Vintage Destinations - Okanagan Wine Festival 2001

It seems as if there’s an ever-increasing avalanche of new Canadian wines and related supporting events. Certainly one of the nation’s hot spots is the Okanagan Valley where there has been a tremendous increase in the number of wineries in just a few years.

For fans, their moment of truth is fast approaching. It’s the 21st Annual Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, which kicks off in Kelowna next Friday on September 28. There are over fourteen major events on the first day alone, from wine cruises and dinners to clambakes, all topped off by a special evening Consumer Tasting ($35) where 14 wineries will be strutting their stuff.

In fact, you can eat and drink yourself silly with over 110 events taking place over nine days. To get a pulse on the upcoming festivities, I hopped an Air Canada nonstop Toronto-Kelowna flight for an incredible $316 return ($354.17 with taxes). These deep discounts appear every Wednesday at 12:01 am on Air Canada’s website (http://aircanada.ca/home.html) under Interactive Services - look at the Websaver specials. It’s perfect - you can leave from Thursday to Saturday and return Monday to Wednesday.

Fly Air Canada non-stop Toronto to Kelowna for $356.31 (Return)
Departure - Thursday, September 27, 2001 to Saturday, September 29, 2001
(one flight a day departing at 5:30 pm arriving 7:17 pm • AC-1193)
Return - Monday, October 1, 2001 to Wednesday, October 3, 2001
(one flight a day departing at 8:52 pm arriving 3:25 pm • AC-1192)

How to?
Go to www.aircanada.com
Go to "Interactive Services"
Under "Browse as our Guest" - Go to "WEBSAVER"
Go to "How about these great deals?"

I wanted to see if BC’s wines were worthy of such a trip. The answer? Yes, yes, yes! But it’s not only the wines; the gorgeous scenery and warm but bracing sunny climate at this time of year is without parallel. It’s almost enough to make any amateur golfer ditch the wine glass and head to one of the region’s many immaculate courses.

Getting back to basics, I was amazed how far BC’s wines had progressed since I had last judged here only six years ago. Not that this cool climate pumps out winners every year - 1999, for instance, was not without its challenges. My three-day kamikaze trip unearthed a bevy of beauties, some of which are or will be available right across the country.

Just a stone’s throw from Kelowna is the incomparable Summerhill Estate where owner Steve Cipes utilizes pyramid power to produce méthod champenoise organic sparklers that will knock your socks off. While the dry, crisp, refreshing Cipes Brut is without question a best bet at $19.95, I was captivated by a remarkably classy, just released 1991 Cipes/Schramsberg Jack Davies Memorial Cuvée which is a flavourful, well-aged, blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.

Summerhill is a large operation with a terrific deck overlooking the lake. Their restaurant serves a “Brut” brunch, although the spicy, honeyed Summerhill 2000 Gewürztraminer is a serious crowd-pleasing alternative at $15.95. Keep in mind that this is not an intimately sized winery. You may well be inundated with throngs of visiting Japanese tourists who will be bringing every bottle of icewine in sight back to their bus. http://www.summerhill.bc.ca

While big can be great, so can small (and disappearing). Unfortunately, that’s exactly what’s happened at Summerhill’s next-door neighbour St Hubertus. Their three and one half acres of 27-year-old Bacchus vines, which were replaced with Gewürz just last year. I shall never forget the thrill of feasting on a slice of delicious, piping hot, onion quiche for breakfast while taking refreshing slurps of their gently honeyed, floral-Muscat flavoured elixir St. Hubertus 2000 Bacchus. At only $10.55, it’s definitely worth tracking down the last 600 cases in existence. http://www.st-hubertus.bc.ca/

Without question, Okanagan’s most impressive edifice is Mission Hill where veteran winemaker John Simes works with what seems to be an unlimited capital to produce serious award-winning wines. Of the flight of new wines sampled, I fell in love with one of their least expensive - a zesty, dry, crisp Mission Hill 2000 Pinot Blanc ($12.95 at the winery) that has a gorgeous fresh green peach nose. A total of 19,000 cases were made meaning one of two things: it’s either at a store near you or it’s coming to a store near you! http://www.missionhillwinery.com

Ironically, it was the new kid on the block whose wines seemed most approachable and consistent. I had never heard of the tiny Red Rooster Winery near Penticton on the Naramata Bench. Meeting the energetic Prudence and Beat Mahrer was a breath of fresh air. They immigrated to B.C. after selling their Fitness Center in Basel Switzerland in 1990 and today produce some 10,000 cases of surprisingly delicious wines.

The Red Rooster 2000 Pinot Noir at only $14.95 is a definite best buy. It has refined, fairly creamy, raspberry-cherry flavours that are exceptionally smooth and accessible. Indeed, all their wines are most approachable – real crowd pleasers. Their gem is a classic, still extremely youthful Red RoosterVin Santo at $38.95 per half bottle. Its delicious, sweet, caramel flavours along with homemade biscotti still lingers. http://www.redroosterwinery.com/

Sumac Ridge is also well known for producing significant volumes of award-winning wines. Toronto giant Vincor recently purchased it and Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards. The crisp, bright, head-turning Sumac Ridge 2000 Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc ($15.95) has loads of ripe, toasty, ripe apricot-pear flavours with a crisp, grassy finish. http://www.sumacridge.com

If you relish a rich Bordeaux-inspired red, make sure you track down the remaining bottles of Tinhorn Creek 1998 Cabernet Franc a steal at $16.95. It is not your run of the mill reedy Cab Franc, it’s loaded with rounded, spicy, cedary, chocolaty-blackberry flavours. Only 250 cases were produced making this a real find. http://www.tinhorn.com/

Space does not permit me to detail all the highlights. Let me simply say that Syrah or Shiraz is definitely on a roll. A relatively well priced, deliciously accessible, bargain on the horizon is Jackson-Triggs 2000 Proprietor’s Reserve Syrah at $18. It’s hard to believe that it was only two years ago when these one-year old vines were planted in the valley’s southern Osoyoos region. Only 400 cases of this first harvest were produced and it will be arriving on the market soon. http://jacksontriggswinery.com

Even better with its sumptuous, spicy, clove and ripe black cherry purée flavours is Sandhill 2000 Syrah. It comes from Richard Cleave’s Phantom Creek Vineyards with a whopping 14.1% alcohol. Although it’s still in the barrel, there are plans for a November bottling. Better start lining up for it now, there’s only 25 cases! And if you can’t get your hands on the latter, then make sure you don’t miss the stunning barrel fermented Sandhill 2000 Pinot Blanc with its smooth, creamy, gently smoky, pear purée flavours.

As for insider’s tips, I suggest that you use the large, albeit comfortable, quiet The Grand Okanagan Hotel as your base. It’s got a terrific health club, warm outdoor pools and a piping hot under-the-stars whirlpool, which will soothe all the aches, and pains you develop from repeatedly lifting the wineglass to your lips. And if classically prepared, high-quality ingredients are on your short list, a dinner at the nearby Williams Inn is probably a pretty good bet. For a host of additional recommendations and listing of wine events, check out my website below.

Sampling BC’s Best© At next week’s Okanagan Wine Festival © Michael Vaughan September 2001

Sampling BC’s Best©
At next week’s Okanagan Wine Festival
© Michael Vaughan
September 2001