Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country mourning death of Chris Jentsch, longtime beloved winemaker

Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country is mourning one of its most beloved winemakers this week.

Chris Jentsch, owner of C.C. Jentsch Cellars on the Golden Mile Bench, passed away in early April, leaving behind his wife, daughters and grandchildren.

Jentsch came from a long line of farmers, tracing his roots in the region back to the 1920s.

In tribute, Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country took to Facebook and shared a video of Chris discussing wine at the 2020 Half Corked Marathon Virtual Wine Festival.

"Funny, charismatic and kind, the ultimate farmer and gentleman all rolled into one, Chris always spoke so passionately about his love for farming, winemaking, his family and the local communities of Oliver and Osoyoos," they wrote.

They also shared a quote from Jentsch himself:

“Every bottle of wine that someone opens should be invisible, it should enhance that moment and yet if it’s not special, it can ruin a nice moment. That’s deep on our conscious all the time to provide a good product at good value; it’s the number one driver that we focus on.”