Laughing Stock Vineyards
Located on the famed Naramata Bench, Laughing Stock Vineyards is a serious enterprise with a most unfortunate moniker. They wake up every day with the constant motivation of not living up to their name. They strive to produce some of the highest quality wines in the Okanagan Valley.
Laughing Stock Vineyard Founders David and Cynthia Enns led conservative, methodical, and calculated lives in the Financial Industry.
In 2003, they followed their hearts, and bullishly invested everything into the wine industry. An emotional decision that their pinstriped peers thought was ... fiscally foolish, and financially unwise.
The Laughing Stock name may have unwittingly been conceived at this time. Heaven knows they heard the term over-and-over again from their colleagues on Bay Street and Wall Street.
But this was a venture that had to be pursued, regardless of the dire financial forecasts. As David often said, "this is our 'vow of poverty".
David had already started as a true 'garagiste' winemaker in 2001 creating beautiful vintages of small batch, hand-crafted wines with fruit sourced from some of the best vineyards in Washington State. He augmented his knowledge with various courses and workshops at UC Davis in California. David then apprenticed under some of the best wine-makers in the Okanagan Valley.
As for Cynthia, her transformation from being an MBA "suit" to becoming "vineyard manager" was highly gratifying. The satisfaction of watching the vines grow and grapes develop was very grounding. Even though, at times, Mother Nature throws curve balls that are wilder than anything one ever experienced in the Stock Market.
For over 15 years, David and Cynthia grew the Laughing Stock Vineyards to the coveted and respected portfolio of exemplary wines that exists today. Highly acclaimed wines that have been twice awarded the Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in B.C. Wine, the 2011 Syrah was named the Best Red Wine in Canada by Decanter World Wine Awards, and in October 2018, Laughing Stock Vineyards took home the top trophy for Syrah in the Six Nation Wine Challenge that awards only the top wines of the New World nations.
Today, while Cynthia and David are no longer involved in winery operations, they have left a formidable legacy, and commitment to excellence and passion for wine that continues to drive Laughing Stock Vineyards forward. It is our goal to carry on their vision to continuously explore and create the best wines that showcase our beautiful region.
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