Join our wine expert and explore the Okanagan Valley
The New Okanagan, Canada’s premier wine region, is on the move. With its unique combination of mountains, l a kes and deser t , the Okanagan Valley offers stunning views along its 200- kilometre path from Vernon to Osoyoos. Follow The Sun’s noted wine critic Anthony Gismondi as he travels from north to south down the valley in this beautiful six-part web series, with stops in Lake Country, West Kelowna, Naramata, Okanagan Falls and Oliver. Along the way, Anthony will visit six growers exploring the latest in B.C. wine. He will take a closer look at their wineries, prized cellars and vineyards, revealing why the Okanagan is one of North America’s premium wine regions. So grab a glass and join Anthony Gismondi for the ride.
Gray Monk Estate Winery
George and Trudy Heiss are modern B. C. wine pioneers. After giving up the hair business in Edmonton in 1972 they purchased an old orchard in Okanagan Centre and planted the first Pinot Gris vines in Canada. A decade later they launched Gray Monk. Today the winery produces almost 30,000 cases of Gris as well as many other fan favourites including a rotberger rosé, ehrenfelser, siegerrebe, kerner and some delicious sparkling wine. Join us on the deck for a glass of wine and a chat.
The Hatch Winery
If you can’t “out-fancy” your neighbours what is one to do? Collecting antique shovels and hatching a series of single vineyard wines from across the Okanagan Valley might work. Drop by The Hatch and meet general manager Jessie Harnden and winemaker Jason Parkes and learn all about the Black Swift, a bird native to the Okanagan that lays a single egg per year. Single egg, single vineyard, well, you get the picture — The Hatch is an incubator for wine. Drop by, experience the wine, have a picnic and play some bocce, it’s the New Okanagan.
Lake Breeze Wine Farm
Winemaker Garron Elmes has made every bottle of wine at Lake Breeze since the day it opened 20 years ago. His arrival in Penticton from South Africa coincided with the launch of many small estates along what is now one of the most famous winegrowing benches in B.C. Today the winery is a premier producer of Pinot Blanc and joins a small cadre of producers making exciting Pinot Noir across the valley. Join us as we discuss the secrets of the Naramata Bench and how they relate to the style of Lake Breeze wines.
Upper Bench Winery & Creamery
Wine and cheese have always been one of those mystical pairings that poses the question: Which goes with which? To see how it works in real life, we stopped by Upper Bench Winery and Creamery on the edge of Penticton and met two gifted, local artisans: winemaker Gavin Miller and his cheesemaker wife Shana Miller. We talk wine, cheese and sustainable agriculture. They share their artisanal philosophies and something customers call a “party in a box.”
See Ya Later Ranch
See Ya Later Ranch was founded by Major Hugh Fraser in 1919. It was named after his London bride who, upon seeing the rustic surroundings left both the Valley and a three-word note in a frying pan: “See ya later.” Today, winemaker Dave Carson oversees one of the oldest and highest vineyard sites in the Okanagan Valley planted with Pinot Noir, Riesling and the largest single plot of Gewürztraminer (65 acres) in North America. Ride with us as we visit See Ya Later Ranch along one of the great back roads of British Columbian wine country.
Inniskillin Okanagan
Inniskillin Okanagan’s Dark Horse Vineyard sits on the Okanagan Valley’s only official appellation, the Golden Mile Bench. According to winemaker Derek Kontkanen, Dark Horse is an appropriate moniker for the stony bench that is home to Inniskillin’s Discovery Series program. The series features a number of varietal wines that are atypical to the south Okanagan. Join us as we discuss the process of looking for the perfect match between grape and terroir. And speaking of perfect pairings, Kontkanen takes us on a tour of the new Inniskillin Okanagan tasting room where we match basic tastes to a bevy of famed Inniskillin Okanagan icewines.
Watch these videos for a chance to WIN Anthony’s B.C. Winegrowers Tour. Visit vancouversun.com/winegrowerscontest