T H E  P O P L A R  G R O V E  L I B R A R Y  C O L L E C T I O N

The Holler Family proudly continues the Poplar Grove Library Collection with the release of our reserve 2015 Bordeaux-style reds: the Merlot, the Cabernet Franc, and our flagship, The Legacy.

Poplar Grove is leading the way in BC as the first winery to launch a formal library program, where we hold back a significant amount of our age-worthy wines each year and release them for sale a decade later.

We have a limited number of bottles from the Library Collection’s 2015 reserve available now. These vintages are being released alongside their current versions: Merlot 2020, Cabernet Franc 2020, and The Legacy 2018. You will spot them easily thanks to their distinctive metal medallions on the bottles instead of traditional paper labels.

Every fall, we release Library Collection wines that were set aside 10 years ago, putting them up for purchase right alongside the current vintages.

T O N Y ‘ S  V I S I O N

The Library Collection’s story goes back to the early 2000s, shortly after we first planted vines on the scenic Naramata Bench in the Okanagan. Back then, Tony Holler, our future proprietor, was a passionate wine collector, curating his own cellar to appreciate how wines evolve and gain complexity with age.

This passion led Tony to France’s Rhône Valley, where he had a memorable tasting at Château Beaucastel, sampling Châteauneuf du Pape vintages spanning over 30 years. It was a defining moment — Tony left convinced that any serious winery should have a library program to educate and offer aged wines that have been properly cellared, though he had no idea he’d one day own a winery himself!

When Tony bought Poplar Grove in 2007, he brought his vision of an aging program with him. It took about seven years before we were producing enough wine to make that dream a reality. In 2014, we set aside 120 cases of our three signature reds, laying the foundation for the Library Collection.

By 2016, it was clear our growing winery needed a larger, dedicated space for these precious bottles. Fast forward to 2021, we completed a state-of-the-art, temperature and humidity-controlled warehouse, complete with a special area designed to provide the perfect aging conditions. The Library Collection wines were moved to their new home and stored in custom cages, ensuring they stay in pristine condition.

The 2015 Library Collection vintages will only be available this year while supplies last. As with every release, a portion is reserved exclusively for future special events and seated tastings in our Tasting Room.

The Poplar Grove Library Collection is a testament to Tony’s vision, the Holler family’s dedication, and the craftsmanship of our entire team, especially our Executive Winemaker Stefan Arnason, who’s been leading the winemaking team since 2010. It’s also our way of saying thank you to our loyal supporters for trusting us for nearly two decades.

H A R V E S T  2 0 1 5

The weather in the Okanagan was favourable for most of the 2015 season, beginning with an early, mild spring. Budburst was early by two weeks and the continuing mild weather trend coincided with flowering and excellent fruit set in May and June. A hot, dry summer tested our vineyard crews who had to pay careful attention to irrigation regimes and leaf-to-fruit ratios. Once again, meticulous farming and investment of time, energy and money has assured wine quality.

By the time the harvest commenced the season had recorded enough warm, sunny days to top the long-term average heat summation levels. In September temperatures cooled to near normal, especially at night, and rain mostly stayed away providing a long and unpressured harvest period which continued into the first couple of weeks of October. According to winemaker, Stefan Arnason, “We only lost one day of picking due to rain, allowing us to pick exactly when we wanted based on flavour.” Overall, the extended harvest period allowed for uniform ripening and a very nice end to the season as harvest wound down by mid-October.