Out of this world and right next door
From its strategic location as the gateway to the Naramata Bench, Perseus Winery is winning raves from wine lovers. They can’t seem to stop talking about the great reds and whites that are made to express the terroir of vineyards throughout the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys.
And acknowledgement of their efforts is coming from a national stage. The 2011 Cabernet Shiraz brought home Gold from this year’s WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada and 2009 Invictus, a classic Bordeaux blend, earned Silver. Invictus is elegant, earthy and age-worthy—enjoy some now and put some away in the cellar. It’s that good! Two more wines, 2011 Merlot and 2011 Pinot Gris, won Bronze medals at the National awards.
The winery, a former residential home at the foot of Lower Bench Road, makes a natural entrance to the Naramata Bench and the location is also home to an Info Centre, where guests can get information about other Naramata wineries, galleries and bed and breakfasts. It’s also a pickup point for the Okanagan Wine Shuttle.
A sister winery, Helios, will soon be launched in Westbank, on a property next to Quail’s Gate. The 10,000 square foot building will house a full wine production facility, bistro and tasting bar.
After an event-filled summer, the staff at Perseus has no intention of slowing down in the fall. Check the web site (www.perseuswinery.com) for complete information, including happenings during the exciting Fall Okanagan Wine Festival from October 4-14. Members of the Perseus Wine Club (see web site for details) will be invited to join the unveiling of 2012 red wines bottled in September and a charity auction of select library wines with food and wine to follow.
A series of educational events at the winery will be scheduled for during and after the Fall Wine Festival.
Fall 2013 - Food and Wine Trails magazine
And acknowledgement of their efforts is coming from a national stage. The 2011 Cabernet Shiraz brought home Gold from this year’s WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada and 2009 Invictus, a classic Bordeaux blend, earned Silver. Invictus is elegant, earthy and age-worthy—enjoy some now and put some away in the cellar. It’s that good! Two more wines, 2011 Merlot and 2011 Pinot Gris, won Bronze medals at the National awards.
The winery, a former residential home at the foot of Lower Bench Road, makes a natural entrance to the Naramata Bench and the location is also home to an Info Centre, where guests can get information about other Naramata wineries, galleries and bed and breakfasts. It’s also a pickup point for the Okanagan Wine Shuttle.
A sister winery, Helios, will soon be launched in Westbank, on a property next to Quail’s Gate. The 10,000 square foot building will house a full wine production facility, bistro and tasting bar.
After an event-filled summer, the staff at Perseus has no intention of slowing down in the fall. Check the web site (www.perseuswinery.com) for complete information, including happenings during the exciting Fall Okanagan Wine Festival from October 4-14. Members of the Perseus Wine Club (see web site for details) will be invited to join the unveiling of 2012 red wines bottled in September and a charity auction of select library wines with food and wine to follow.
A series of educational events at the winery will be scheduled for during and after the Fall Wine Festival.
Fall 2013 - Food and Wine Trails magazine
its all coming together at serendipity winery
“2013 has been a fabulous year for us,” says Judy Kingston, owner of Naramata’s Serendipity Winery.
Fabulous? How about being named BC’s Winery of the Year at the prestigious New York International Wine Competition in June? Or, before the end of July, having hauled in 22 medals from wine competitions—including two Best of Varietal awards? Or finally having sufficient production to get the multi-award-winning Devil’s Advocate red blend into BC Liquor Stores? Or adding highly regarded Richard Kanazawa as winemaker on what is shaping up to be an all-star team?
Kanazawa brings years of experience to Serendipity, and shares Judy’s vision of creating Old World-style wines from the maturing vineyard surrounding the winery. He joins Craig McKenzie, who now oversees farm operations, and June Stewart, who manages the wineshop, freeing up Judy’s daughter, Katie O’Kell, to look after paperwork and focus on her UC Davis winemaking studies.
“I’m pretty much always behind the wheel now,” Judy laughs. “If I’m not out on the road doing sales and promotion I’m on the tractor!”
Serendipity had its first exposure at the Calgary Stampede in July, with Judy staying for the entire 10-day event that left her raving about the city’s sense of community. There, thanks to the help of Townhall Brands, Vancouver-based business consultants, she was featured on CTV News and in the Calgary Herald.
“I felt so welcome there, and I am thrilled that we have already been invited back for 2014.”
The rest of 2013 promises to only get better, with September seeing the release of six 2010 reds—Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc, Syrah, Pinot Noir and the always popular Serenata, a Bordeaux blend.
“All these amazing things are happening to us,” says Katie. “Everything is really coming together.”
“We feel like we have really arrived,” Judy echoes.
Fall 2013 - Food and Wine Trails magazine
Fabulous? How about being named BC’s Winery of the Year at the prestigious New York International Wine Competition in June? Or, before the end of July, having hauled in 22 medals from wine competitions—including two Best of Varietal awards? Or finally having sufficient production to get the multi-award-winning Devil’s Advocate red blend into BC Liquor Stores? Or adding highly regarded Richard Kanazawa as winemaker on what is shaping up to be an all-star team?
Kanazawa brings years of experience to Serendipity, and shares Judy’s vision of creating Old World-style wines from the maturing vineyard surrounding the winery. He joins Craig McKenzie, who now oversees farm operations, and June Stewart, who manages the wineshop, freeing up Judy’s daughter, Katie O’Kell, to look after paperwork and focus on her UC Davis winemaking studies.
“I’m pretty much always behind the wheel now,” Judy laughs. “If I’m not out on the road doing sales and promotion I’m on the tractor!”
Serendipity had its first exposure at the Calgary Stampede in July, with Judy staying for the entire 10-day event that left her raving about the city’s sense of community. There, thanks to the help of Townhall Brands, Vancouver-based business consultants, she was featured on CTV News and in the Calgary Herald.
“I felt so welcome there, and I am thrilled that we have already been invited back for 2014.”
The rest of 2013 promises to only get better, with September seeing the release of six 2010 reds—Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc, Syrah, Pinot Noir and the always popular Serenata, a Bordeaux blend.
“All these amazing things are happening to us,” says Katie. “Everything is really coming together.”
“We feel like we have really arrived,” Judy echoes.
Fall 2013 - Food and Wine Trails magazine
D'angelo winery is a bc-ontario family affair
The D'Angelo family.
In July, Sal D’angelo was working 12-hour days in the vineyard, supervising a crew pulling leaves to expose grape clusters to the sun, cutting top growth from vines to force the plant’s energy to be directed into ripening the fruit, and ensuring only the requisite number of clusters was left hanging on vines. After 30 years in the business, he knows that effort in the vineyard has to be made before one can expect quality in the winery.
A true family man, Sal’s conversations are peppered with family references. His daughter, Stephanie, runs the wineshop, B&B and handles administration. Son Chris manages a winery of the same name in Amherstberg, ON. His mom and dad make regular visits from Ontario. On a recent stay at the winery, Sal’s brother asked him why he never goes anywhere
His reply? ‘’Because I am already there.‘’
Meticulous in his record keeping, he can open his beloved Blackberry and find spreadsheets on everything to vineyard spraying schedules to each check of wines in barrels. It’s that attention to detail, he says, that helps make consistently great wines.
And it shows. In the wineshop are fine expressions of Merlot-Cab Franc, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo and Sette Coppa Riserva. Coming along nicely are new vintages of Tempranillo, Merlot, Cab Sauv, Sette Coppa and his first ever Rose.
And yet to be bottled is their sweet dessert wine called Dolce Vita Rosso, a Port-style wine with a twist – with icewine and brandy from their own vineyard, distilled by Maple Leaf Distillery in Penticton
They will be ready by the time this story is in reader’s hands. And these fortified dessert wines won’t last long.
Fall 2013 - Food and Wine Trails magazine
A true family man, Sal’s conversations are peppered with family references. His daughter, Stephanie, runs the wineshop, B&B and handles administration. Son Chris manages a winery of the same name in Amherstberg, ON. His mom and dad make regular visits from Ontario. On a recent stay at the winery, Sal’s brother asked him why he never goes anywhere
His reply? ‘’Because I am already there.‘’
Meticulous in his record keeping, he can open his beloved Blackberry and find spreadsheets on everything to vineyard spraying schedules to each check of wines in barrels. It’s that attention to detail, he says, that helps make consistently great wines.
And it shows. In the wineshop are fine expressions of Merlot-Cab Franc, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo and Sette Coppa Riserva. Coming along nicely are new vintages of Tempranillo, Merlot, Cab Sauv, Sette Coppa and his first ever Rose.
And yet to be bottled is their sweet dessert wine called Dolce Vita Rosso, a Port-style wine with a twist – with icewine and brandy from their own vineyard, distilled by Maple Leaf Distillery in Penticton
They will be ready by the time this story is in reader’s hands. And these fortified dessert wines won’t last long.
Fall 2013 - Food and Wine Trails magazine
Hillside Winery has a long history on the bench
The Bistro deck.
Hillside Winery and Bistro is the complete package. It has history. In 1989 Hillside joined Wild Goose and Lang Vineyards as the one of the first farmgate wineries in the province. It has location. The distinctive wood structure rises above Naramata Road to afford views that have to be seen to be believed. And the Kettle Valley Trail runs just behind the property. It has food. In the Bistro, chef Rob Cordonier creates magic, with a strong focus on fresh, local ingredients. And, of course, it has wine. In the winery, Kathy Malone uses a deft, gentle hand to turn grapes into fine wines, using an increasingly single vineyard approach to bring out the expression of the Hillside vineyards’ terroir.
Visitors to the tasting room will enjoy the chance to sample wines that include new releases like 2010 Syrah, a nicely balanced red with great tannins and a hint of potter’s clay with flavours of raspberries, blackberries and minerals. The 2010 Merlot Malbec is made from 100% Naramata-grown grapes, a perfect match with lamb ragout, suggests sales and marketing manager Lisa Baxter-Burke. The 2010 Viognier is proving to be popular, as is the tasty 2010 Late Harvest Kerner.
With the coming of fall many events are planned, including live local music on four Sundays in September.
During October’s Fall Wine Festival, Oktoberfest will be celebrated in the Bistro. An Oktoberfest platter will be featured from from 5-9 p.m., October 4-11 (locally brewed beer will also be available!). Guests are invited to the popular Graze Among the Grapes winemaker’s dinner, which starts with a reception in the courtyard featuring Hillside’s award-winning Rosé and canapés. A vineyard walk is followed by a wine-paired dinner. Make your reservations now! And don’t forget about the popular Thanksgiving turkey dinner on October 13-14, or Hallowe’en at Hillside, the winery’s 3rd annual party.
Fall 2013 - Food and Wine Trails magazine
Visitors to the tasting room will enjoy the chance to sample wines that include new releases like 2010 Syrah, a nicely balanced red with great tannins and a hint of potter’s clay with flavours of raspberries, blackberries and minerals. The 2010 Merlot Malbec is made from 100% Naramata-grown grapes, a perfect match with lamb ragout, suggests sales and marketing manager Lisa Baxter-Burke. The 2010 Viognier is proving to be popular, as is the tasty 2010 Late Harvest Kerner.
With the coming of fall many events are planned, including live local music on four Sundays in September.
During October’s Fall Wine Festival, Oktoberfest will be celebrated in the Bistro. An Oktoberfest platter will be featured from from 5-9 p.m., October 4-11 (locally brewed beer will also be available!). Guests are invited to the popular Graze Among the Grapes winemaker’s dinner, which starts with a reception in the courtyard featuring Hillside’s award-winning Rosé and canapés. A vineyard walk is followed by a wine-paired dinner. Make your reservations now! And don’t forget about the popular Thanksgiving turkey dinner on October 13-14, or Hallowe’en at Hillside, the winery’s 3rd annual party.
Fall 2013 - Food and Wine Trails magazine
No elephant, no island. just great wine.
Photo from Elephant Island Orchard Winery
Nestled down near the east shore of Okanagan Lake is a winery that never fails to surprise. And it is one sure to convince all but the most determined of wine snobs that all good things do not come from grapes.
Elephant Island Orchard Wines captured our imaginations on our first visit a decade ago and hasn’t failed to impress since then.
Not having visited the winery for a few years, we were reintroduced to its fruit wines at a Naramata Bench Winery Association tasting in Calgary a few months ago. Guests were presented with a glass of pink bubbly upon arrival and it was a real treat. Murmurs could be heard around the room when it was announced that the Pink Elephant was made from apple, not grape, juice.
Then, on our last trip to Naramata, we were royally entertained at the Naramata Heritage Inn, where the new owners’ grand opening celebrations were kicked off with the sabering of sparkling wine. A series of brave volunteers sharply slid the blade of a sabre along the neck of the bottle, which snaps off the heavy ring of glass at the top. The pressurized contents then shoot the cork and glass ring a considerable distance, and also eject any tiny glass shards. It’s an exciting way to start a celebration, and the wine did nothing to lessen the momentum of the evening.
Elephant Island Orchard Wines was founded in 1999 by Miranda and Del Halladay, in partnership with Miranda’s grandmother, the architect Catherine Chard Wisnicki. Wisnicki had purchased the property against the advice of her husband, who was convinced the investment for retirement would turn into a White Elephant. He referred to the property as his wife’s Eye-land, because of what he perceived as her obsession for the aesthetic.
So visitors shouldn’t be surprised when the road down to the winery doesn’t take them over a bridge and onto an island. It does, though, lead to a remarkable selection of wines, a couple of which are even made from grapes.
First to the Pink Elephant. Fermented from the juice of Granny Smith apples, the wine is made with the methode champenoise, like traditional Champagne from France. Before being corked it gets a dosage of Cassis, which lends a beautiful pink colour to the end product. We have served it with the addition of Okanagan Spirits black currant liqueur to make Kir Royals which, with the addition of a preserved hibiscus flower in the bottom of a glass, results in a very exotic drink that bumps up any celebration a notch.
Another sparkling wine, The Little King, is named in memory of the Halladays’ son, Rex. All proceed to go a pediatric nursing education fund at the BC Children’s Hospital. To date more than $70,000 has been donated.
Four fruit wines are available, from pears, cherries, blackberries and black currants. The dessert wine line-up includes fortified versions from black currants (Cassis) raspberries (Framboise), apricot and crabapple wines and a Port-style wine, too.
Two grape wines, with tongue-in-cheek names, Naysayer (Cabernet Franc) and I Told You So (Viognier), acknowledge that the Halladays can handle fruit from vines, too. In fact the Viognier (which has a touch of Sauvignon Blanc added for acidity) was named the best in its category in the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, a testament to Del’s skill in the winery.
If Elephant Island was just a novelty among BC wineries, it would be a good one. But it’s much more than that. We still smile when we remember reading, on our first ever visit, a newspaper article talking about how someone managed to slip an Elephant Island cherry wine into a Pinot Noir tasting in Vancouver. It won, much to the embarrassment of the judges when the ruse was discovered.
More information can be found on the excellent web site, www.elephantislandwine.com.
June 2013 - La Dolce Vita
Elephant Island Orchard Wines captured our imaginations on our first visit a decade ago and hasn’t failed to impress since then.
Not having visited the winery for a few years, we were reintroduced to its fruit wines at a Naramata Bench Winery Association tasting in Calgary a few months ago. Guests were presented with a glass of pink bubbly upon arrival and it was a real treat. Murmurs could be heard around the room when it was announced that the Pink Elephant was made from apple, not grape, juice.
Then, on our last trip to Naramata, we were royally entertained at the Naramata Heritage Inn, where the new owners’ grand opening celebrations were kicked off with the sabering of sparkling wine. A series of brave volunteers sharply slid the blade of a sabre along the neck of the bottle, which snaps off the heavy ring of glass at the top. The pressurized contents then shoot the cork and glass ring a considerable distance, and also eject any tiny glass shards. It’s an exciting way to start a celebration, and the wine did nothing to lessen the momentum of the evening.
Elephant Island Orchard Wines was founded in 1999 by Miranda and Del Halladay, in partnership with Miranda’s grandmother, the architect Catherine Chard Wisnicki. Wisnicki had purchased the property against the advice of her husband, who was convinced the investment for retirement would turn into a White Elephant. He referred to the property as his wife’s Eye-land, because of what he perceived as her obsession for the aesthetic.
So visitors shouldn’t be surprised when the road down to the winery doesn’t take them over a bridge and onto an island. It does, though, lead to a remarkable selection of wines, a couple of which are even made from grapes.
First to the Pink Elephant. Fermented from the juice of Granny Smith apples, the wine is made with the methode champenoise, like traditional Champagne from France. Before being corked it gets a dosage of Cassis, which lends a beautiful pink colour to the end product. We have served it with the addition of Okanagan Spirits black currant liqueur to make Kir Royals which, with the addition of a preserved hibiscus flower in the bottom of a glass, results in a very exotic drink that bumps up any celebration a notch.
Another sparkling wine, The Little King, is named in memory of the Halladays’ son, Rex. All proceed to go a pediatric nursing education fund at the BC Children’s Hospital. To date more than $70,000 has been donated.
Four fruit wines are available, from pears, cherries, blackberries and black currants. The dessert wine line-up includes fortified versions from black currants (Cassis) raspberries (Framboise), apricot and crabapple wines and a Port-style wine, too.
Two grape wines, with tongue-in-cheek names, Naysayer (Cabernet Franc) and I Told You So (Viognier), acknowledge that the Halladays can handle fruit from vines, too. In fact the Viognier (which has a touch of Sauvignon Blanc added for acidity) was named the best in its category in the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, a testament to Del’s skill in the winery.
If Elephant Island was just a novelty among BC wineries, it would be a good one. But it’s much more than that. We still smile when we remember reading, on our first ever visit, a newspaper article talking about how someone managed to slip an Elephant Island cherry wine into a Pinot Noir tasting in Vancouver. It won, much to the embarrassment of the judges when the ruse was discovered.
More information can be found on the excellent web site, www.elephantislandwine.com.
June 2013 - La Dolce Vita
La frenz named winery of the year at competition
A winery would have to have a serious ego problem to expect the results La Frenz Estate Winery did in a recent California competition. The Naramata submitted eight varieties and walked away as the Small Winery of the Year.
Six of the La Frenz wines won gold medals. Two—2011 Viognier and 2012 Sauvignon Blanc—won Chairman’s Awards for being unanimous choices. Other gold medals were for 2011 Chadonnay, 2011 Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, 2012 Riesling and 2010 Pinot Noir. The 2012 Semillon won a silver medal and a 2009 Meritage earned a bronze. The Sauv Blanc/Semillon and Riesling were also named Best of Class.
Not a bad harvest for this small winery, which is owned by Australians Jeff and Niva Martin. Jeff cut his Canadian winemaking teeth at Quail’s Gate before striking out on his own with La Frenz.
Our first tastes of La Frenz wines were at Poplar Grove Winery, which offered to sell the Martins’ wines before they were able to build their own winetasting shop.
Today, La Frenz offers a terrific tasting experience at a very modern, attractive shop. The wines, obviously, are excellent but not to be missed is the Liqueur Muscat, an aromatic delight that tastes like it might have been made by bees in God’s own vineyard.
Six of the La Frenz wines won gold medals. Two—2011 Viognier and 2012 Sauvignon Blanc—won Chairman’s Awards for being unanimous choices. Other gold medals were for 2011 Chadonnay, 2011 Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, 2012 Riesling and 2010 Pinot Noir. The 2012 Semillon won a silver medal and a 2009 Meritage earned a bronze. The Sauv Blanc/Semillon and Riesling were also named Best of Class.
Not a bad harvest for this small winery, which is owned by Australians Jeff and Niva Martin. Jeff cut his Canadian winemaking teeth at Quail’s Gate before striking out on his own with La Frenz.
Our first tastes of La Frenz wines were at Poplar Grove Winery, which offered to sell the Martins’ wines before they were able to build their own winetasting shop.
Today, La Frenz offers a terrific tasting experience at a very modern, attractive shop. The wines, obviously, are excellent but not to be missed is the Liqueur Muscat, an aromatic delight that tastes like it might have been made by bees in God’s own vineyard.
Moraine winery believes wine should be fun
Love this sign in the Moraine Winery parking lot!
First and foremost, Moraine Winery is a family endeavor. Oleg Aristarkhov and his charming wife, Svetlana, are happy to have left behind their 15 years in Alberta to settle in Naramata. Drawn by a belief that wine offers one of life’s most simple, enjoyable and accessible pleasures, they leaped into the wine business with enthusiasm that has only grown with their time in the winery and vineyards.
The vineyards are christened for their daughters, Sophia, 13, and Anastasia, a newly graduated medical doctor in Alberta.
Oleg chose to name the winery Moraine because it honours the geography so important to wine. A moraine is a glacially-formed accumulation of soil and rocks, whose minerals contribute to a grape’s complexity. The geographical theme extends to his naming of wines like Cliffhanger (also an allusion to the couple’s foray into a new career), Red Mountain (a tribute to the mountain where Nancy Greene learned to ski) and Pink Mountain (a Peace River area formation).
It was a busy summer in the wineshop, with guests raving about the 2012 Cliffhanger Red, which earned a gold medal at this year’s All Canadian Wine Championship. The 2012 Pinot Gris won a bronze in the same event. Red Mountain, a Bordeaux blend, has received excellent responses in the wineshop.
New releases this fall will include Pinot Noir, Malbec and Syrah. Among Fall Okanagan Wine Festival activities will be the Pinot Noir release, barrel tastings of which are revealing lively cranberry and fruit flavours.
Oleg is a classic example of a man who takes his business seriously and himself lightly.
“Wine should be fun,” he insists. “We want to make wines that will make people happy.”
To that end, his hiring of young New Zealand winemaker Jacq Kemp has been an excellent choice. Her wines are doing just what Oleg wants, making people happy.
Fall 2013 - Food and Wine Trails magazine
The vineyards are christened for their daughters, Sophia, 13, and Anastasia, a newly graduated medical doctor in Alberta.
Oleg chose to name the winery Moraine because it honours the geography so important to wine. A moraine is a glacially-formed accumulation of soil and rocks, whose minerals contribute to a grape’s complexity. The geographical theme extends to his naming of wines like Cliffhanger (also an allusion to the couple’s foray into a new career), Red Mountain (a tribute to the mountain where Nancy Greene learned to ski) and Pink Mountain (a Peace River area formation).
It was a busy summer in the wineshop, with guests raving about the 2012 Cliffhanger Red, which earned a gold medal at this year’s All Canadian Wine Championship. The 2012 Pinot Gris won a bronze in the same event. Red Mountain, a Bordeaux blend, has received excellent responses in the wineshop.
New releases this fall will include Pinot Noir, Malbec and Syrah. Among Fall Okanagan Wine Festival activities will be the Pinot Noir release, barrel tastings of which are revealing lively cranberry and fruit flavours.
Oleg is a classic example of a man who takes his business seriously and himself lightly.
“Wine should be fun,” he insists. “We want to make wines that will make people happy.”
To that end, his hiring of young New Zealand winemaker Jacq Kemp has been an excellent choice. Her wines are doing just what Oleg wants, making people happy.
Fall 2013 - Food and Wine Trails magazine
Naramata Bench Wineries - Their Story is in the Bottle
Take a deep breath and say these names: Black Widow Winery, D`Angelo Estate Winery, Elephant Island Orchard Wines, Hillside Estate Winery & Bistro, Kettle Valley Winery, La Frenz Winery, Lake Breeze Vineyards, Laughing Stock Vineyards, Nichol Vineyard & Estate Winery, Poplar Grove Winery, Red Rooster Winery, Therapy Vineyards, Township 7 Vineyards, Van Westen Vineyards, 3 Mile Estate Winery, Perseus Winery, Misconduct Wine Co., Upper Bench Estate Winery, Moraine Estate Winery and Serendipity Winery.
If you are out of breath, consider a gym membership, because the Naramata Bench Wineries Association membership continues to grow. Upper Bench Estate Winery, Moraine Estate Winery and Misconduct Wine Co. are new additions and more are soon to come. That the Naramata Bench makes great wine and has become a huge wine tourist draw is a well-known story. Much of that success can be attributed to the wineries’ commitment to work together, with both large and small producers recognizing there is strength in numbers.
Promoting the Association has always meant getting out, pouring wines and connecting with consumers and trades locally and in other markets.
In February, Naramata wineries once again sponsor the award-winning Eat.Drink.Tweet at Okanagan College’s social media conference.
In April, the Annual Spring Release events featuring new releases from the member wineries will be rolled out in New Westminster and Victoria. Naramata on the River which will be held on April 24th at New Westminster Quay, is hosted by and a fundraiser for The BC Cultural Crawl and will be featuring great wines, food, art and music. On April 26th the Naramata roadshow moves to Victoria, where Vancouver Islanders will be treated to another great evening of wine, food and music, hosted by and a fundraiser for the Victoria Conservatory of Music that will be held at the Crystal Gardens. Both venues will host Trade Events during the day. Visit the website for event and ticket information.
Visitors to what has been described as the most beautiful wine region in the country can also look forward to a multitude of events at wineries throughout this season.
“We take our wines out to wine enthusiasts, but we also want to bring people to Naramata and share authentic, fun experiences where they can get to know our wineries personally,” says Association Marketing Director Tina Baird. Watch out for a newly-designed web site, www.naramatabench.com and log in to Twitter (@naramatawines) and Facebook (Naramata Bench Wineries) to keep track of the wineries’ events.
March 2012 – Food and Wine Trails
If you are out of breath, consider a gym membership, because the Naramata Bench Wineries Association membership continues to grow. Upper Bench Estate Winery, Moraine Estate Winery and Misconduct Wine Co. are new additions and more are soon to come. That the Naramata Bench makes great wine and has become a huge wine tourist draw is a well-known story. Much of that success can be attributed to the wineries’ commitment to work together, with both large and small producers recognizing there is strength in numbers.
Promoting the Association has always meant getting out, pouring wines and connecting with consumers and trades locally and in other markets.
In February, Naramata wineries once again sponsor the award-winning Eat.Drink.Tweet at Okanagan College’s social media conference.
In April, the Annual Spring Release events featuring new releases from the member wineries will be rolled out in New Westminster and Victoria. Naramata on the River which will be held on April 24th at New Westminster Quay, is hosted by and a fundraiser for The BC Cultural Crawl and will be featuring great wines, food, art and music. On April 26th the Naramata roadshow moves to Victoria, where Vancouver Islanders will be treated to another great evening of wine, food and music, hosted by and a fundraiser for the Victoria Conservatory of Music that will be held at the Crystal Gardens. Both venues will host Trade Events during the day. Visit the website for event and ticket information.
Visitors to what has been described as the most beautiful wine region in the country can also look forward to a multitude of events at wineries throughout this season.
“We take our wines out to wine enthusiasts, but we also want to bring people to Naramata and share authentic, fun experiences where they can get to know our wineries personally,” says Association Marketing Director Tina Baird. Watch out for a newly-designed web site, www.naramatabench.com and log in to Twitter (@naramatawines) and Facebook (Naramata Bench Wineries) to keep track of the wineries’ events.
March 2012 – Food and Wine Trails
Serendipity Winery leaves nothing to chance
Serendipity Winery owner Judy Kingston.
Among my very favourite wine experiences this year has been the chance to talk with and meet Judy Kingston. She is the owner of Serendipity Winery, a new enterprise close to the village of Naramata that opened last year.
Kingston is a former technology lawyer and a French-trained chef. She decided to make a career change and bought the Naramata Bench property, which was then mostly planted to orchard. The acreage was relandscaped to better accommodate rows of grapevines and the early results are impressive, indeed.
When I first spoke to Kingston by telephone earlier this year, one story illustrated how something that could go badly wrong can also go incredibly right when one has a positive attitude. Winemaker Jason Parkes had an accident that put his leg in a cast just before last fall’s harvest. But he and Kingston worked out a plan the harvest and vintage worked out perfectly.
“So my 12th crush turned out to be one of my favourites,” he said.
Parkes also made another telling comment, saying that Kingston is completely devoted to quality. “Just make the best wines we can” is her instruction to him.
Kingston admits she has been a bit spoiled, having daughter Katie O’Kell working with her for parts of the last three years, but Katie is now off to university to pursue a law degree, so Judy and Jason will have to get by without her valuable help.
For someone who has spent many years behind a desk, Kingston has adapted well to the physical labour involved in running a vineyard and winery. When we visited this summer she came trotting down out of the vineyard to greet us, keeping an eye out for visitors while checking out the health of the vines.
Inside the winery we had a great visit and as we made our way through a tasting of everything she had available, we were impressed by her attention to detail and very educational approach to explaining the wines, how they were made and what kinds of food they pair best with.
Although I had earlier subscribed to a Serendipity Wine Club membership, I couldn’t pick up my first shipment because a foul-up with her bottle order had forced a delay in bottling. My order was delivered as promised, though, a few weeks later, and the six bottles are now sitting in the cellar, waiting for suitable occasions to try them.
We found Serendipity’s red wines to be extremely satisfying. Single variety wines — Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc, all private reserves — are made in small quantities and each was a delight. Serenata (a name I love because one of the family members who own a farm we stayed at in Tuscany a few years ago shares the name), a Bordeaux blend, is outstanding. Two years in oak, with extended lees contact, have helped make this a wine that will age nicely in the cellar for years to come. B.C. wine writer John Schreiner gave it the 2009 private reserve a score of 91-93.
When we visited Serendipity, Kingston was brutally honest — she has come to understand that she can’t hope to make a profit with her current production level and commitment to quality. She has been working to contract other growers to provide grapes that meet her high expectations so that she can increase production. Quality is something she isn’t willing to compromise on, obviously.
Potential wine club members shouldn’t be scared off — there are three different membership levels, and tier one doesn’t require any commitment to purchase wine. It comes with a monthly newsletter and gives members the option of purchasing limited edition, small production wines. I’m so impressed with the wines that I signed on as a tier three member, which includes a six-bottle selection three times a year.
For more information about Serendipity Winery, wine sales and wine club memberships, visit www.serendipitywinery.com.
September 2012 - La Dolce Vita
Kingston is a former technology lawyer and a French-trained chef. She decided to make a career change and bought the Naramata Bench property, which was then mostly planted to orchard. The acreage was relandscaped to better accommodate rows of grapevines and the early results are impressive, indeed.
When I first spoke to Kingston by telephone earlier this year, one story illustrated how something that could go badly wrong can also go incredibly right when one has a positive attitude. Winemaker Jason Parkes had an accident that put his leg in a cast just before last fall’s harvest. But he and Kingston worked out a plan the harvest and vintage worked out perfectly.
“So my 12th crush turned out to be one of my favourites,” he said.
Parkes also made another telling comment, saying that Kingston is completely devoted to quality. “Just make the best wines we can” is her instruction to him.
Kingston admits she has been a bit spoiled, having daughter Katie O’Kell working with her for parts of the last three years, but Katie is now off to university to pursue a law degree, so Judy and Jason will have to get by without her valuable help.
For someone who has spent many years behind a desk, Kingston has adapted well to the physical labour involved in running a vineyard and winery. When we visited this summer she came trotting down out of the vineyard to greet us, keeping an eye out for visitors while checking out the health of the vines.
Inside the winery we had a great visit and as we made our way through a tasting of everything she had available, we were impressed by her attention to detail and very educational approach to explaining the wines, how they were made and what kinds of food they pair best with.
Although I had earlier subscribed to a Serendipity Wine Club membership, I couldn’t pick up my first shipment because a foul-up with her bottle order had forced a delay in bottling. My order was delivered as promised, though, a few weeks later, and the six bottles are now sitting in the cellar, waiting for suitable occasions to try them.
We found Serendipity’s red wines to be extremely satisfying. Single variety wines — Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc, all private reserves — are made in small quantities and each was a delight. Serenata (a name I love because one of the family members who own a farm we stayed at in Tuscany a few years ago shares the name), a Bordeaux blend, is outstanding. Two years in oak, with extended lees contact, have helped make this a wine that will age nicely in the cellar for years to come. B.C. wine writer John Schreiner gave it the 2009 private reserve a score of 91-93.
When we visited Serendipity, Kingston was brutally honest — she has come to understand that she can’t hope to make a profit with her current production level and commitment to quality. She has been working to contract other growers to provide grapes that meet her high expectations so that she can increase production. Quality is something she isn’t willing to compromise on, obviously.
Potential wine club members shouldn’t be scared off — there are three different membership levels, and tier one doesn’t require any commitment to purchase wine. It comes with a monthly newsletter and gives members the option of purchasing limited edition, small production wines. I’m so impressed with the wines that I signed on as a tier three member, which includes a six-bottle selection three times a year.
For more information about Serendipity Winery, wine sales and wine club memberships, visit www.serendipitywinery.com.
September 2012 - La Dolce Vita
A feather in Township 7's hat comes from the Calgary Stampede
Township 7 has been a favourite stop since 2003 when it constructed a winery and tasting room near what I always think of as the entrance to the Naramata Bench. Consistently good wines, especially reds, at very reasonable prices are always an appeal and I don’t ever remember being disappointed.
The winery has two locations — the other, and original, is in Langley. And it has more than its fair share of medals and awards to its credit, with winemaker Brad Cooper working his magic with the grapes. But the pride and excitement in owner Mike Raffin’s voice when I talked to him on the phone last week was obvious when he discussed the winery’s selection as the official wine provider for the centenary of the Calgary Stampede.
“We are truly honoured to participate in this one in a lifetime experience,” he said. That is a somewhat understated comment considering that the stampede is one of the world’s best known annual events, drawing visitors from around the globe. And the 100th year as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”? Well, that really is something special.
As the Calgary Stampede’s centenary winery, Township 7 will provide specially labeled bottles of Chardonnay and Merlot, available at the Stampede and several Alberta retailers, but in B.C. only at the winery’s Naramata and Langley sites. Raffin describes the Centennial Selection Chardonnay as “lush and elegant, crafted from premium South Okanagan grapes. It has aromas of tropical citrus and hints of creamy butterscotch and vanilla on palate.”
The Centennial Selection Merlot, he says, not surprisingly is a perfect accompaniment to grilled meats. “Full-bodied and supply, it was barrel-fermented for 22 months and has raspberry flavours with hints of caramel and chocolate on the nose,” Raffin says.
Not everyone can get to the Calgary Stampede, so Township 7 is bringing a touch of the event to both wineries in July. A weeklong western-themed party is planned, with plenty of activities for kids so the entire family can get in the on the celebrations. Cooper will be conducting wine-blending seminars and Raffin, with his wife, Lori, will be firing up the barbecue to grill meat for guests. Of course live Western music will be central to the festivities.
Drawing visitors to their wineries is a major theme for members of the Naramata Bench Winery Association and Township 7 is participating in other ways this summer, too. For the second year, the winery is partnering with Twisted Tree Productions to present Wilde at the Winery. On several evenings this summer, the theatre group will present Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, which Raffin says is “eerily relevant” more than a century after the play was written.
On July 1, an event that has been a success in the Langley location will come to the Naramata site. Art in the Vines is an artisan fair that will feature established and emerging artists who produce crafts, jewelry, glass work, pottery, paintings, recycled art and more. An interactive art and music fun zone will be set up to delight the kids.
It’s shaping up to be a great summer at Township 7. I’m planning my visit now.
June 2012 - La Dolce Vita
The winery has two locations — the other, and original, is in Langley. And it has more than its fair share of medals and awards to its credit, with winemaker Brad Cooper working his magic with the grapes. But the pride and excitement in owner Mike Raffin’s voice when I talked to him on the phone last week was obvious when he discussed the winery’s selection as the official wine provider for the centenary of the Calgary Stampede.
“We are truly honoured to participate in this one in a lifetime experience,” he said. That is a somewhat understated comment considering that the stampede is one of the world’s best known annual events, drawing visitors from around the globe. And the 100th year as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”? Well, that really is something special.
As the Calgary Stampede’s centenary winery, Township 7 will provide specially labeled bottles of Chardonnay and Merlot, available at the Stampede and several Alberta retailers, but in B.C. only at the winery’s Naramata and Langley sites. Raffin describes the Centennial Selection Chardonnay as “lush and elegant, crafted from premium South Okanagan grapes. It has aromas of tropical citrus and hints of creamy butterscotch and vanilla on palate.”
The Centennial Selection Merlot, he says, not surprisingly is a perfect accompaniment to grilled meats. “Full-bodied and supply, it was barrel-fermented for 22 months and has raspberry flavours with hints of caramel and chocolate on the nose,” Raffin says.
Not everyone can get to the Calgary Stampede, so Township 7 is bringing a touch of the event to both wineries in July. A weeklong western-themed party is planned, with plenty of activities for kids so the entire family can get in the on the celebrations. Cooper will be conducting wine-blending seminars and Raffin, with his wife, Lori, will be firing up the barbecue to grill meat for guests. Of course live Western music will be central to the festivities.
Drawing visitors to their wineries is a major theme for members of the Naramata Bench Winery Association and Township 7 is participating in other ways this summer, too. For the second year, the winery is partnering with Twisted Tree Productions to present Wilde at the Winery. On several evenings this summer, the theatre group will present Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, which Raffin says is “eerily relevant” more than a century after the play was written.
On July 1, an event that has been a success in the Langley location will come to the Naramata site. Art in the Vines is an artisan fair that will feature established and emerging artists who produce crafts, jewelry, glass work, pottery, paintings, recycled art and more. An interactive art and music fun zone will be set up to delight the kids.
It’s shaping up to be a great summer at Township 7. I’m planning my visit now.
June 2012 - La Dolce Vita
With little fanfare, Lake Breeze has become a Naramata Bench icon
Lake Breeze's popular summer dining spot, The Patio, is a busy place on a warm, clear day.
We were about to settle into watching a couple more episodes of our current obsession, Downton Abbey, and Angela requested that I open a bottle of wine, “a nice smooth red”, she said.
Always happy to comply with such easy requests, I went down to the wine cellar and considered a couple of possibilities before settling on a Meritage, this one a 2010 vintage from Lake Breeze, which touts itself as “a Naramata Bench Wine Farm.”
While this Meritage, a blend of 50 per cent Merlot, 25 per cent Cabernet Franc, 20 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 per cent Malbec, would certainly fulfill Angela’s request, it would do even more than that. As we sipped from our glasses we were immediately transported back to our many memorable visits to a winery that doesn’t make a big deal about itself, probably because it doesn’t need to.
When we were seated on The Patio on our first visit many years ago, we were so enchanted with the property and the view of Okanagan Lake and Summerland across the water that we had to force ourselves to focus on the small menu. I remember commenting that it was easy to imagine that we were in Italy or France or California, with the perfectly manicured landscaping leading to rows of grapevines that seemed slope right down to the lakeshore. We shaded our eyes from the hot sun and just sat soaking in the atmosphere. And we have rarely failed to return to the winery for a tasting and lunch.
My impression that the winery is a quiet success was reinforced as I searched through its web site and on-line articles. Nowhere could I find a reference to the name of its owners, only that they bought the property in 2000 and became the fourth proprietors since Lake Breeze opened in 1995. Clearly, this was not an ego investment.
It was also interesting to learn that winemaker Garron Elmes has been at his job since the winery first opened. He arrived at Lake Breeze from South Africa, where he had earned diplomas in both oenology and viticulture. The stabilizing influence of Elmes has no doubt contributed to the winery’s consistent reputation for making very nice wines. And those wines aren’t necessarily the usual suspects, either. It was in this tasting room that we first experienced Pinotage, a grape commonly grown in South Africa but rarely in North America, and Ehrenfelser, a lovely smooth and floral grape that Elmes continues to make in an off-dry style that brings out the best in this still not common varietal.
Back to the Meritage. It is worth pointing out the origin and meaning of the word. If a server or wineshop employee refers to it as Merit-ahj, giving it a French pronunciation, they don’t know what they are talking about. The word rhymes with heritage and is a blend of that word and merit. It was created by a group of California winemakers who wanted to market their Bordeaux blends (combinations of Merlot, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot or Carmenere). Any winery using the term on its labels must be licensed under the Meritage Alliance, which sets the rules for its use.
Our bottle of Lake Breeze 2010 Meritage was nicely balanced and packed with berry flavours, but also included the smoky and leathery notes that we love in Cab Francs. It paired perfectly well with Downton Abbey, the rich, full-flavoured drama set in a Somerset estate in World War I-era England.
February 2013 - La Dolce Vita
Always happy to comply with such easy requests, I went down to the wine cellar and considered a couple of possibilities before settling on a Meritage, this one a 2010 vintage from Lake Breeze, which touts itself as “a Naramata Bench Wine Farm.”
While this Meritage, a blend of 50 per cent Merlot, 25 per cent Cabernet Franc, 20 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 per cent Malbec, would certainly fulfill Angela’s request, it would do even more than that. As we sipped from our glasses we were immediately transported back to our many memorable visits to a winery that doesn’t make a big deal about itself, probably because it doesn’t need to.
When we were seated on The Patio on our first visit many years ago, we were so enchanted with the property and the view of Okanagan Lake and Summerland across the water that we had to force ourselves to focus on the small menu. I remember commenting that it was easy to imagine that we were in Italy or France or California, with the perfectly manicured landscaping leading to rows of grapevines that seemed slope right down to the lakeshore. We shaded our eyes from the hot sun and just sat soaking in the atmosphere. And we have rarely failed to return to the winery for a tasting and lunch.
My impression that the winery is a quiet success was reinforced as I searched through its web site and on-line articles. Nowhere could I find a reference to the name of its owners, only that they bought the property in 2000 and became the fourth proprietors since Lake Breeze opened in 1995. Clearly, this was not an ego investment.
It was also interesting to learn that winemaker Garron Elmes has been at his job since the winery first opened. He arrived at Lake Breeze from South Africa, where he had earned diplomas in both oenology and viticulture. The stabilizing influence of Elmes has no doubt contributed to the winery’s consistent reputation for making very nice wines. And those wines aren’t necessarily the usual suspects, either. It was in this tasting room that we first experienced Pinotage, a grape commonly grown in South Africa but rarely in North America, and Ehrenfelser, a lovely smooth and floral grape that Elmes continues to make in an off-dry style that brings out the best in this still not common varietal.
Back to the Meritage. It is worth pointing out the origin and meaning of the word. If a server or wineshop employee refers to it as Merit-ahj, giving it a French pronunciation, they don’t know what they are talking about. The word rhymes with heritage and is a blend of that word and merit. It was created by a group of California winemakers who wanted to market their Bordeaux blends (combinations of Merlot, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot or Carmenere). Any winery using the term on its labels must be licensed under the Meritage Alliance, which sets the rules for its use.
Our bottle of Lake Breeze 2010 Meritage was nicely balanced and packed with berry flavours, but also included the smoky and leathery notes that we love in Cab Francs. It paired perfectly well with Downton Abbey, the rich, full-flavoured drama set in a Somerset estate in World War I-era England.
February 2013 - La Dolce Vita
There is no miss at Naramata Bench's Misconduct
Misconduct Wine Co.
As we tasted our way through the selection at Misconduct Wine Co. last year I couldn’t help but think back to why we fell in love with visits to wineries so long ago. Owner Richard da Silva is knowledgeable and passionate. Enthusiasm and energy course through his body, lifting up everyone around him. And he happens to make good wine. Very good wine.
In the past couple of weeks we have opened two bottles from our purchases on that visit, each to match with a meal. In both cases we were pleased with the pairings, but also to be reminded about our initial impression of da Dilva’s wines. During out tasting it had been apparent that he is achieving his stated goal of not just producing what other wineries around the province are already doing. Misconduct wines are full bodied and very complex, much more Old World than modern in style. Exactly to my taste preferences. And they are made to cellar--if one can resist opening them right away.
First, a little about the winery and its image. Located right at the entrance to Naramata, Misconduct Wine Co. is a playful homage to the Roaring Twenties, with stylish labeling, created in-house, and a clever story line that references speakeasies, bootlegging, molls and massacres. The tasting room and wine shop is generously sized and through a doorway is The Kitchen, which in the summer months offers up a small but very appealing menu. If you time your arrival to Misconduct Wine Co. just right, as we did, da Silva, carrying a mittful of tools and looking like the joint’s handyman, will greet you at the door and lead you directly into as entertaining a tasting as you are likely to find anywhere.
A couple of weeks ago we pulled a container of stew from the freezer. It was from a big pot of beef and root vegetable stew I had made earlier in the winter. I remembered that it was quite spicy, so when I went down to the wine cellar I was in search of something hearty that would complement the flavours. Misconduct wines have two distinct label designs and the bottle I selected had one that on first glance can be mistaken for a French wine. The Syrah-Malbec label is pale blue, with “Suspect Series” in script beneath a coat of arms. I’ll leave the telling of the coat of arms story to da Silva when you stop in at the winery.
This wine spent 34 months in oak. It is very dark in colour and has a great aroma. Pepper and nutmeg abound, along with both ripe and dried fruit flavours. It has a remarkably long finish. I enjoyed taking a spoonful of stew into my mouth and chewing a few times, then sipping from my glass. The wine matched so beautifully that I could have got away with telling people I had also used it in the making of the stew. At $38 a bottle (and worth every cent), though, that wasn’t gonna happen.
Then, this week, we settled into our favourite takeout meal, pad thai and drunken noodles with chicken (and some fantastic boneless stuffed chicken wings) from Kootenay Thai Restaurant here in Creston. I had just lightly chilled a bottle of Massacre Rose so that it wasn’t so cold that the nose and flavours became muted.
The label on that bottle is one of three stylishly cartooned designs that closely mirror the speakeasy theme. The wine is an unusual blend of Merlot, Cabernet Suavignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Malbec Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. It might sound like a bit of a hodge-podge, but da Silva undoubtedly had a reason for using each of the varietals. Never question the wisdom of a winemaker when you are happy with the result.
Massacre Rose is an amazing amalgam of fruit flavours that range from raspberry and strawberry all the way to peach, apple and citrus. It made our very tasty takeout doubly good and I am grateful that I still have another bottle in the cellar. This is a 2010 Rose that will be great for another few years yet.
Misconduct Wine Co. is a not to be missed visit while in the Penticton-Naramata region, another reminder that small wineries often produce the very best wines.
March 2013 - La Dolce Vita
In the past couple of weeks we have opened two bottles from our purchases on that visit, each to match with a meal. In both cases we were pleased with the pairings, but also to be reminded about our initial impression of da Dilva’s wines. During out tasting it had been apparent that he is achieving his stated goal of not just producing what other wineries around the province are already doing. Misconduct wines are full bodied and very complex, much more Old World than modern in style. Exactly to my taste preferences. And they are made to cellar--if one can resist opening them right away.
First, a little about the winery and its image. Located right at the entrance to Naramata, Misconduct Wine Co. is a playful homage to the Roaring Twenties, with stylish labeling, created in-house, and a clever story line that references speakeasies, bootlegging, molls and massacres. The tasting room and wine shop is generously sized and through a doorway is The Kitchen, which in the summer months offers up a small but very appealing menu. If you time your arrival to Misconduct Wine Co. just right, as we did, da Silva, carrying a mittful of tools and looking like the joint’s handyman, will greet you at the door and lead you directly into as entertaining a tasting as you are likely to find anywhere.
A couple of weeks ago we pulled a container of stew from the freezer. It was from a big pot of beef and root vegetable stew I had made earlier in the winter. I remembered that it was quite spicy, so when I went down to the wine cellar I was in search of something hearty that would complement the flavours. Misconduct wines have two distinct label designs and the bottle I selected had one that on first glance can be mistaken for a French wine. The Syrah-Malbec label is pale blue, with “Suspect Series” in script beneath a coat of arms. I’ll leave the telling of the coat of arms story to da Silva when you stop in at the winery.
This wine spent 34 months in oak. It is very dark in colour and has a great aroma. Pepper and nutmeg abound, along with both ripe and dried fruit flavours. It has a remarkably long finish. I enjoyed taking a spoonful of stew into my mouth and chewing a few times, then sipping from my glass. The wine matched so beautifully that I could have got away with telling people I had also used it in the making of the stew. At $38 a bottle (and worth every cent), though, that wasn’t gonna happen.
Then, this week, we settled into our favourite takeout meal, pad thai and drunken noodles with chicken (and some fantastic boneless stuffed chicken wings) from Kootenay Thai Restaurant here in Creston. I had just lightly chilled a bottle of Massacre Rose so that it wasn’t so cold that the nose and flavours became muted.
The label on that bottle is one of three stylishly cartooned designs that closely mirror the speakeasy theme. The wine is an unusual blend of Merlot, Cabernet Suavignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Malbec Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. It might sound like a bit of a hodge-podge, but da Silva undoubtedly had a reason for using each of the varietals. Never question the wisdom of a winemaker when you are happy with the result.
Massacre Rose is an amazing amalgam of fruit flavours that range from raspberry and strawberry all the way to peach, apple and citrus. It made our very tasty takeout doubly good and I am grateful that I still have another bottle in the cellar. This is a 2010 Rose that will be great for another few years yet.
Misconduct Wine Co. is a not to be missed visit while in the Penticton-Naramata region, another reminder that small wineries often produce the very best wines.
March 2013 - La Dolce Vita
