Early harvest for Okanagan
Visitors to wineries can expect to see crushing activities beginning this month
Here are several thoughts as the real summer, the one that screeches to a halt Tuesday morning with the start of school, comes to an end.
• First, if you are planning a trip to the Okanagan in September or October, be prepared to experience the harvest. The crop is two to three weeks early and that should bring a portion of the harvest into September. Most wineries are not equipped to accept large numbers of visitors
during the harvest but some will invite you to closely experience the crush. Crush pad activities can be plenty of fun; just make sure to be on your best behaviour and stay out of the way of the crew.
You’ll know if the harvest is on by the smell of fermenting grapes in the air. If you are awake early enough, you could witness both people and machines picking grapes in
vineyards all over the valley. Both can be an interesting experience. However, make yourself scarce and stay out of the way;
observe from afar.
• For those of you who can’t make it out of the city, fear not: there will be wine. One event not to be missed in September is Top Drop Vancouver. Year 2 of the two-day trade and consumer event is being held at the Roundhouse in Yaletown and several Vancouver restaurants on Sept. 10 and 11.
The focus is terroir-influenced, hand- crafted wines and the people behind them. In short, it’s much of the stuff we have been writing about for years: the importance in farming one’s fruit, sustainability, wines that reflect their vintage, wines made with minimal intervention all form the premise of Top Drop. Think of it as a festival for wine thinkers.
Along with wine there will be craft beer, cider and sustainable local produce and dinners around the city.
The main event runs Friday, Sept. 11 from 7-9:30 p.m. at the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews in Vancouver. Tickets are $ 59; proceeds go to the B.C. Hospitality Foundation. For tickets and more information go to topdropvancouver.com.
• Vista d’Oro, one of this province’s finest culinary agri-tourism destinations and located in South Langley, will play host to an amazing evening of wine and music that would have had our old friend Jurgen Gothe in a tizzy. Haystacks and Librettos, the first Dairy Barn Session will feature renowned tenor David Curry along with soprano Eden Tremayne and mezzo-soprano Francesca Corrado, two singers from Vancouver Opera’s young artist program.
The musical program will be divided into two complementary halves. The first half will be repertoire from operas Curry has performed in during his career or music he loves. The second half features musical theatre from Broadway, spanning the last 90 years.
Between sets, attendees will enjoy a family- style threecourse, long-table dinner prepared by chef Chris Whittaker of Forage Restaurant in Vancouver. The ingredients of the dinner will be from the Campbell Valley and each course will be paired with wines from Vista D’Oro. The event is Saturday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. at Vista D’Oro Farm, 346 208 Street in Langley. Tickets are $300 and include cocktails & canapés in the vineyard, two sets of music, the three-course, wine-paired dinner and return transportation from Vancouver. For more information, call 604-514-3539.