“Everything in moderation…including moderation.” ~ Julia Child
For Mark Morrison and Tanya Tougas, Modesta Winery didn't start as a business plan; it was a feeling. A story of a couple trading life in city life for a tiny, mid‑century farmhouse on the Naramata Bench, crafting low‑intervention wines with personality, patience, and a light touch on the land.
"We met in Thunder Bay, Ontario, which is a beautiful part of the world: rugged landscapes, lush forests, still lakes. However, after university, we were looking for an adventure. Some friends had travelled west and piqued our interest with their stories, so after a two-week scouting trip to Whistler, we went home, packed up and moved there. We ended up staying in Whistler for almost two years, but eventually, living with eight roommates as a young couple began to wear on us, and we relocated to Vancouver. Originally, the plan was to go back to Thunder Bay, but the West Coast had us hooked."
Mark and Tanya are natural-born entrepreneurs. After several years of running a furniture design business, followed by a decade of renovating and selling homes, something quieter began to call beyond the bustle and noise of the big city.
"We've long been fans of BC wine, which sparked our first trip to Naramata in the early 2000s. It's such a beautiful spot."
A seed had been planted in the Okanagan Valley. However, the true shift of career and lifestyle happened after two separate one-year experiences in the south of France.
"Our kids were young at the time, and we were fortunate enough to spend 2012 and 2017 near Avignon, where we were invited into a group of winery owners, wine makers and sommeliers. That ignited our true love for the wine industry, and our knowledge grew immensely. We treated those as sabbatical years, knowing we weren't going to be expats living in France."
Returning to Canada with a new passion for wine, Mark and Tanya fondly remembered their time in the Okanagan.
"The Okanagan is a gem of BC, and Naramata is a gem within that gem. Rural living. A small village. Returning to our dream of growing grapes, farming, and making wines we enjoy, our search began. We found a five-acre parcel in Naramata that wasn't being farmed, purchased it in 2019, and haven't looked back.”
Starting a vineyard and winery from scratch is a big undertaking, especially for two people. Fortunately, Mark and Tanya had help.
“After being raised in Vancouver, our children had grown into young adults and were excited for rural life. They helped build the winery, launch Modesta and welcome guests to the tasting room. It was something we did as a family, which makes the entire journey all the more special.”
Finding the property felt like fate: five acres on Naramata Road, high above the lake, with a modest 1950s mid‑century modern home and land that had once been a pear orchard. The trees had been pulled out around 2010, and the ground left undisturbed since.
"Having a blank slate was important to us. We didn't want to inherit someone else's farming practices. So, planting bare land meant there was no need to move or amend the soil. We basically did a light topsoil turn and planted the vineyard. Since then, we’ve been very mindful of how we care for our vines. We're trying to get as close to natural farming as we can."
Nowadays, there are numerous environmentally conscious farming and growing methods. From organic to regenerative to responsible, it can be difficult to decide which label to apply to a small business. However, while labels symbolize commitment, the practice itself is most important. Whichever name or label a small business chooses, the collective aim is trusting nature to thrive without too much interference.
"We don't spray pesticides or herbicides of any kind. In fact, (laughs) if you see our vineyard in the spring and summer, it often looks quite shaggy. We let the weeds grow while occasionally walking the rows and spot trimming."
By not interfering with natural processes on their land, Mark and Tanya are leaving the door open for key players in our food system to do their important work.
"Respecting the vines by not killing insects, weeds or grasses, we're able to attract plenty of animal, insect, and microbial life. Thinking specifically about bees, the natural clover popping up in the vineyard is an open invitation to them. At certain times of the year, walking through more than nine kilometres of vines and hearing their soft hum near our feet is so beautiful. We do our thing, and they do theirs. Nobody has ever been stung. We walk through carefully, while they shuffle aside and keep pollinating. It's absolutely amazing!"
Mark's science background is evident and a wonderful asset to how they manage Modesta. Paired with Tanya's Business and Marketing background, the young winery is in good hands.
"We purchased the property and got to work in 2019, planting throughout 2020, built our winery buildings in 2024 and opened our doors in late spring of 2025. It's gone by quickly, and a lot of time and effort have been invested just to get to this point. It's been quite a journey."
Today, four of the five acres are planted, each variety for a specific reason.
"60% is Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay and 20% Cab Franc. We chose those varietals mainly because they do very well on the Naramata Bench. My favourite red is Pinot Noir. Cab Franc is a bigger, bolder red wine, sometimes a little harder to ripen in Naramata because we don't quite get the heat units of other areas in the Okanagan. However, I have had some neighbours' Cab Francs up here, and the style they're producing really excites me. Chardonnay is such a versatile white grape. It can be done in stainless steel or even Oak to produce a bigger, bolder style of white wine. Also, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir make a great base for sparkling wines, which Tanya and I really enjoy."
For Mark and Tanya, however, the varieties are only part of the story. What matters most is how they're grown. The philosophy is simple: grow healthy, characterful fruit, then let it speak for itself.
"Our goal is to produce delicious wines with personality. In France, we learned about terroir: the importance of wines expressing a sense of place. That's what we do here. We encourage simplicity from grape growing to wine making, from vineyard to cellar. While low-intervention wine is becoming increasingly common across the industry, at Modesta, we truly believe that more hands in the winemaking process can dilute the sense of terroir. So, we keep it simple, starting in the vineyard by growing healthy fruit full of character. Good fruit will make good wine."
Mark makes it sound easy, but there’s one ingredient that he and Tanya have learned is vital for growing grapes and producing wine.
"Patience has become a life goal (laughs). The wine business is hard. Farming is hard. Tanya and I have owned other businesses where having an idea or plan can mean turning on the lights, opening the door, and achieving a return on investment within 30 days. So, planting a vineyard and farming it for three years before harvesting a single bunch of grapes is a great test of patience, which is actually one of the most beautiful things about it. I wish everyone could do it, because the process can be very rewarding. But it definitely takes patience (laughs)."
The physical space Mark and Tanya have created reflects the same gentle confidence with which they approach their wine. Surrounded by vineyards and orchards, with lake views unfurling on the left, Naramata Road climbs the Bench where Modesta sits on the mountainside. A walking path follows a gully up past the vines to four modern black-cedar-clad tasting pods arranged in a horseshoe around a picnic area.
"Each pod is small, about the size of a 20‑foot shipping container, with a lounge
space in the front where small groups can sit, talk, and taste. In the back, tanks, barrels, and wine cases line the walls. Wine Club members get VIP access to these spaces and are often invited through the sliding doors to taste future wines from barrel or tank. We want people to instantly feel comfortable, as if they're at a friend's house."
That open hospitality was something Mark and Tanya extended locally early on, and it was well received by the friendly Naramata community.
"Before we opened our doors last spring, we sent an invite out to winemakers and winery owners along the Bench. We just wanted to introduce ourselves and get to know our neighbours. Well, to our surprise, our little tasting room ended up with about 30 people inside. From that moment, we saw how welcoming everyone here is. And because spring gets busy, with everyone working hard and unable to get together, having an opportunity to meet everyone like that was really special."
Naramata is a friendly place where, instead of a new business like Modesta being seen as competition, they're welcomed with open arms, as neighbours should be.
"As soon as we opened our doors, we had people turning up on recommendations from Deep Roots, Daydreamer, Terravista and many other wineries along the Bench. There was an incredible amount of support straight away, which I think is unique to the Naramata community. Most wineries along the Bench are run by families who are kind and share our values. It's a wonderful place to live."
Every day is a good day for Mark, especially during spring.
"I love having a coffee, then walking the rows with my dogs in the early morning, while the vineyard is coming to life again after winter. I’m not only talking about the vines, I mean everything begins waking up. I do spend some time on my tractor, but my favourite time in the vineyard is doing the handwork. We have about 8000 vines planted and getting into a methodical rhythm of performing a task and repeating it down each row is so calming. Working with my hands, breathing the fresh air, listening to the birds - there’s nothing like it. It's funny, I love music, but I rarely listen to it when I'm working in the vineyard. It's just too peaceful out there."
There’s more to a typical day than sweating amongst the vines, of course. Mark and Tanya make sure to enjoy the fruits of their labour as well.
"Lunch with a glass of rosé in the sun is the best way to welcome the afternoon before Tanya, and I head into the tasting room. It's a real joy meeting so many visitors and sharing what we've created here."
And there's your invite. Be sure to stop by and see Mark, Tanya, and the team at Modesta when you arrive in Naramata. We'll see you soon.
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