This episode we’re joined by John Skinner, the proprietor of Painted Rock Estate Winery and president of the Okanagan Wine Initiative. John and Painted Rock have won numerous awards, from Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year to Decanter’s 2020 Canadian Wine of the Year. 

John is one of the foremost champions of BC and Canadian wine, both in advocating for the industry at all levels of government, while also aggressively driving the recognition of Canadian wine internationally. 

One of the themes you’ll hear from John is his pursuit of elegance, and the patience and dedication it takes to achieve. This started with the foundation of Painted Rock, which John and his wife Trish took their time to find, from how they planted and now how they farm their grapes and make their wine. 

A common theme in our episodes is the importance of recognizing others, perhaps most perfectly embodied by Karnail Sidhu, and John is no different. You’ll hear much about an internationally regarded wine consultant from Bordeaux, Alain Sutre, who has heavily influenced Painted Rock’s evolution.  

The last major theme in this episode is “international”. John shares why he believes it is critically important for BC, and Canadian wine, to export internationally and build a global reputation built on our own identity. 

We recorded this video at Painted Rock, and you can find the video and clips at our Youtube channel, Vintality. 

It was an absolute pleasure to talk with John, I think you’ll really enjoy our conversation.