Question: What’s worse than taking bad photos on a wine tasting trip? Answer: Accidentally deleting the album on your computer.
Yep, color me embarrassed chicas y chicos, but somehow I managed to lose a chunk of my pictures from Canada’s wine country. But in the spirit of Stiff Upper Lipping it, let’s all keep calm and drink wine.
Today’s post features more wines I discovered while attending Wine Bloggers Conference 2013 in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley wine region.
And you all know what comes next: El Full Disclosure! Say it loud, say it proud–I got free wine samples while attending Wine Bloggers Conference 2013, which happens at these events (duh!). None of the folks who plied me with free sips paid me to write any of the following content; the opinions are mine, as are thet photos I rescued from my iPhone.
In no particular order, I give you…
1. Nk’Mip Cellars (pronounced Inka Meep)
The first North American winery to be owned and operated by aboriginal, or native peoples, Nk’Mip is run by the Osoyoos Indian Band of First Nation people. The winery produces Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Icewine and various blends. In other words, there’s something for everyone.
Not a wine drinker? There’s something for you, too. Nk’Mip Cellars partners with Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort and Spa, which is located on Lake Osoyoos. So while you’re friends are a-sippin’, you can be a-destressin’. Sippin’ just happens part of my de-stressin’ routine, but I digress…
Nk’Mip Cellars was voted “BC Winery of the Year” at the Canadian Wine Awards in 2012.
2.Inniskillin
Remember my blog post about what makes a wine sweet? You don’t? I’m not offended. Here it is again. If you look at #2, cryoextraction, you’ll get a sense for how Icewine is made. And it bears repeating that Canada produces some of the world’s finest Icewine.
Inniskillin harvests the grapes they use in their Icewine during the Okanagan winter months. The grapes freeze on the vine at -8 degrees Celsius. That’s 17.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The result is a glorious, nectar-like wine with a honeyed taste and hints of ripe apricot and honeysuckle.
Inniskillin won the Top Canadian Producer International Wine and Spirits Competition in London in 2012.
3. See Ya Later Ranch
Who doesn’t love a juicy bit of chisme? (That’s ‘gossip’ for my English-language readers).
In 1919, dog-loving Major Hugh Fraser purchased land in this remote part of the Okanagan Valley and built himself a ranch. Quite the character, the Major threw some wild parties and was a bit of a free spirit. Legend has it that his lovely English bride grew tired of the dogs and the isolation, so she bailed, leaving behind a note that said, “See ya later.”
Today, See Ya Later is the highest elevation vineyard in the Okanagan Valley, and the views from there are breathtaking. If you can’t visit, try hunting down the 2011 Pinot 3, which won a Silver Medal at the 2012 San Francisco International Wine Competition and a Bronze Medal the same year at the International Wine & Spirits Competition.
No photos of See Ya Later Ranch survived my iPhoto fiasco, which leaves me with no choice but to go back. ¡Salud!
Next week: Visiting the Okanagan Valley: How to plan your own Canadian wine odyssey
