Stir Q&A: Time winemaker Lynzee Schatz on bubbles, backyard fires, and COVID-19
The Okanagan native earned a Bachelor of Wine Science in Australia
Lynzee Schatz of Time Family of Wines has been keeping very busy throughout the pandemic.
LYNZEE SCHATZ HAS has been working in B.C.’s wine industry since her late teens. After earning Bachelor of Wine Science from Charles Sturt University in Australia, she gained experience at wineries Down Under as well as in California Ontario.
Raised in the Okanagan, she eventually returned to her native B.C. and worked at Vancouver Urban Winery, Postmark Brewing, and Okanagan Crush Pad. Since 2019, she’s been winemaker at Time Family of Wines, which includes Time Winery, Evolve Cellars, and McWatters Collection.
Stir caught up with Schatz to hear more about her journey.
What drew you to winemaking?
It all started when I was 18. I took a cellar job at Summerhill Pyramid Winery, where one of my first tasks was to hand label their sparkling wine. I couldn’t help but wonder what else was happening in the cellar, and quickly transitioned into a full-time cellar hand.
What do you love about it to this day?
That it is always different. We [winemakers] get to be creative by blending art and science. We work within a huge variable that is the vineyard and growing season. We have to continually adapt to what happens in that season to be able to use that and produce the best wines we can. It’s also great that we move with the seasons: every month you’re doing something different in the cellar.
What has your experience been like as a woman in this field?
I can only speak for myself, but gender is not relevant to what I do. I have a role to play, a passion for what I do, and I do it. The industry has been great to me. There is great camaraderie between wineries and our customers
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Do you have a preferred wine?
I love Chardonnay. It is such a shapeshifter, from barrel ferments to only stainless-steel ferments or somewhere in-between. It is also a staple in sparkling wine, and those who know me know I love bubbles.
How have you been coping with COVID-19?
I have been doing alright. Luckily, I have been able to keep working throughout it all to keep me busy. Like anyone, I miss gathering with friends and family but feel it’s important to follow the rules set out for us. I have been keeping busy getting more creative in the kitchen and finding new places to hike. Listening to records or having a fire in my backyard lifts my spirits.
I have an amazing team that helped me craft intentional, varietal, and super expressive wines. Our fruit ripened perfectly, and we had plenty of nice weather. I am excited to share the wines that I have made here at Time Family of Wines with everyone.
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