First Nation solar farm plans
Suit claims prison assaults
Pair facing drug charges
Searching landfill for woman
Poland urges more spending
Cutting rates at own pace
Israeli strike played down
Full Trump jury seated
World's largest election 
Investigating pipeline blast
TikTok testing new app
Body Shop explores sale
Warriors ready for Round 2
Kalamalka Bowl cancelled
Rockets live to fight on
Hilton teams up with Sia
Swift still 'can't forgive' Kim
Grimes to ‘cap the disarray’
By next week, winemaker Gavin Miller expects to be hard at work harvesting the Merlot and Chardonnay grapes, which grow in his Penticton vineyard.
Miller has been growing grapes at Upper Bench Winery & Creamery since 2011, and at this point in the road he anticipates 2014 will be his best year yet.
"Often in June it gets wet and cold, but that didn't happen this year, which puts us ahead," he said. "Then we had a really consistent July and August, with low to mid 30 degree temperatures every day which is just perfect for ripening grapes."
Miller and his wife Shana, a cheese maker, purchased the property in February of 2011. He had been a winemaker for a while, so it seemed like a natural progression.
That first year was challenging because of cold temperatures, but everything still came in alright.
Then in 2012, they had a beautiful summer with a wet fall, which provided other challenges.
The next year was again impacted by weather, with it being one of the hottest years Miller has worked in.
"Going into the fall we were three weeks ahead, then September was so cold," he said. "But we ended up harvesting exactly on time, with a very good vintage."
Miller grows Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Zweigelt for reds and has Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Riesling for whites.
This fall, Miller is finding the Merlot to be ready at the same time as the Chardonnay. The Merlot is the most awarded and the one he thinks does best at the site.
"Usually reds are harvested later, but I'm finding the flavour and the tannins are ripening earlier than the sugars," he said.
Ultimately, Miller said his goal is that he wants what is in the bottle to be a reflection of the growing season, the weather, the soil, the slope and the sun.
"It's what is happening in the vineyard that is important, and we want to express whatever the year brings us," he said.
Nor is he deterred by the rain falling this week.
"There's no worries about the current rain, it's not enough to worry about," he said. "As long as we get a break, we should begin the harvest next week."
The harvest, typically starting the end of September, should last into early November.
