Wine and Dine your way through this HOSPITABLE REGION
WRITTEN BY ROBYN ROEHM CANNON
Growing luscious table fruit has always been a mainstay for farmers in British Columbia’s Thompson Okanagan Valley, which lies in the center of the province, with the Vancouver mainland and Fraser Valley on the west and the Rocky Mountains on the east.
But this semiarid high-altitude region is also perfect for growing grapes, and today, it’s known for its more than 120 estate and boutique wineries as well as the charming small towns that dot the shores of the eighty-four-mile-long Lake Okanagan. From Kelowna and Vernon in the north to Osoyoos and Penticton in the south, with Peachland and Summerland in between, each small lake community is distinct, and together they add up to a perfect wine country holiday just a few hours’ drive from Seattle or Vancouver, B.C.
Two outstanding family- and pet-friendly waterfront resorts with marinas and boat moorage are The Cove Lakeside Resort in Kelowna and Summerland Waterfront Resort Hotel, which boasts a remarkable marshland bird sanctuary and a first-rate restaurant next door called Local Lounge and Grille.
If you appreciate contemporary architecture surrounded by unspoiled natural vistas, cuisine incorporating
only the freshest regional ingredients, being pampered by spa professionals who are masters at their craft—and if you’re intrigued by the idea of a resort that has integrated more than 3.5 million Austrian Swarovski crystals into its breathtaking design—then you will be thrilled with a stay at Sparkling Hill Resort near the town of Vernon. The resort’s signature 40,000-square-foot KurSpa offers guests more than one hundred traditional European wellness treatments, including North America’s first cold spa, where in a chamber lowered to a temperature of-166 degrees Fahrenheit, guests are carefully monitored for three-minute cryotherapy sessions that improve circulation and offer lasting pain relief.
only the freshest regional ingredients, being pampered by spa professionals who are masters at their craft—and if you’re intrigued by the idea of a resort that has integrated more than 3.5 million Austrian Swarovski crystals into its breathtaking design—then you will be thrilled with a stay at Sparkling Hill Resort near the town of Vernon. The resort’s signature 40,000-square-foot KurSpa offers guests more than one hundred traditional European wellness treatments, including North America’s first cold spa, where in a chamber lowered to a temperature of-166 degrees Fahrenheit, guests are carefully monitored for three-minute cryotherapy sessions that improve circulation and offer lasting pain relief.When you’re ready to taste Okanagan wines, don’t miss these spots, most with remarkable restaurants on the premises:
A few miles down the road from Sparkling Hill is Gray Monk Estate Winery, which dates to 1972. Today, more than one hundred acres of vineyards are under cultivation on the gentle slopes rising up from Lake Okanagan. End a visit with lunch in the winery’s Grapevine Restaurant overlooking this expansive view. Executive Chef Will Franz has presided over fine dining rooms around the world, and his wine country cooking is unpretentious and superb.
Just outside Penticton, Poplar Grove Winery began in a garage in 1993 but has grown into a world-class winery, with 150 acres of new vineyards under cultivation. A new multimillion-dollar production facility and tasting room offers outstanding varietals, including a 2008 Syrah that garnered the only gold medal awarded to a Canadian winery at the 2011 Decanter World Wine Awards, where it rose above more than 12,000 wines from forty-four countries. Enjoy a glass of estate Pinot Gris on the winery’s patio while taking in the spectacular vineyard and lake views. Summerhill Pyramid Winery produces outstanding organic wines that are barrel fermented and bottle aged
inside ageometrically precise pyramid, including a sparkling wine that has repeatedly taken top honors in France. Summerhill’s Sunset Bistro is headed by Executive Chef Jesse Croy, who has been awarded the Best Chef in Kelowna several years running. His inventive culinary team strives for a true “zero mile” diet, sourcing much of the organic produce from the estate’s biodynamic garden.
inside ageometrically precise pyramid, including a sparkling wine that has repeatedly taken top honors in France. Summerhill’s Sunset Bistro is headed by Executive Chef Jesse Croy, who has been awarded the Best Chef in Kelowna several years running. His inventive culinary team strives for a true “zero mile” diet, sourcing much of the organic produce from the estate’s biodynamic garden.
Mission Hill Family Estate is one of the most prestigious, innovative, and awarded wineries in all of British Columbia, dedicated to producing world-class wines from classic French grape varietals since 1981. The architecture and surroundings are as impressive as the accolades, and an afternoon picnic on the lawn framing the lake and Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyard views is pure bliss. The winery’s Terrace Restaurant was named one of the top five winery restaurants in the world by Travel + Leisure magazine; dining on Chef Matthew Batey’s “Cuisine du Terrior” is an experience not to be missed.The Stewart family has Okanagan roots that go back more than a century, and their Quails’ Gate Winery is respected worldwide for sublime dessert wines and a sumptuous estate Pinot Noir. Be sure to enjoy an alfresco bistro lunch or a leisurely sunset dinner in the gorgeous Old Vines Restaurant, sited directly above the vineyards. Chef Roger Sleiman offers year-round menus featuring sustainable seafood and ingredients sourced from a full kitchen garden and regional British Columbia farms.
The Thompson Okanagan Valley has much to offer, and this is just a sampling of that wine country hospitality. But if you love skiing, golf, hiking, fishing, and just being outdoors, this region will delight you, no matter what season of the year you choose to visit.
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