Dallas & Eric Thor on Terravista Vineyards, Sustainable Farming and Bringing Vibrancy to Penticton
*Updated February 23rd, 2024
Dallas and Eric Thor are the Owners/Operators at Terravista Vineyards, The Standard Coworking and Events, and a couple of other ventures in the Okanagan. They have a cool story and are really contributing to the place we call home. We were fortunate to visit them at their house and vineyard and chat over wine and fresh fish tacos.
The Call Back to Penticton
Dallas was raised in Oliver but in search of something new ended up in Vancouver studying Ecology at UBC, and then in Quebec studying Wildlife Ecology at the University of Sherbrooke. After completing school, she returned to the Okanagan in the early 2000s to lead a research team to recover Big Horn Sheep from a die-off event. Once the recovery event was over, she moved back to Vancouver where she lived until returning to the Okanagan.
Photo by Terravista Vineyards
Eric, who was raised in Penticton, relocated to Vancouver in the late 90s to search for opportunities in the city. During this time, while bartending at the Boat House restaurant, he had an unexpected encounter with Harry McWatters. Harry extended a spontaneous invitation to Eric, urging him to participate in the annual crush at Sumac Ridge. Recognizing the opportunity, Eric accepted and immersed himself in the other side of the industry. This experience sparked his interest, yet Eric chose to remain in Vancouver, where he ventured into launching his professional journey.
After spending years together in Vancouver, Dallas and Eric found themselves re-imagining what they wanted to do. Their vision for their next chapter was to find something challenging - a family business that they could really dive into together.
As lifelong enthusiasts of both the ocean and wine, Eric and Dallas found themselves contemplating the chance of a lifetime when a winery became available for sale on Salt Spring Island. But this, in a roundabout way, is ultimately what led them back to Penticton. They decided that if they were going to get into wine (which this beautiful little winery on Salt Spring Island had solidified for them), they wanted to do it where they grew up, in BC’s premier grape-growing region.
Acquiring Terravista Vineyards
Photo by Terravista Vineyards
After many long conversations about owning their own winery while travelling through Spain and France in 2017, Eric and Dallas decided to buy their present home and acreage on the Naramata Bench. The plan was to turn this property into a small vineyard, tasting room and production facility. And run a family business, one that their kids and parents could partake in, a family eco-system of sorts.
In 2018 they planted their En Terre Vineyard with Pinot Noir grapes. Eric and Dallas sought help for their new vineyard and their dream of opening a winery from Senka Tennant, an Okanagan winemaker and owner of Terravista Vineyards. Serendipitously, Senka mentioned that she was selling Terravista. In their eyes, the winery appeared to be the ideal size and boasted fantastic wines, leading them to pursue its acquisition. Also, opting for an established business allowed them to acquire experience and guidance from Bob and Senka, all while infusing their unique touch into the endeavour.
For months and months after purchase, Dallas and her 10-month-old son Espen travelled to the Okanagan from Vancouver each weekend to learn from the best in the industry. Then, in 2019, Eric and Dallas, planted Syrah grapes at En Terre Vineyard to round out Terravista’s current all-white portfolio.
Terravista falls in the category of ‘off-the-beaten-path, unexpected’. It offers one of the most unique portfolios in the Okanagan with varietals such as Albariño, Verdejo, Mencía, and rare Rhone-style varietals, Roussanne, Viognier, and Syrah. It reminds them of travel spent with friends and family in different places around the world.
Reducing Their Footprint in the Vineyard
Photo by Terravista Vineyards
When we asked Dallas and Eric about their sustainability practices, they wanted to be clear that they are constantly studying and learning about stewardship and sustainability from their land. They impart practices that have been researched and proven to reduce their carbon footprint, while also testing newer methods.
Terravista’s Syrah terraces are built for hand work meaning less fossil fuel and less soil compaction. Plants have a hard time in hard soil thus requiring more interventions. The south-facing terraces are built with rock from Keremeos. They help to retain heat into the night and act as a home for small wildlife.
They’ve also integrated livestock (sheep) into the vineyards and believe the animals improve soil health, add biological material, gently turn the soil, get rid of weeds, and reduce the need for fertilizer. The sheep are great little lawnmowers. They eat the weeds and then fertilize the soil letting the vineyard find balance in its ecosystem. And although there isn’t enough research to prove the exact impacts of integrating livestock into their vineyards, their belief, which they are studying and researching all the time, is that livestock integration is positive.
They’ve also added cover crops to impart certain nutrients into and aerate the soil, supporting the long-term health of the vineyard. Cover crops also supply nitrogen and filtration and reduce their need to intervene. They use solar power and electric tools where possible and are in the slow but steady process of transitioning to an organic vineyard.
New Digs Downtown Penticton
The Standard, situated downtown in Penticton on Estabrook Street, is Dallas and Eric's newest project. It encompasses an event venue, a co-working space, and Chulo Tapas, a cozy tapas and gin bar.
Dallas and Eric have envisioned The Standard as a hub for individuals with a sense of adventure and entrepreneurship, fostering a strong sense of community and serving as a wellspring of inspiration for generating new ideas. Their goal with The Standard is to cultivate a sense of camaraderie and propel Penticton toward progress - filling the void for this subset of culture. And, in turn, preventing the departure of the young, vibrant individuals who have long considered this place their home.
By infusing vitality into the street, The Standard aspires to create an inviting atmosphere, encouraging like-minded individuals to establish their own ventures and further enrich the local business landscape.
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Terravista Vineyards is open for the season and offers tastings, cellar tastings, and a Spanish bites & wine experience. Book now and don't forget to get your hands on a bottle of their Albariño or Syrah before it runs out.