Travelling Okanagan’s Wine Trail
By Margaret Swaine
The Okanagan is the Canadian version of a Riviera. The ever-present glittering lakes are the backdrop to ski hills, golf courses, cycling and hiking routes and wine trails. There’s nothing flash, snob or high fashion. Rather it’s sunny, scenic beauty, with activities that hug nature and the outdoors in a low-key, low profile manner.
However the area hit the news big time in 2003. The year was the worst of times and the best of times for grape farmers. In summer, this region that encompasses Canada’s only true dessert saw much too much heat. Wild fires raged through parts of the valley destroying hundreds of private homes and thousands of hectares of parkland. St. Hubertus lost its historic 1930’s winery and its crop. Elsewhere some wineries close to the fire suffered smoke damage to their grapes on an estimated 250 acres or around 3 per cent of the total harvest in Okanagan. St. Hubertus met their misfortune with plucky gallows humour. They bottled St. Hubertus Fireman’s Red Gamay Noir 2001 and a Glowing Amber Chardonnay with two dollars from every bottle going to the fire-relief fund. The majority, who managed to avoid smoke taint, picked a prime ripe vintage.
Jim Wyse, proprietor of Burrowing Owl, sent a detailed email to his contacts late August with an upbeat ending. He talked about the pale white haze that sat over parts of the valley but then added, “Through all of this the grapes are ripening quickly and the winery has been very busy. The visitor count is well up over last year, the restaurant is continuing to attract patrons with many afternoons and evenings operating at capacity.” Later in October Black Hills sent a note saying, “This year our growing season was spectacular and we have been able to harvest superb ripe fruit. Fermentation is under way and some of the wines are already in barrel.”
Then the blessing of all happened. On November 4 an artic air flowed into the valley and temperatures plummeted in the night to the ideal -10 C for harvesting the precious icewine. Mission Hill recorded its earliest harvest on record and its first since 2001. “The fruit we picked is brilliant,” said Winemaker John Simes. “Because it’s so early in the season, it’s fresh and bursting with flavour.” The fruit registered 40.5 brix, well above the sugar level of 35 brix that it needs to qualify as icewine. In all nine wineries recorded icewine harvests that night and 80 tons of frozen grapes began the long fermentation to become icewine. Late onsets of cold temperatures have delayed the picking of icewine grapes the two previous years, with many wineries unable to wait it out. Last year’s first harvest took place on February 24. Temperatures must be well below zero for several days so that the grapes freeze on the vine. The frozen grapes are then pressed in that state. The rich, sweet wine that results wins awards and high prices for the wineries. “It takes a lot of diligence, patience and good winemaking skills but when customers buy a bottle of British Columbia VQA Icewine, they can be confident it’s the best in the world,” said Tilman Hainle whose winery produced the first icewine in Canada in 1978.
I was happy to hear about the good outcome to the year. I’ve been visiting this area for years. Sometimes to ski at Silver Star, Big White, Apex and Sun Peaks, other times to golf though I could literally do both the same day. Only months before the summer fires, I travelled the area to do the wine trial. The Okanagan/Similkameen Valley is B.C.’s largest wine appellation with around 60 wineries and ever growing. I had decided to drive the wine route starting near Vernon heading south along highway 97 to Osoyoos, which hugs the Washington border. The valley’s one great long scenic countryside, flanked by low-lying mountains and centered by glittering blue lakes.
The natural beginning was in the north at Gray Monk, one of the Valley’s originals, owned by the Heiss family whose vineyards date back thirty years. When I first visited them, they were small but enthusiastic. Their sweeping views of vineyards and the Okanagan cried out for a restaurant so the public could dine in the splendor. Now Willi Franz, the highly regarded chef at the Williams Inn in Kelowna, commanded the kitchen of their Grapevine Restaurant and patio. Nearby was a cottage in the vineyard available for special guests. (I won a night there in a dance contest but as is my lot in life have been too pressed to collect.) Their tasting room attracts upwards of 500 visitors a day in the summer where delicious fruity whites are a main draw.
My next stop was Kelowna, the largest city in the Valley at about its midpoint in Central Okanagan. This city of under 100,000 boasts more money per capita than anywhere else in the country. The Grand Okanagan, my resting place for the night, was smack in its heart by Lake Okanagan. The location is great connected to shore side boardwalks leading to parks and within a few minutes of downtown. It’s boasting point is size over intimacy. The big place was so filled with nametag bearing conference goers and casino devotees that I retreated to my French Country themed suite and opened the curtains to a spectacular sunset. Dinner at Fresco was a short walk away. At Fresco I found Rod Butters whom I’d met when he was chef at the renowned Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino. He’s gone on to win Provincial Restaurateur of the Year, Best BC Wine List and more. His talents shone brightly here, no doubt inspired by his setting and the access to good produce.
On a previous trip I’d paid a visit to Calona Winery, a large, very successful winery within Kelowna that delivers a great tour. Established in 1932, Calona is British Columbia’s original winery and it holds an innovative Artist Series Art Competition every year. However this time I headed straight across the longest floating bridge in North America up Mount Boucherie to see the architectural masterpiece that crowns it. Mission Hill’s “second glance” architecture is designed to offer something new every time you look. I stepped through the entrance archways held in place by a carved keystone block and saw a 16th century Austrian fountain, an outdoor amphitheatre where Shakespeare was performed in the summer, a terrace patio for dining and a loggia for resting. Another glance and I noticed the twelve-story bell tower which tolls the time. I strolled underground and found an education centre that offered daily two-hour wine programs. My last stop was the retail shop which sold Mission Hill’s 26 different wines, including value priced, delightful sauvignon blanc and pinot gris.
I planned my lunch to coincide with my visit to Sumac Ridge in Summerland. The Cellar Door Bistro is a good mid-point before Oliver that was my final destination that day. Chef Neil Schroeter made me a mean pork and tamarind curry that matched with Sumac’s signature Private Reserve Gewurztraminer just perfectly. I also took advantage of Sumac’s flight of four wines in 2 ounce tasting portions for ten dollars (which I spat in a bucket much to the amusement of some ladies dining at the next table – as I was caught between the desire to sample and the need to drive). Upstairs I viewed the Connoisseurs Room where high-end wines could be sampled paired with canapés.
Past Penticton I temporarily lost sight of the lakes that had shimmered and twinkled at me most of the day. The land became a dry desert of sage and antelope bush, tumble weed and prickly pear cactus. “Welcome to Desert Wine Country” announced the first sign and shortly after, “Oliver Wine Capital of Canada”. Considering the sparse population, the 15 or so wineries between here and the border may well qualify them to the title based on a head count. The desert was real too – called the Sonora it starts in Mexico, runs through the States and up into Canada. The heat and sunshine makes the areas of Golden Mile, Black Sage and Osoyoos Lake prime for the best red wines in the country.
Up on a hillside was Tinhorn Winery my stop for the night. There I joined participants in the WineLovers Club. Fellow imbibers Lorne and Anne Vaness had been given their three night, four-day package of tutored wine tastings, escorted trips to nearby wineries and vineyard tours as a thank-you from their family for extensive babysitting duties. It’s a value of close to a thousand dollars with an additional Home Delivery Package of three quarterly shipments of Tinhorn Creek wine for $545. Anne asked me if I have grandchildren, remarking that they definitely earned this generous gift.
I joined them in their guest suite “Martha” for an evening extravaganza of food and wine where Chef Larry Lee cooked up course after course as club director Sonya Konig instructed us on the intricacies of matching the dishes with wine. I returned well satiated to “Walter” my adjacent suite with its sweeping view of valley vineyards and lake.
The next morning I awoke to an overcast sky. Could it be rain in a land Environment Canada called our most desirable climate for living, with over 2,000 hours of sunshine and less than 30cm of rain? No – by nine the sun broke through and I decided to hike Stamp Mill Trail back of Tinhorn to work off the last night’s indulgence. There was no time to do the three-hour loop of Golden Mile Trail, but my enjoyable forty minutes rewarded me with a view of the ruins of a Mill and a panoramic scene of the Valley. It was buttercup season and joining their bright yellow were white and purple dots of tiny flowers.
I wasn’t sure of distances so heading south I quickly reached Black Hills, a tiny winery under a rust-red Quonset hut, arriving before they had opened. Winemaker Senka Tennant’s husband spotted me by the road and roused his wife out of bed. Lucky for me as she makes two hand crafted wines, less than 3,000 cases a year and I expected this was likely my one and only chance to taste them. Her red bordeaux variety blend Nota Bene has reached cult status and sells out quickly. The pre-release sample of 2001 is so delicious I buy a case for delivery later in the year. As expected it does sell out within a few months of release so now I guard the purchase I made for special occasions. Many BC wineries offer door-to-door delivery across Canada at least. I heartily recommend it over schlepping wine around in a hot car.
Burrowing Owl is nearby and I arrived there also ahead of schedule to find the Wyse family busy selecting china for their now opened restaurant and discussing construction of their bar and retail area. Local architect Rob Mackenzie has created an imposing winery that borrows from the earth- toned desert styles of New Mexico and Morocco. Steve Wyse headed off to play golf at the nearby Fairview, rated one of the top ten in the province, while father Jim and mother Midge and I had lunch. (The next day Steve planned to ski in the Slush Cup at Mount Baldy. Oh to have those choices!) Their patio offered a lovely view, but it’s Burrowing Owl’s fabulous red wines that compelled me to visit. Don’t miss their white pinot gris and their chardonnay either.
I continued south that day to the Nk’Mip Desert Centre and Winery overlooking Osoyoos Lake. North America’s first Indian owned and operated winery has 243 acres of vineyards, first planted in 1968. Numbering about 400, the progressive Osoyoos Indian Band (Nk’Mip as spoken in Okanagan) has many businesses including beautiful camping facilities with 200 lots running alongside the lake and a heritage centre. I hiked from the centre on well laid out trails, learning from the interpretive signs about desert plants and animals. Aspects of Okanagan Nation desert life are portrayed in the recreated tule mat teepee, underground pit houses and sweat hut. Future plans are for a golf course, spa and hotel. Light lunches such as buffalo carpaccio, quail terrine and Indian salmon are available now.
On my last day I headed back to Penticton to tour the wineries around Naramata on the southeastern tip of Lake Okanagan. On the way there I stopped at Blasted Church in Okanagan Falls. Perched high on a hillside its lake view was stunning as was its pinot gris wine. Naramata is a charming benchland with eleven wineries, some of which are among the best. I ordered the pinot gris for home delivery from among the brilliant wines at Poplar Grove and bought some of their Tiger Blue, one of three artisan cheeses made there by Sandra Chalmers. At La Frenz, winemaker Jeff Martin had just come back from skiing. Some of his most cherished wines are sold only at cellar door so people who visit have something special to try.
Later I try some delicious whites, dessert and icewines at Lang Vineyards. At Red Rooster Prudence Mahrer jumped off her tractor, dusty from the fields to greet me. Alas she had no wine to offer as the winery always sells out before the new crop is in. She and her husband have decided to build a new winery to handle the demand and the line up of thirsty wine lovers whose cars back up as far as her chicken coop on busy weekends.
I like my privacy so if I’m going to stay in a B & B, Coady’s Cabana, one of the many that dot the countryside is a primo choice. There I luxuriated in my own mini house built by architect/owner Matthew Coady, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a fireplace, Jacuzzi, outdoor patio and a roof that can be retracted for open air sleeping. Another good choice for accommodation is the lovingly restored Naramata Inn and Spa. Many of the rooms are small but charming seeped in historic atmosphere. Tasty food by chef Grant deMontreuil is served in their cozy wine cellar and more formal dining room, accompanied by an extensive list of BC wines.
The final day I hiked along the Kettle Valley Trail, a portion of the Trans-Canada Trail network, through the vineyards of the King Family Farm towards Hillside Winery. I toured Hillside’s Barrel Room Bistro, a great food destination with a patio overlooking the lake. The trail travels from Penticton right by the Bistro, continuing on about 100 kilometres to McCulloch Lake. I returned however to Penticton to make my final stop The British Columbia Wine Information Centre. Just in case I’d missed something good, they have over 400 wines for purchase from about 40 of the local wineries. Now I’ll just have to go back to see if there’s any Glowing Amber for sale with maybe some smoked meat to go with it. And then I’ll finish off with 2003 icewine to recapture the best taste a palate can find.
Contacts Okanagan 2003
Wineries:
Gray Monk Estate Winery
1055 Camp Road, Okanagan Centre, BC, V4V 2H4
Contact: Connie Bielert
P. 250.766.3168 T. 800.663.4205 F. 250.766.3390
E. mailbox@graymonk.com W. www.graymonk.com
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
1730 Mission Hill Road, Westbank, BC, V4T 2E4
Contact: Darlene Young
Executive Assistant, Mission Hill Estate Winery
P. 250.768.7611 F. 250.768.2267
E. dyoung@missionhillwinery.com W. www.missionhillwinery.com
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery
17403 Highway 97, PO Box 307, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0
Contact: Christa-Lee McWatters-Bond
P. 250.494.0451 F. 250.494.3456
E. info@sumacridge.com W. www.sumacridge.com
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards
32830 Tinhorn Creek Road, PO Box 2010, Oliver, BC, V1H 1T0
Contact: Sonya Konig
Director, Tinhorn Creek WineLovers’ Club
P. 250.498.3743 T. 888.4.Tinhorn F. 250.498.3228
E. winelovers@tinhorn.com W. www.thewineloversclub.com
Black Hills Winery
30880 Black Sage Road, RR1 S52 C22, Oliver, BC, V0H 1T0
Contact: Senka Tennant
Winemaker, Black Hills Winery
P. 250.498.0666 F. 250.498.0690
E. info@blackhillswinery.com W. www.blackhillswinery.com
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
100 Burrowing Owl Place, RR1 S52 C20, Oliver, BC, V0H 1T0
Contact: Michelle Young
Marketing Manager, Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
P. 250.498.0620 T. 877.498.0620 F. 250.498.0621
E. bovwinery@telus.net W. www.burrowingowlwine.ca
Nkmip Desert & Heritage Centre & Nkmip Cellars
Contact: Geraldine Manossa
Marketing Manager, Nkmip Desert & Heritage Centre
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P. 250.495.7901 T. 888.495.8555 W. www.nkmipdesert.com
Nkmip Cellars
1400 Rancher Creek Road, Osoyoos, BC, V0H 1T0
Contact: Donna Faigaux
Marketing Manager, Nkmip Cellars
P. 250.495.2985 F. 250.495.2986
E. Donna.faigaux@nkmip.ca W. www.nkmipcellars.com
Inniskillin Okanagan
Road 11 West, RR1 S24 C5, Oliver, BC, V0H 1T0
P. 250.498.6663 T. 800.498.6211 F. 250.498.4566
E. Islack@inniskillin.com W. www.inniskillin.com
Contact: Christine Coletta, Coletta Consultants Ltd.
P. 604.664.3700 F. 604.903.3850 E. ccoletta@colettaconsultants.ca
Hillside Estate Winery
1350 Naramata Road, Penticton, BC, V2A 8T6
Contact: Ken Lauzon
General Manager, Hillside Estate Winery
P. 250.493.6274 T. 888.923.9463 F. 250.493.6294
E. klauzon@hillsideestate.com W. www.hillsidewinery.ca
Blasted Church Vineyards
378 Parsons Road, RR1, Okanagan Falls, BC, V0H 1R0
P. 250.497.1125 F.250.497.1126
E. intrigued@blastedchurch.com W. www.blastedchurch.com
Lang Vineyards
RR 1 2493 Grammon Rd., Naramata, BC, V0H 1N0
P. 250.496.5987 F. 250.496.5706
E. langvineyards@shaw.ca W. www.langvineyards.com
Red Rooster Winery
910 DeBeck Road, RR 1, Naramata, BC, V0H 2Y0
T. 250.496.4041 F. 250.496.5674
E. redrooster@img.net W. www.redroosterwinery.com
Calona Vineyards
1125 Richter Street, Kelowna BC, V1Y 2K6
P. 250.762.9144 T. 888.246.4472
E. wineboutique@cascadian.ca W. www.andrewpeller.com/cascadia.php
Hotels:
Grand Okanagan Lakefront Resort & Conference Centre
1310 Water Street, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 9P3
Contact: Laurel Friesen
Executive Secretary, Grand Okanagan Lakefront Resort & Conference Centre
P. 250.763.4500 T. 800.465.4651 F. 250.763.4565
Coady’s Cabana
370 Lower Bench Road, Penticton, BC, V2A 8V4
P. 250.493.0940 F. 250.493.3996 E. jane@coady.info
Jane & Matthew Coady.
Restaurants:
Fresco Restaurant Ltd.
1560 Water Street, Kelowna, BC, V1J 1J7
Magnums On The Lake
21 Lakeshore Drive, Penticton, BC, V2A 7M5
Contact: Gitta Schoenne
P. 250.493.8221 T. 800.663.9400 F. 250.493.0607
E. gitta@rpbhotels.com W. www.rpbhotels.com
P. 250.868.8805
Tourism contacts:
Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association.
Contact: Lynda Trudeau
Marketing & Media Relations, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
1332 Water Street, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 9P4
P. 250.860.5999 F. 250.860.9993
E. ltrudeau@thompsonokanagan.com W. www.thompsonokanagan.com
Tourism Development Services Penticton & Wine Country
Contact: Kelly Reid, Tourism Marketing Coordinator
888 Westminster Avenue West, Penticton, BC, V2A 8S2
P. 250-490-2464 T. 800.663.5052 F. 250-492-6119
E. tourism@penticton.org W. www.visitpenticton.com
BC Wine Information Centre
Contact: Louise Pearson, Manager
BC Wine Information Centre
888 Westminster Avenue West, Penticton, BC, V2A 8S2
P. 250.490.2003 F. 250.490.2003 E. bcwine@vip.net