$5 SHIPPING ANYWHERE IN BC
BUY 12 AND SAVE
Elephant Island Winery
Naramata Cider Co
Del's Super Cool
 

CART

Our Team

ELEPHANT ISLAND

The foray into fruit wine was guided by the fascination of Paul, Miranda’s grandfather, whose recreational pursuit of fruit winemaking and distilling left a heritage rich in notes and memories. Paul had the foresight and vision to believe that there was a market for well-crafted fruit wines and that the fruit grown in the Okanagan Valley would provide the essential raw ingredients. His recipes, brought from the old-world, have laid the foundation for all of the wines at Elephant Island.

Miranda and Del Halladay founded the winery at Elephant Island in 1999 in partnership with Miranda’s Grandmother, Catherine Chard Wisnicki who’s unconventional wisdom is at the heart of all things Elephant Island.

A passion for fine alcohols and the love of a good time, in good company, has inspired our journey into the world of winemaking and wine exploration.

Couple in the vineyard at Elephant Island wine

Miranda & Del

We grow fruit, make wine, and have fun. We have been blessed over the last 22 years to have grown Elephant Island and the Naramata Cider Co with people who love this place, what we make and how we do it … like it is their own.

Our farms, our wines and our winery are the embodiment of these people and our shared commitment to big top spirit: strength, balance, tenacity, attention to detail, skill and a whole lotta love.

We are so thankful to have them as part of our Circus.

Julia with tomatoes
Julia

Read Bio

Many of you have likely visited with her in the Tasting Room … she is Miranda’s Mom and the Winery’s proverbial ‘Mother Earth’. She is one of the strongest, most energetic, and hardest working of our Troupe (and she’s the oldest).  She is thoughtful, kind and has a thumb greener than Mr. McGregor, keeping the winery picnic fridge stocked (pre-covid) with the freshest veggies in Naramata. In her previous life she was a primary school teacher.

If Julia won the lottery tomorrow, she’d “swoosh down silently and make a generous deposit into the accounts of single moms, who work so hard being Mom, Dad and provider”. And if she could invent a holiday, it would definitely involve big family dinners – everybody contributing – with lots of great food, wine and laughter.

Her perfect day with wine: spring or summer after a good day gardening (surprise, surprise), on the deck (semi-shade), feet up with a chilled glass of “The Other Way” or Pear wine.

And in the short term … her perfect day involves welcoming back guests (and many friends she’s made over the years) to the Tasting Room and Courtyard.

Bea of Elephant Island Wine
Bea

Read Bio

Originally from Basel, Switzerland our Super Bea is like the most organized, detailed and productive of honeybees, the right brain of Elephant Island. She has been a key part of our Circus for almost as long as we have been the Circus … 18 years. 😳

In another life, Bea is 100% confident she was a jockey … and if you have had the pleasure of meeting her over the years you will likely have learned her love of horses. Bea has ridden in some of the most diverse places on the planet, from Iceland to Mongolia to the Grand Canyon. When not keeping Elephant Island ticking, she is an active and disturbingly fast barrel racer. Not surprisingly, if she won the lottery Bea would start a horse rescue.

A perfect day in the world of Bea: camping with the horses, hubby and friends, ‘Think Again’, Merlot with bbq steak followed by sips of Crab Apple wine around the campfire.

We are so glad to have her!

Hazel, team member at Elephant Island Winery
HAZEL

Read Bio

A child of Lake Country orchards, a lover of music, of cooking and of Okanagan Wine.

If the 6/49 comes through, Hazel is committed to opening a record store and music venue with room for small concerts (with Elephant Island on tap).

Convinced at 5 that she would be a ballerina, her career adventure has taken many twists and turns from hospitality, to nursing and retail merchandising. In her new role at Elephant Island she has fallen in love with being part of a farm community that cares about the environment and the community as a whole.

Perhaps, just perhaps, Hazel’s debut rendition of Swan Lake will be in the courtyard on your next visit.

She’s looking forward to welcoming you.

Lauren, Assistant Winemaker at Elephant Island Winery
LAUREN

Read Bio

Tightrope Walker Extraordinaire … Assistant Winemaker and Wine Club Ringmaster at Elephant Island.

A mom of 4, a hunter and classic car restorer in her spare time (we are pretty sure she doesn’t sleep much). Lauren has been an instrumental part of the Circus for the better part of 9 years. Her meticulous attention to detail is the perfect complement to Del’s “Mr. Huge-Picture” style. Her tenacious observation and work ethic in the vineyards and cellar has been key in the development of our Magic/Reserve Series and her passion for the wine she produces has made her a one-of-a-kind leader of our Club Program.

Not to mention her super smeller … Lauren’s palate and olfactory prowess is a huge asset for barrel/blending and tasting days, but not so great for her when the team indulges in Greek food the night before.

Alex of Elephant Island Wine
Alex

Read Bio

Affectionately known as “Alex Scissorhands” around this Circus, he wields the hedge trimmer with acrobatic precision and strongman strength. In his 7 years with Elephant Island, Alex’s role has expanded in elephant-like proportions. Beginning exclusively with farm labour, Alex’s warm personality and eagerness to contribute have meant that his role has grown into crusher/press whisper, wine delivery dude, and social media/graphics producer. He indulges our endless revisions to his graphics and life advice (he is the youngest of the team) with good humor and just the occasional gluten free treat!

In another life, he is fairly sure he was a mountain goat. He and his wife Jolene can be found scrambling around the Rockies on their days off … and if he wasn’t so darn good at being “Alex Scissorhands” of Elephant Island, he would definitely be a LEGO designer. In fact, a glacially chilled glass of “I Told You So”, allows him to stay up late and moonlight in his other business of Brick building/LEGO construction.

Still on his list of Circus tasks to conquer at Elephant Island … learning to drive the Beast (our 2003 Dodge Ram) and getting some video of Del rocking in the Cellar to Britney Spears.

Working in the vines at Elephant Island
VRENI

Read Bio

Our resident vine-whisperer extraordinaire. Born in Switzerland, bloomed in Canada. The lorax of the animals, she is constantly accompanied by Jake and Tika her dog rescues, and is always on the lookout for any critters that cross her paths on the farms. And lest we forget, the smile and laugh that always lights up the room!

JOIN OUR LIST

Sign up for news and specials from Elephant Island & Naramata Cider Co.

 

2730 Aikins Loop
Naramata , BC V0H 1N1

Trade & Media
Where To Buy
Contact Us

Treehouse Rental
Terms of Use
Shipping & Returns

© Copyright 2024 Elephant Island Orchard Wines ™ | Site by Vinbound

Privacy Settings
We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. For complete information about the cookies we use, data we collect and how we process them, please check our Privacy Policy
Youtube
Consent to display content from - Youtube
Vimeo
Consent to display content from - Vimeo
Google Maps
Consent to display content from - Google