"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." ~ Helen Keller
Located in Naramata Village, 1 Mill Road is more than a winery. It's a lifestyle. A commitment to care for the land and nurture the fruit it bears. A bond with the Earth and one another. Two pairs of hands. Two hearts. A passion that blossoms each year. A love that grows throughout the seasons.
Katie Truscott is the director and co-owner of 1 Mill Road Winery.
"When I first got into wine, writing and taking pictures in South Africa, I found it to be the most interesting subject I'd ever come across in my life. Then, I moved back to Canada, began studying and got a job at a winery."
But that's only half the story.
"Ben Bryant, my partner in life and business, is an insanely talented winemaker whose story comes through in the actual product. He grew up on a farm in Australia and entered the wine scene as a teenager. He worked around the world, making a name for himself in the wine industry before ending up here in the Okanagan Valley, where we met."
Katie and Ben's story is the perfect example of knowing what you want and seizing an opportunity when it presents itself.
"The name of the business comes from the previous owners that started it back in 2018. David and Cynthia Enns bought a property on Mill Road for exactly one million dollars, and they planted it to an acre and a half of single clone Pinot Noir. In 2022, they were ready to move on to other adventures. Between Ben's background in wine making, my background in marketing, and our shared passion for wine, it was the perfect fit for us! We purchased the business in 2022, introduced Chardonnay to complement the Pinot Noir, and started taking on additional vineyard leases."
Many hands may make light work, but four hands and two hearts make work a labour of love.
"We don't have any staff outside of the odd bit of help we bring in here and there. We make the wine, grow the grapes, manage the marketing … everything. We also have a number of leased vineyards that we help care for across the Naramata Bench."
At 1 Mill Road, passion and lifestyle aren't exclusive.
"This is really a project about making wine we believe in and having fun. Also dating! After all, that's how we get to hang out. It's wonderful. If you're doing something you love together, something you built together, you naturally enjoy spending time together doing it. So we're really lucky that way."
Along with passion, another ingredient Katie and Ben added to the mix is simplicity, knowing their limits and working accordingly.
"Since taking over in 2022 we've grown slightly. However, what we haven't done, and don't intend to do, is grow beyond what we can handle ourselves."
The winery itself is located in Naramata Village, in an old apple processing plant now called the Naramata Wine Vault.
"Many local wineries use the space for storage, so we're the only fully functioning and operational winery on site. And that's what it is - a winery. We don't have a tasting room. It's simply where we make the wine."
A commitment to producing such impeccable wine starts with a commitment to caring for the land where the grapes are grown.
"We're original in that we actively seek out really unique properties to make wine from. We take care of the vineyards and farm them in a sustainable fashion which matches our ethos and intentions with the land. Our home block is certified through Sustainable Winegrowing BC (SWBC), and all of our decisions within the vineyard concerning things like water management, sprays and so on, are all made with a sustainability mindset."
Like most delicacies in life, 1 Mill Road wines sell out quickly.
"We produce just over one thousand cases per year and only make about four wines in total. We do our releases twice a year, in Spring and Autumn. Becoming an allocation member and purchasing from us directly online is the best opportunity to get first dibs on the releases. It's not so much a club model, but more about signing up with very little commitment to get first access. Anything remaining after that goes out to our mailing list, along with a little bit for distribution. We love seeing our wine in restaurants and really cool private liquor stores, so you'll find us all around the province in certain little nooks and special places. We also ship across Canada, but the majority is sold in BC."
Katie and Ben know they're onto a good thing. When asked about their wines, words aren't always needed.
"We believe in our wines. Not saying anything and simply pouring someone a glass is a fun approach. I love seeing eyes light up after the first sip, and the intrigue that follows. The product speaks for itself, and opens the door for questions about our wine and our story."
Owning a small winery as a staff of two equates to diversity in tasks, doing a little of everything each day.
"I feel so privileged to be co-owner of this business because, unlike working for someone else, I get to make important decisions, like coming up with different ways to tell our story and attract people to us. And as much as I enjoy the creative side of things, it's also fun when Ben can't do something in the winery and I get to go down and have a hand in the winemaking and viticulture side. No two days are the same. There's always plenty to do and learn."
Between the stunning views and ample possibilities, it's easy to see why Katie and Ben love Naramata so much.
"The sheer beauty of the area blows me away. It's breathtaking being amongst this incredible scenery. And there's so much untapped potential in the Okanagan wine world that you almost feel like you're a part of something that’s still very new. A pioneer, putting your stamp on the industry in your own way, which is really exciting."
With Winter’s Finale approaching for the year, Naramata will soon be buzzing with new life.
"I love yellow Arrowleaf flowers. To me, they're a sign of Spring and really bring the valley to life when they bloom."
As with all types of farming, growing grapes happens at the mercy of the elements. If the weather has a different plan than the growers, improvisation is essential.
"A deep freeze last year wiped out a massive portion of Okanagan Valley grapes. Finding amazing fruit being produced on incredible pieces of land is what we do. For Ben and I, both having international backgrounds, that search isn't restricted by borders. So, after a tough growing year in BC, we put our hunting skills to use and found growers in Washington who aligned with our values. We made several trips down south to the Andrew's Family Vineyard, eventually bringing all the grapes back up ourselves. In a business like this, with so many changing variables, collaboration is important. Alongside the very talented Chris Stenberg, we filmed the entire process, and will be releasing the video story in the coming months."
If you're interested in Katie and Ben's story and want to learn more about 1 Mill Road, you can follow them online.
"I try to be pretty active on social media, so follow us on Instagram. We also have a newsletter that's worth signing up for. We don't spam people. We only send out a handful of emails per year. It's an easy way to keep up to date with all things 1 Mill Road."
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