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Four Shadows Winery's second release
Photo: Wilbert and Joka BorrenThese wines represent the second release from Four Shadows Vineyard & Winery, which opened its tasting room at the eastern edge of Penticton in the spring of 2019.The...
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Covert Farms resumes tours
Covert Farms, which was established in 1959, is tucked away on a plateau north of Oliver, on the back side of McIntyre Bluff. While the winery is now open for private tastings, by reservation, the need...
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Culmina's Unicus and friends
Photo: Culmina winery and vineyardCulmina Family Estate Winery was so named because it is the culmination of a career in wine for Donald and Elaine Triggs. Donald was one of the founders of Vincor...
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Mayhem is spawned by Meyer Family Vineyards
Photo: Mayhem's Terry Meyer StoneThe current releases from Meyer Family Vineyards were accompanied by wines from Mayhem Wines, a relatively new label.The explanation is provided with the specifications...
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Painted Rock wines: blink and they are gone
Photo: Painted Rock's John SkinnerPainted Rock Estate Winery’s sales appear to have been robust despite the market disruption caused by the pandemic.The wine samples reviewed here arrived about six...
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Harper's Trail highlights Kamloops Wine Trail
Photo: Bighorn sheep near Harper's TrailThere was some skepticism about the viability of the Thompson River Valley as a wine region when Harper’s Trail Estate Winery – the region’s first winery –...
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Hester Creek's The Judge and friends
Photo: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader GinsburgThis summer’s releases from Hester Creek Estate Winery included The Judge, the winery’s flagship red – and one of the best wines from the Okanagan...
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Oliver Twist: even the pinup girls are serious
Photo: Oliver Twist's Gina Harfman The tasting room at Oliver Twist Estate Winery is as lively as any in the South Okanagan, especially when proprietor Gina Harfman is behind the bar.Visitors are also...
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Sea Star's secret: consistency
Photo: Sea Star's David GoudgeOne might assume that the restrictions on ferry travel to the Gulf Islands this spring would have devastated the business of Sea Star Vineyards on Pender Island.Not so,...
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Fitzpatrick overcomes natural disasters
Photo: Gordon FitzpatrickGordon Fitzpatrick, president of Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards, include an apt anecdote with his covering letter introducing the current releases.“There is a famous wine quote...
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Frind Winery bets on Vernon
Photo: Aerial view of Frind vineyard property near VernonFrind Estate Winery owner Markus Frind recently planted Cabernet Sauvignon in a vineyard at the northern end of Okanagan Lake, just west of...
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Noble Ridge champions Chardonnay
Photo: Noble Ridge's Jim and Leslie D'Andrea (courtesy Noble Ridge)One of the least successful of my wine books was Chardonnay and Friends: Varietal Wines of British Columbia.It was the title, I...
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Township 7's rosé converts this consumer
Readers of this blog will have noticed that I frequently complain of rosés being “fashionably pale.”The rosé released this summer by Township 7 winemaker Mary McDermott is fashionably pale. But I will...
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Blue Mountain plays it safe
Photo: Blue Mountain's Matt and Christie Mavety (Chris Stenberg photo)Earlier this year, Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars announced that it would not open its tasting room this summer to safeguard...
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Gold Hill cements relationship with Val Tait
Photo: Winemaker Val Tait with Gold Hill's Navi GillThe long relationship between Gold Hill Winery and Val Tait came to full maturity this summer when she joined the winery as both its winemaker and...
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Mirabel has opened its tasting room
Photo: Dawn and Doug Reimer in front of new Mirabel wineryA dinner guest who recently helped me taste a pink sparkling wine from Mirabel Vineyards sad that the wine took her back to fond memories of a...
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Bordertown embraces Cabernet Franc
Photo: Bordertown's Mohan GillThe fourth most widely grown red wine grape in the Okanagan is Cabernet Franc.In the 2019 vintage, it accounted for just under 12% of total red grape production. Cabernet...
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Camelot's 2019s are expressive wines
Photo: Camelot owner Robert Young with wine director Julian Samoisette (right).Tucked away in East Kelowna, Camelot Vineyards Estate Winery has kept a low profile since opening in 2009.In recent...
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Blue Mountain releases 2018 Pinot Noirs
Photo: Blue Mountain's Matt MavetyBlue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars has been a leading producer of Pinot Noir in the Okanagan since 1991.For many years, the winery produced just an estate Pinot...
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Laughing Stock hangs in with a natural wine
Photo: Winemaker Dave CarsonLaughing Stock Vineyards began using a clay amphora to make white wine in 2012, when David and Cynthia Enns still operated the winery.They sold it to Arterra Wines Canada in...
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