DISTRICT WINE VILLAGE MOVES FULL SPEED AHEAD
If you haven't made your way to District Wine Village in north Oliver, make sure it is on your list the next time you are in the south Okanagan.
You will find the village on the west side of the Osoyoos Indian Band's Senkulmen Business Park just off Highway 97, about a kilometre south of Gallagher Lake and some seven kilometres north of downtown Oliver.
You could be forgiven for not noticing the village from the highway. The unusual building circle focuses on the inside of the development, not the exterior, so look for signs directing you into the property. Appropriately its northwest backdrop is none other than the impressive Mcintyre Bluff, whose spectacularly gouged granitic gneiss and quartz veins tell the story of glaciers and geological events of another time that shaped today's Okanagan more than 12,000 years ago.
Childhood friends Max Brock and Matt Kenyon were the dreamers behind the innovative project, but Brock died unexpectedly before they could break ground. After considerable debate, the decision was made to complete the project. At that point, Kenyon, a longtime local builder, teamed up with Mike Daley, a former Arterra wine executive. Together, they brought the village to fruition during the height of the pandemic.
Building a cluster of wineries in one spot is hardly new to the wine business, but often it is a commercial production venture not intended for the public.
The District Wine Village was conceived on several levels. First, it was meant to offer a more affordable path to the wine business, giving the less than super-wealthy entry to the business at a relatively low cost. The quick startup allows tenants to start earning income much sooner than traditional landbased wineries. Each vendor has a licence, production area, and retail/tasting space. Designers have thought of everything, including hookups at the back of the building to accommodate mobile bottlers for on-site product bottling.
The buildings differ in exterior design and cladding, giving visitors an authentic if modern village feel. Each has a large patio with high-top tables and chairs for additional outdoor service areas, all recently covered with heat reflective sails. Then there is the casual, relaxing vibe. It is the first thing you notice as you enter the circular amphitheatre that sits three steps below the ring of wineries and shops. Here visitors are entertained by local artists while they stop for lunch or snack between tastings. Post-pandemic, the social options in the village are growing daily, featuring concerts, a weekly public market, art exhibits, a winery dinner series and more.
The focus is local, including a free Wednesday Market that runs through Sept. 14 from 4 to 7 p.m. supporting local Okanagan artists, growers, crafters and culinary artisans. A brewery is already in place and open, as is a casual restaurant. Last month a distillery was in full installation mode and should be ready to go before the summer.
As for the producers — the list is now 13 wineries long, plus Trading Post Brewing. The wineries are a collection of newbies and wineries with a brand, but no home, including Winemaker's Cut, One Faith Vineyards, Vintners Cove Winery, Gneiss Wines, Joiryde Winery, Wapiti Cellars and Canter Cellars. Those looking for wider exposure along Highway 97 include Eau Vivre, Valley Commons, Time Family of Wines, NK'MIP Cellars, and Silhouette Cellars.
Beer is made at Trading Post Brewing, while the Trading Post restaurant supports seasonal ingredients from local farmers, foragers, cheesemakers, and other artisanal suppliers.
The plans continue with building an educational tasting facility for resident producers and, down the road, an institution of higher learning to establish a home for practical viticulture and winemaking training. Finally, it is full speed ahead on installing an ice rink on the amphitheatre floor, scheduled to come to life this winter as the village prepares to open 365 days a year for locals and visitors alike.