Painted Rock Estate Winery

John and Trish Skinner founded Painted Rock Estate Winery in 2004 following an extensive search for a site capable of producing Bordeaux style wines in British Columbia. John Skinner previously spent 25 years as a stockbroker in Vancouver before deciding to establish a family legacy in the Okanagan Valley. The couple purchased a 56 acre bench in south Penticton known locally as the Blackhawk, which was once the site of a large apricot orchard but had remained fallow for nearly two decades. Today, the winery remains family operated, with daughter Lauren Skinner holding the position of managing director and leading the marketing efforts. The name Painted Rock is a tribute to the 500 year old Indigenous pictographs found on the bluffs bordering the estate.

The estate vineyard is located within the Skaha Bench sub-GI, a designation established in 2018 to recognize the distinct terroir of this west sloping land overlooking Skaha Lake. The vineyard is protected by a natural rock amphitheater that reflects heat and facilitates constant airflow, which helps mitigate frost risk. The 27 acres under vine are planted with a high density spacing of 2,100 plants per acre, featuring Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Syrah, and Chardonnay. Soil composition is a complex layering of glacial silt, clay, sand, and volcanic ash deposits over deep gravels. Since the first plantings in 2005, winemaking has been guided by Bordeaux consultant Alain Sutre and local winemaking lead Gabriel Reis. The family maintains a strict 100 percent estate grown mandate, refusing to source fruit from outside vineyards even during years of low yields.

The portfolio is centered on the flagship Red Icon, a blend of five Bordeaux varieties that spends approximately 18 to 24 months in French oak. This wine is produced alongside premium single varietal bottlings of Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, all designed for long term cellaring. The estate has earned significant recognition in international competitions, including being named Intervin International Winery of the Year for 2018/2019. In 2020, Decanter magazine named the Red Icon as a Canadian Wine of the Year. The producer has played an active role in raising the international profile of Okanagan wines, securing placements in Michelin starred restaurants and private wine clubs across Europe.