The Wine Route

The heart of B.C.’s premier wine country is found in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys which lie between the 49th and 50th parallels, the same latitude of the famous European wine regions of Champagne and Rheingau. But the wineries of these two B.C. valleys are famous not from that simple geographical similarity, but for the quality of wine on par with the best of the world.

Many of Okanagan Valley’s top dining destinations are also located at these wineries, offering a wide range of culinary delights including an emphasis on farm to table ingredients. Some also offer accommodation onsite enabling an immersive winery experience.

Photography by Ramification Cellars poorer quality hybrid and Vitis labrusca grapevines.

It may surprise many to know that the roots of the region’s wine industry date from the 1850s with the establishment of Father Pandosy’s Okanagan Mission, and the planting of vineyards for making sacramental wines. Prohibition, from 1918-1920, brought this to an end, with the commercial wine industry only recovering in the 1930s with the first modernera winery – Calona Vineyards. This winery started in 1932 and remains the oldest continuously running winery in the province. It wasn’t until the 1970s with experimental plantings of Vitis vinifera grapes that the industry embarked on the start of a journey that has brought it to the world recognised stature it now enjoys. Free trade agreements with the US in the late 1980s provided further impetus to shift from the Now the region grows more than 60 grape varieties producing virtually every style of wine across the spectrum of sweetness levels, including still, sparkling, fortified and dessert wines, and even ice wines. The Okanagan Valley and Similkameen Valley account for 80 per cent of all wine produced in province.

Photography by Leila Kwok

More recent plantings include: Sangiovese, Syrah, Tempranillo, Trebbiano, Pinotage, Malbec, Barbera and Zinfandel, all varietals typically associated with warm climates.

Stretching over 250 km, the Okanagan Valley with its stunning, sun-bathed landscape punctuated by tranquil lakes set between brush covered hillsides is the jewel in the crown of the B.C. wine industry. It is the mother demarcation for all wine-growing in the valley which is punctuated by sub-regions. Microclimates and soil types vary from endto-end across a number of sub-regions, each with distinct conditions, or terroir. This is the valley of award-winning wines delighting even the most fastidious of connoisseurs with sundrenched big, bold reds to lively crisp whites.

The Okanagan has four officially recognised geographical sub-regions, or sub-appellations: Skaha Bench, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Falls and the Golden Mile Bench. The Osoyoos-Black Sage area is often considered a sub-region with its own unique terroir but currently lacks official designation as such. With low-key, family-run boutique vineyards to larger winery operations, the Okanagan Valley wineries are not only rich in tradition and character, but producers of world-class wines that consistently rank at the top of international competitions. A key factor in Okanagan Valley’s uniqueness for wine production is its climate. Daytime temperatures can reach 40°C, but the cool nights allow the grapes to maintain their natural

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100 ENTERPRISE WAY, OLIVER, BC

acidity. The hot days and cool nights produce wines with ripe fruit character, fused with a distinctive acidity. This unique growth profile is widely recognised as a signature trait in B.C. wine and an important factor in its superlative wine quality. Interestingly, the Okanagan Valley is also warmer and more arid than California’s Napa Valley, and gets nearly two hours more sunlight per day during the peak growing season because of its northern latitude.

Black Sage/Osoyoos

Stretching from just north of Osoyoos on the east side of the valley up to Oliver is the Black Sage grape growing area. With full afternoon sun in what is the hottest location in Canada and an average of 1,551 growing degree days, this intense daytime heat is offset by cool nights giving wine from this area big flavour with vibrant acidity, the bedrock of the Okanagan Valley’s unique and award-winning wines. This unique microclimate gives rise

Photography by Nora Hamade @simplynorah

Golden Mile Bench

The Golden Mile Bench is aptly named, as this sun-drenched shoulder on the west side of the valley running from Oliver towards Osoyoos was the first sub-region demarcated in 2015. Its southern facing aspect provides a warm climate with morning sun, rather than afternoon sunshine, making it a cooler microclimate than those located on or across the valley floor. This makes it ideal for full-flavoured white wines such as Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, alongside bright fruity reds like Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

With an average of 1,484 growing days the soil in the Golden Mile Bench features well-drained fluvial fans of stony gravelly, sandy loams or gravelly, loamy sands. 36 to big bold reds such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah/Shiraz, and also whites such as Chardonnay. The soil plays its part with very deep sandy glaciofluvial materials overlying granite bedrock. Other wineries slightly south of Black Sage are dotted on the slopes around Osoyoos making them very accessible to visitors staying in the range of waterside resorts in the town. The youngest of the region’s wine areas, the Osoyoos Indian Band’s Nk’Mip Cellars was the first to open its doors in 2002. Similar to Black Sage wineries those located around Osoyoos excel in the creation of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah/ Shiraz, and Chardonnay wines.

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ADEGA ON 45TH www.adegaon45.com BARTIER BROS. www.bartierbros.com BLACK HILLS www.blackhillswinery.com BLUE SKY www.blueskywinery.ca BORDERTOWN www.bordertownwinery.com BURROWING OWL www.burrowingowlwine.ca C.C. JENTSCH www.ccjentschcellars.com CASTORO DE ORO www.castorodeorowinery.com CHECKMATE www.checkmatewinery.com CHURCH & STATE www.churchandstatewines.com COVERT FARMS www.covertfarms.ca CULMINA www.culmina.ca DESERT HILLS www.deserthills.ca FRENCH DOOR www.frenchdoorwinery.com GEHRINGER BROTHERS www.gehringerwines.ca GOLD HILL www.goldhillwinery.com HESTER CREEK www.hestercreek.com HIDDEN CHAPEL www.hiddenchapelwinery.com INNISKILLIN OKANAGAN www.inniskillin.com/Okanagan JACKSON-TRIGGS www.jacksontriggswinery.com KISMET www.kismetestatewinery.com LAKESIDE www.lakesidecellars.ca LARIANA www.larianacellars.com LIBER www.liberfarm.ca MAVERICK www.maverickwine.ca MOON CURSER www.mooncurser.com NK’MIP CELLARS www.nkmipcellars.com NOSTALGIA WINES www.nostalgiawines.ca PHANTOM CREEK www.phantomcreekestates.com PLATINUM BENCH www.platinumbench.com QUINTA FERREIRA www.quintaferreira.com RAMIFICATION www.ramwine.com RIVER STONE www.riverstoneestatewinery.ca ROAD 13 www.road13vineyards.com RUST WINE CO. www.rustwine.com SECOND CHAPTER www.scwines.ca SILVER SAGE www.silversagewinery.ca SONORA DESERT www.sonoradesertwinery.ca SQUEEZED www.squeezedwines.com STONEBOAT www.stoneboatvineyards.com TINHORN CREEK www.tinhorn.com VINAMITÉ www.vinamitecellars.com

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DISTRICT WINE VILLAGE www.districtwinevillage.com FIREHALL BREWERY www.firehallbrewery.com HOWLING MOON CRAFT CIDER www.howlingmoon.ca

Osoyoos Lake46

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LASTELLA WINERY www.lastella.ca NIGHTHAWK VINEYARDS www.nighthawkvineyards.com

The Similkameen Valley, northwest of Osoyoos is a hidden gem in B.C.’s wine industry and has been gaining ever greater notoriety for its award-winning wines. Lush vineyards in the arid land are set against a fabulous backdrop of rugged, rock-faced mountains. The majority of the wineries-typically smaller in scale than many of those in the Okanagan Valley-are grouped around the two small towns of Cawston and Keremeos.

The surrounding mountains act to reflect the heat into the valley long after the sun has set each day. Similar to the Golden Mile Bench, the Similkameen Valley averages 1,533 growing days. The soil in the area is varied and includes stony, gravelly, and silty loams from glacial rock formation. The combination of an arid valley floor and persistent winds make irrigation a challenging task in this region. It does have the benefit of keeping mildew and insect pests in check, which means vineyards can often avoid the need for spraying. This coincides with the area’s emphasis on organically grown fruit. The first winery in the area was Keremeos Vineyards (now named St. Laszlo) established in 1984 with some 15 wineries now in operation. The valley is known for its Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Riesling.

1143 Highway #3 Cawston, BC 250.499.2144 sevenstones.ca

Nestled on benchland overlooking the Similkameen Valley, Seven Stones Winery is well-known for its full-bodied red wines, a spectacular view and its mysterious caves.

Cave & Winery Tours | Tastings Patio Lunch with a Million-Dollar View

PENTICTON (34 KM)

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Middle Bench Rd

KEREMEOS 10

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Upper Bench Rd Ferko RdAgar Rd CAWSTON

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Barcelo Rd Similkameen River Ritchie Dr Lowe Dr Surprise Rd 45 Barcelo Rd

Fairview Rd

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FORBIDDEN FRUIT WINERY www.forbiddenfruitwine.com SEVEN STONES WINERY www.sevenstones.ca VANESSA VINEYARD ESTATE WINERY www.vanessavineyard.com CROWSNEST VINEYARDS www.crowsnestvineyards.com TWISTED HILLS CRAFT CIDER www.twistedhills.ca OROFINO WINERY www.orofinovineyards.com KLIPPERS UNTANGLED CRAFT CIDER www.klippersorganics.com RUSTIC ROOTS WINERY www.rusticrootswinery.com HUGGING TREE WINERY www.huggingtreewinery.com CLOS DU SOLEIL WINERY www.closdusoleil.ca CORCELETTES ESTATE WINERY www.CorcelettesWine.ca ROBIN RIDGE WINERY www.robinridgewinery.com