Ex Nihilo Winery
Ex Nihilo Winery
Reminiscent of the Sioux creation myth that tells of a lone man who wakes up on a hillside with the warm sun shining on his face, Ex Nihilo, directly translated, means “from nothing”; creation through intent: brought into being by thought, word and by dream. Decoa and Jeff Harder together with their partners Twila and Jay Paulson, focused on creating a winery that would not only reflect the meaning of Ex Nihilo, but would emulate the landscape and unique character of the pristine Okanagan Valley – an essence that is aptly reflected in the wines they create.
The 10-acre Ex Nihilo property lies on a southwest-facing landscape overlooking Okanagan Lake as it winds north up the middle of Valley, and its presence speaks boldly among the valley population of some 200 other wineries. Jeff says it was a combination of splendour, the exceptional soil, and a climate that is tailor-made for exceptional grape-growing that compelled him to throw down his roots here.
Ex Nihilo wines are fast gaining notoriety on both the international and domestic wine circuits. “Case production is up this year,” Jeff says, “The Alberta and coast markets are coming around really well for us and we're getting a lot of referral business – these are good indicators.”
“There are actually two Ex Nihilo operations,” Jeff says, “the one in the Okanagan and another in Napa Valley. The finished wines produced here in the Okanagan, are crafted with 8 acres of Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Riesling varieties – strains that are perfectly suited for the amalgam of conditions on the Lake Country hillside. Ex Nihilo has also leased 10 acres in the Okanagan Falls area.
Packaging and exclusivity do not fall upon deaf ears at Ex Nihilo. Two Icewines - the traditional white Riesling, the uncommon red - Pinot Noir Icewine- were first released in 2005 and 2006, with some 2,600 numbered bottles in wooden presentation boxes. These went out almost exclusively to collectors world-wide. “This is a partnership deal with the Rolling Stones, who are actively involved in growing their brand presence in refined markets,” Jeff says. The Harder’s have also produced a Napa Valley Blend called Satisfaction which is available in the provincial liquor stores. Jeff’s brother, James, and his wife, Colleen Harder, have a successful cult winery in Napa, and Jeff turned to his brother for assistance in producing the wine in Napa.
Ex Nihilo’s 2007 and 2008 Riesling table wine was entered into the 2009 and 2010 Riesling du Monde competition in France and won gold twice among some 600 entries world-wide; the 2007 also took silver at the Okanagan Wine Festival. The Riesling du Monde is regarded as one of the most prestigious wine competitions in the world.
Before Ex Nihilo, Jeff was co-founder of Canada’s first and only approved tournament ski boat manufacturers. Ultimately, both he and his wife shared a passion for wine that presented the opportunity for Jeff to continue to flex his creative muscle in conceptualizing the new 8000 square foot, Italian-inspired winery. “The architectural design was actually inspired by Philip Stark,” Jeff says. “I admire Stark's work so allowed his influence to inform my design.”
“It's all about a visitors experience,” Jeff says. “First and foremost, our goal is to deliver amazing wine. 'Quality before Quantity', and that everyone who comes through our doors has a memorable time. We talk about the name and the concept; we try to educate our visitors as much as possible about the wine, the art, and the fashion of what we do. Ex Nihilo is a destination winery where our guests can take in an Okanagan Valley winery experience that is completely unique.”
If there were a Myers-Briggs scale for wineries, the personality of Ex-Nihilo would indeed shine brightly on the sunny hills of the Okanagan Valley.
For more information visit www.exnihilovineyards.com