Okanagan’s wine regions

NORTH OKANAGAN

This area includes Kelowna, or more specifi cally East Kelowna and the Mission District and across the lake at Westbank, Mount Boucherie as far as Greata Ranch as well as northward to Lake Country and Oyama. These sites appear well- suited to earlier ripening grape varieties that enjoy cool weather such as Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, sparkling wine and Germanic varieties like Ehrenfelser, Siegerrebe and Kerner. Also home to some excellent icewine.

CENTRAL OKANAGAN

Perhaps the most diverse region in the valley that can be warm at its southern edges just north of McIntyre Bluff at Vaseaux Lake, then on to Okanagan Falls, Kaleden and Skaha, Penticton and Naramata benches. Similar but diff erent again are Summerland and Peachland vineyards on the west shore of Lake Okanagan. The cool varieties do well here, albeit with slightly richer fl avours, Pinot Noir and Syrah can be stars here too. The jury is still out on Merlot and Cabernet Franc but they need to be on warm south- facing sites.

SOUTH OKANAGAN

The only undisputed geographical border is the central/ south borderline at McIntyre Bluff . South of the giant rock face lies the vast vineyard areas of Oliver and Osoyoos and their various sub- regions or benches, including Black Sage, Golden Mile and Osoyoos Lake, along with another collection of sites right up against the U. S. border. It is here where myriad sub- regions may thrive, including Fairview, Lower Black Sage Bench and the Golden Mile Bench, and even what could be termed the alto or high Golden Mile Bench. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, isolated sites for Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, Mourvèdre, Marsanne and more could all work here.