Archive for the ‘Okanagan Falls’ Category

Wild Goose Winery

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

Above: A simple sign welcomes visitors.

The Wild Goose Winery, established by the Kruger Family, sits on 10 acres of rolling hills just South of Okanagan Falls. First planted in 1983, the Wild Goose vineyards were not used for the Krugers’ own wines until 1990. Since then, the winery has gained significant attention for its well-crafted Germanic. It has expanded its acreage to 15 acres with the addition of Mystic River Vineyard on the South Okanagan River.

Wild Goose’s tasting room and wine shop is very simple, conveying its history as an original farmgate winery. There is obvious passion put into the wines by the hard-working Kruger family, whose three generations run the tasting room, make the wine, and manage the vineyards.

Above: While the winery isn't spectacular to look at, what it lacks in a facade it makes up for in pure charm.

The wine shop is bright and spacious, and staff are very knowledgeable. There is a licensed picnic/patio area out front where visitors can enjoy their own lunches and wine. Children are welcome, and can sample fruit juices at the tasting bar.

Above: There is a fabulous patio where you can drink that freshly purchased bottle of wine and relax under the hot Okanagan sun.

Wine: Germanic wines are the primary focus of Wild Goose Vineyards, and suitably so considering the Kruger family’s heritage. Wines are sourced from the estate, as well as other vineyards in the South Okanagan. The Autumn Gold blend, a white, is the most popular wine among consumers.

Last Word: If you are looking to taste some great white wines, among others, stop in at Wild Goose. We recommend that you visit earlier, as the wines may well sell out before the season’s end- and the Krugers might be able to go on a bit of a vacation.

Driving Directions: Turn off Highway 97 onto Oliver Ranch Road and then onto Sun Valley Road. Signage from the North is not so good, so keep your eyes peeled.

More Information & Hours: http://www.wildgoosewinery.com/

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Stag’s Hollow Winery

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

Above: Stag's Hollow is located right beside Wild Goose Vineyards, on Sun Valley Way.

Just down the street from Wild Goose Vineyards is Stag’s Hollow Winery. Calgary natives Larry Gerelus and Linda Pruegger, who were enchanted with the Okanagan Valley early on, founded it just over 10 years ago.

The winery is quaint, and produces smaller quantities of each variety (under 2000 cases), focusing on quality over volume.

Tastings: Tastings are two dollars for four wines. The tasting room is small and stylish, with some attractive landscaping outside.

Above: While Stag's Hollow doesn't offer a dramatic view, the tasting room is nice, clean, and the gardens are lovely.

Last word: Visiting Stag’s Hollow is one of the best ways to get your hands on some of the winery’s limited wines. If one of the proprietors’ dogs should enter the winery when you do, don’t fret- they are allowed in!

Driving Directions: Turn off Hwy 97 onto Oliver Ranch Road, just North of Okanagan Falls. The winery is on Sun Valley Way, near Wild Goose Vineyards and the signage is good.

More Information: http://www.stagshollowwinery.com

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Noble Ridge Winery

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

Above: The view off of the 'noble ridge' on which the winery sits is spectacular.

This two-week old winery (as of mid-May) still smells new -not enough to boggle your senses when tasting, however. Noble Ridge Winery sits, fittingly, atop a ridge that runs east-west, with slopes to the north and south.

The tasting room features a fantastic view of Vaseaux lake and the valley beyond. The wine shop is reminiscent of a modern suburban home, with a grand circular tasting bar that should accommodate more than a few tasters. The energetic vineyard and wine shop manager Judi Skinner is welcoming and can provide a detailed explanation of the vineyards’ interesting trellises.

Above: The wine shop is still under construction as of mid May.

Noble Ridge’s owners, Leslie and Jim D’Andrea, like many winery proprietors in the region, are city-dwellers in search of change. They established the winery in 2003 and run it from Calgary where they continue their careers in business.

Above: The Noble Ridge sign is fairly visible from the road.

The exterior of Noble Ridge is still under construction as landscaping work and an outdoor picnic area is finished. Eventually, the owners hope that the winery will become a place where families can relax and enjoy a glass of wine while taking in the view.

Wines: Noble Ridge currently sources its grapes from certain blocks on its estate as well as other growers from the Okanagan. Its focus is on four popular wines.

Notes on tasting: Tasting is free. At any point there are not may wines to taste, as Noble Ridge produces only a few varieties.

Last Word: Noble Ridge is a worthwhile stop on your wine tour, especially if the vineyard manager is present to educate visitors- come prepared with questions. Be sure to wave at the friendly vineyard staff.

Driving Directions: Take Oliver Ranch Road off of Highway 97. Signage is good.

More Information & Hours: http://www.nobleridge.com/

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Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

Above: The tasting room is inside this charming old stone house. They've recently renovated and added on in order to make it more spacious.

Formerly LaCompte Estate Winery, Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards sits atop Hawthorne Mountain, and from a distance it almost looks as though the rows of plants could slide right off of it. This is one of the highest altitude wineries in Canada and is more of a destination winery as it requires a bit of a deviation from the beaten path.

Do not be deceived by the quaint exterior of the Hawthorne Mountain wine shop- it looks much smaller than it actually is, and the tasting room within is open, spacious and has plenty of windows- allowing tasters to enjoy the spectacular view of Skaha Lake and beyond while they try some wines. In the summer season, Hawthorne Mountain offers lunch service on its outdoor patio- also with a view. Tours of the winery facility are not available, however vineyard tours are.

Above: The entrance to the wine shop.

Hawthorne Mountain makes a point of being especially welcoming to dogs, with a “Barking Lot” out front where patrons can park their pooches while they taste. The dogs are supplied with water dishes. There is a dog theme to the winery’s See Ya Later wines, as the former owner of the See Ya Later Ranch was a canine enthusiast. Hawthorne Mountain has continued this enthusiasm for “man’s best friend”.

Above: In the summer season the patio is open and they serve light meals.

Wines: Hawthorne Mountain sources its grapes from its 170 acre vineyard on the mountain, as well as from vineyards in the South. It produces two series of wines: Hawthorne Mountain and See Ya Later Reserve. The whites grown on the mountain are quite nice.

Notes on Tastings: The tasting room at Hawthorne Mountain is very simple and bright with a fantastic view. The staff are knowledgeable of the wines and history of the winery, as well as of the Okanagan.

Last Word: Though a little out of the way, Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards was one of our favourite experiences.

Driving Directions: Turn south off Hwy 97 just before the bridge when entering Okanagan Falls from the North. The road to the winery is somewhat narrow and has several sharp corners- it’s a pleasant drive, but requires caution.

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Blasted Church Winery

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

Above: the wine shop at Blasted Church is quaint and understated, yet provides fabulous views out over Skaha Lake.

A 5 km drive along the East side of Skaha lake leads to Blasted Church Winery. The winery is named after a small church that had been moved from the old Fairview townsite of western Oliver to nearby Okanagan Falls; dynamite was used to loosen its nails before its transfer.

Blasted Church (the winery) sits atop a bluff overlooking Skaha Lake, providing it with a lovely vista. Visitors can enjoy the view from benches in the parking lot, or from the tasting room, which is located inside a little log house.

Blasted Church is the dream of Evelyn and Chris Campbell, two Vancouverites who suffered a midlife change-of-heart, (something that seems to have affected a number of winery owners) that led them to purchase the current winery and vineyards four years ago. The family takes care of the ins and outs of running the winery, and visitors will likely encounter the Campbell’s daughter at the tasting bar during the summer.

Above: Looking out over Skaha Lake. There are picnic tables where guests can sit and enjoy the view.

Staff are more than willing to tell the story of the Blasted Church from which the winery got its name. Detailed tasting notes as well as notes on the year’s harvest are available to browse.

Blasted Church has a number of parking spaces. Be prepared (if you haven’t read this enough already) for crowds in the summer, as the tasting bar isn’t very spacious.

Currently, the winery specializes in a number of varieties, including a highly recommended Merlot (Spring Wine Festival) and a tasty Chardonnay. Wines are sourced from the estate vineyard, which has been producing for over 10 years. Two winemakers oversee the production of Blasted

Above: Tim poses with a bottle of their Chardonney.

Church’s wines.

There is no charge for up to four tastings at Blasted Church. Written tasting notes are available for perusal. If there is a queue at the tasting bar (and there will likely be many throughout the summer) we recommend appreciating the view from benches out front or browsing the wine selection, which sports unusual, funky artwork depicting characters from Okanagan Falls’ colourful history.

More information: http://www.blastedchurch.com/

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