a 15-kilometre stretch of benchland on the east side of Okanagan Lake, home to over 40 boutique, primarily family-owned wineries known for their stunning views and cool-climate grapes. The region’s combination of long, warm days and cool nights produces aromatic whites with the kind of natural acidity that keeps them alive in the glass.
Tightrope Winery
Tightrope Winery sits in the heart of the Naramata Bench, a family operation run by Graham O’Rourke (viticulturist) and Lyndsay O’Rourke (winemaker) since they planted their first vines on Fleet Road in 2007. The name reflects their philosophy: winemaking is a tightrope walk of variables from vineyard management to vintage conditions, and balance is the goal at every step. Tightrope was the first certified member of Sustainable Winegrowing BC, farming their two estate vineyards with the kind of care that shows up clearly in the wine.
Tightrope Winery 2025 Pinot Gris
New to the 15 Park wine list this year, the Tightrope 2025 Pinot Gris is available by the glass and is exactly what a Naramata Bench Pinot Gris should be. The 2025 season produced so much fruit across the Bench that many wineries did not drop enough from the vines, leaving wines that were heavy and dull. The Tightrope is the opposite. It delivers vibrant flavours of pear, apple and apricot, with a crisp texture and well-balanced acidity. It is one of the better examples of Pinot Gris we have poured at 15 Park in some time.
Black Widow Winery
Black Widow Winery has been a Naramata Bench fixture since Dick and Shona Lancaster purchased their seven-acre vineyard in 2000. What started as a family retreat became a serious winemaking project, with their first wines releasing in 2006. Today the winery is a true family operation: daughter Shannon has been making the wines since 2011, and son James leads marketing. Black Widow specialises in small-lot, single-vineyard releases using 100% Naramata Bench fruit, and their aromatic whites have earned a loyal following well beyond the region. The winery is built into a steep hillside using eco-friendly gravity-flow techniques, a fitting approach from a producer that takes the land seriously.
Black Widow Winery 2025 Pinot Gris
The Black Widow 2025 Pinot Gris, which just took Gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships, offers crisp tree fruit flavours of yellow apple and pear which is very typical of that varietal on the Naramata Bench.
Black Widow Winery 2025 Oasis Blend
Also on the 15 Park list is the Black Widow 2025 Oasis Blend, a white blend of Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Schonburger. The nose is distinctly floral, and the palate delivers big tropical fruit notes with a balance that makes the name feel entirely earned. This is the wine David recommends for the patio at 15 Park on a warm Okanagan evening, with the lake in full view.
On The 15 Park Wine List
All three wines are available on the 15 Park wine list. The Tightrope 2025 Pinot Gris is poured by the glass. The Black Widow 2025 Pinot Gris and 2025 Oasis Blend are available by the bottle. Before you make the drive to Naramata, stop by and taste them first. Reserve Your Table at 15 ParkPlan Your Visit To Naramata Bench Wineries From Osoyoos
If you’re making the trip to Naramata, both wineries are worth the drive from Osoyoos. A few things to know before you go:- The Naramata Bench is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes north of Watermark Beach Resort via Highway 97
- Tightrope Winery is located at 1050 Fleet Road, Penticton. Reservations are recommended and walk-in tastings are available
- Black Widow Winery is on Naramata Road, a short distance from Tightrope. The tasting room is boutique, so arriving early in peak season is advised
- Both wineries are open seasonally, so confirm hours before visiting
- The full Naramata Bench wine route covers over 40 wineries across 15 kilometres, making it an easy day trip or weekend itinerary from Osoyoos
Things to Do in Osoyoos
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Naramata Bench Pinot Gris different from other BC Pinot Gris?
Was 2025 a good vintage for Naramata Bench Pinot Gris?
The 2025 growing season produced an exceptionally large crop after two difficult years in 2023 and 2024. Wineries that managed their yields carefully delivered some of the most vibrant Pinot Gris the Bench has seen in years. Wineries that over-cropped produced flat, heavy wines. The difference in the bottle is significant.
Where can I taste Naramata Bench Pinot Gris near Osoyoos?
The Tightrope Winery 2025 Pinot Gris is available by the glass at 15 Park at Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos. The Black Widow 2025 Pinot Gris and 2025 Oasis Blend are available by the bottle. Both wineries are also open for tastings on the Naramata Bench, approximately 75 minutes north of Osoyoos.
