30th anniversary

Fitzpatrick, who would go on to be a Senator, changed the name of his Lakeshore Road winery to CedarCreek from Uniacke.

The switch was more than symbolic, as Fitzpatrick would revolutionize the winery and the Okanagan wine industry.

“The Senator really put CedarCreek and the Okanagan on the map by completely replanting vineyards with premium grapes and winning Canadian Winery of the Year awards in 2002 and 2005,” said CedarCreek general manager Scott Locke.

In 2014, Fitzpatrick sold CedarCreek to Anthony von Mandl, the owner of famous Mission Hill Winery in West Kelowna, and the revolution continued.

Back-to-back, in 2015 and 2016, CedarCreek vintages won best red wine and best white wine awards at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards in London, England, for their Block 2 Pinot Noir and Block 3 Riesling.

CedarCreek is celebrating its 30th anniversary with events throughout the year.

Today there’s an invite-only party from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., but the winery tasting room and shop will be open for sipping and buying.

In the shop you’ll also find white releases like Ehrenfelser ($17), described as fruit salad in a glass, and The Senator ($19), a nod to Fitzpatrick, a unique and tasty combination of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.