It was announced yesterday that one of Canada's largest wine-focused companies, Arterra Wines Canada, has acquired renowned Naramata Bench winery, Laughing Stock Vineyards. Though the ownership has officially changed hands, original owners, David and Cynthia Enns, will continue in leadership roles with the winery.

“We started Laughing Stock Vineyards to create a premium, boutique Naramata Bench winery, and after a decade and a half, we reached a tipping point both in terms of scale and demand. We made the decision to partner with Arterra Wines Canada because of their commitment to maintaining the integrity and quality of our wines and their solid history in the Okanagan,” explains David and Cynthia Enns.

Back in 2003, the Enns' left their jobs in the Edmonton in the finance sector to head out to the Okanagan and open Laughing Stock in Penticton. With a numbers background, the winery's label design and wine names pay homage to plenty of numbers, including their most well-known wine, the Portfolio Bordeaux-blend.

“Laughing Stock Vineyards has earned the distinct reputation of being a well-respected and recognized premium, boutique winery in the Okanagan, with a strong team dedicated to making wines of superb quality. We are proud to welcome them into our family of Okanagan wineries and look forward to working together into the future,” said Jay Wright, president and CEO, Arterra Wines Canada, Inc.

With 500 employees in the Okanagan area, Arterra Wines Canada seems to keep growing. It owns and distributes more than 100 wine brands across the country, including liquid heavyweights like Jackson-Triggs, Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi and Kim Crawford. Based in Mississauga, they operate three large-scale commercial wineries, five estate wineries like Nk'Mip Cellars in Osoyoos and See Ya Later Ranch, as well as the Ontario chain of wine boutiques, Wine Rack.