Okanagan - Canada Day Weekend 2012



Our view from the restaurant at Mission Hill - amazing!

 Driving to the Okanagan and going wine tasting is something that every Vancouverite should do at least once.  Good wine, good food, good views!  What's not to like???

Highlights:

• WINE!!!  Okanagan wines are really really good (and definitely good value for money).  Every winery had at least one wine that stood out for me.
• FOOD!!!  Yes...  OK I like to eat and drink.  But seriously, the food was really good.  Mission Hill, Burrowing Owl, and Quail's Gate were 1-2-3 in my books, and in my opinion should be considered to be among the top restaurants in the province.
• Driving - The speed limit for much of the highway between Vancouver and Kelowna is 110 km/h.  And the highway between Vancouver and Osoyoos is through a national park with winding roads and (relatively) few vehicles.  So if you enjoy driving, which I do, these are good fun.
• Gorgeous scenery - Yeah...  I'm not a great photographer.  Next time I'll bring somebody like
Kelven Ng to take some better shots.  But the drive up from Osoyoos to Kelowna was great for my passenger, who got to look out across the water.  And sitting at a restaurant looking out over the grape vines with the lake as the backdrop at sunset...  it's the good life for sure!

Lowlights:

• A lot of the wineries sell out of their most popular wines pretty early on in the year, so you don't even get to taste them when you're at their tasting rooms.  The ones that got away - Poplar Grove Cab Franc, Burrowing Owl Athene, Tinhorn Creek Syrah
• I probably spent a LOT more money than I thought I would have for a trip to the Okanagan (see Wine & Food under Trip highlights lol).

Can't Miss:  Mission Hill - take the Legacy Tour and eat at the restaurant.  Ask for occulus cherries (cherries soaked in their delicous but pricey Occulus wine for three years!)

Occulus cherry on a chocolate chip cookie...  YUM!!!  :D

 

Notes for next time:

Try staying at the Burrowing Owl Winery - Yes, they have their own guesthouse and it's gorgeous!  Plus, if you get drunk on their (fantastic!) wine, you can just stumble back to your room or hop into the pool :)

  

False advertising - this is still Mission Hill.  But they don't have a guest house there so stay at Burrowing Owl!