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The team at Solvero Wines is excited to invite the public to visit and take in the inaugural wine releases.
Located in the beautiful Garnet Valley in the Summerland Valleys Sub GI, among the Bottleneck Drive tourist route, Summerland’s newest winery is the place for wine lovers to indulge in some of British Columbia’s most special wines.
Happy National White Wine Day!
To celebrate, we’ve got a list of six exciting BC wines that will be perfect for your next occasion or dinner this summer.
White wines have been around for at least 4,000 years and through those years wineries have only gotten better at creating tastier vintages. With crisper tones, white wines have a more acidic, floral, and fruity taste, giving them a lighter flavour combined with subtle overtones.
Try these:
1. Blue Grouse 2021 Ortega - $25.99 online or in select wine stores in BC. The wine reflects the best of Cowichan Valley’s warm summers. Ortega is Vancouver Island’s signature grape, and Blue Grouse is Vancouver Island’s signature winery, so this wine is the perfect representation of the region. Whole cluster pressed, this fruit-forward wine is bright, savoury, and well-balanced.
2. Singletree 2020 Gruner Veltliner - $19.10 online or get it while you can at Vij’s Restaurant. Only 111 cases made. The wine was fermented in stainless steel to bring out delicious aromas of nectarine, pineapple, and melon. There are also flavours of Meyer lemon, apple, and citrus. Pair this refreshing white wine with some roasted asparagus and smoked fish.
3. Blasted Church 2021 Unorthodox Chardonnay - $22.00 online or at the winery in Okanagan Falls, BC. Its ‘unorthodox’ name is a nod to the wine being the only one made in Canada with Chardonnay Musque. This lesser grown in BC Chardonnay offers waves of bright floral and spice, and a splash of stone fruit, all supported by a vibrant undercurrent of fresh citrus.
4. Haywire Switchback 2018 Pinot Gris - $29.99 online, at Legacy Liquor Store or Marquis Wine Cellars. A special wine from a special place lovingly organically farmed and tended to. This wine shows the adaptability of Pinot Gris to represent the region and more importantly its site and micro-climate. Truly a wine that can only be known as “Switchback”. Harvested in two batches and whole bunch pressed, it was naturally fermented before resting on lees for 10 months. The wine itself has a creamy mouthfeel along with lively acidity that displays citrus and stone fruit characters. Critics love this wine, and you will too.
5. Chronos 2020 Riesling - $28.99 online or at Save-On-Foods. Crafted with precision by winemaker Lynzee Schatz at TIME Family of Wines, this unrushed wine brings out the Okanagan Valley terroir exquisitely. Fermented in two different tanks with different yeast strains, blending them together brought out their sweetness and acidity. To enjoy this vibrant, bright, and juicy wine, sip it during a meal with an orange-miso halibut and a beet carpaccio.
6. Coolshanagh 2018 Chardonnay - $30.00 online. Our premium pick, nothing brings out Okanagan terroir better than this wine. The new world Chardonnay was handled with care, it was fermented through 25% new French oak barrel, 25% concrete tank and 50% stainless steel. The Chardonnay has a classic Okanagan mineral streak and integrates flavours of popcorn, wet stone, and rich ripe fruit flavours.
Originating in Burgundy, France in the Middle Ages, this white grape variety is a mutation of pinot noir and has medium acidity with flavours of citrus, green apple, and white peach.
To help celebrate Pinot Gris Day, here are 6 locally made, delicious Pinot Gris!
1. Blue Grouse Quill 2021 Pinot Gris - $22.99 online or select wine stores in BC. The Cowichan Valley gives this wine its fresh acidity and the presence of some malolactic fermentation adds a medium body, with a nice touch of creaminess on the palate. Expect flavours of apple compote and lemon curd. This “sipper” is ideally paired with halibut, shellfish, an endive salad or a hard cheese like Manchego.
2. Evolve 2020 Pinot Gris - $22.99 online or at Save-On-Foods. Light as air, and soft as silk. Lovingly made for the heat of the day and the heat of the moment. Floral and fragrant, an Okanagan summer in a glass. Aged sur lie for an extra textural flair, to set it apart from the rest.
3. Blasted Church 2021 Skaha Bench Pinot Gris - $24.00 online or at the winery in Okanagan Falls, BC. Rich stone fruit on the attack through into the beautifully textured mid-palate. The pear, apple, and citrus pile on into the vibrant finish. Pairs well with roasted chicken, grilled fish, or salty cheese.
4. Haywire 2021 Pinot Gris - $27.99 online or at the winery’s store in Summerland, BC. Intensely textured and very fruit forward with juicy acidity, this wine was pressed and fermented in concrete, stainless steel and oak foudre using natural yeast. The wine stayed on its lees for six months before being filtered and bottled.
5. Singletree 2020 Pinot Gris - $19.10 online or the winery’s store in Abbotsford, BC. Cool-fermented in stainless steel to result in aromas of pineapple, peppers, and tangerine. Flavours of Asian pear and honeysuckle.
6. Singletree 2019 Pinot Gris - $17.40 online or the winery’s store in Abbotsford, BC. This year the winery team blended two valleys of fruit. 75% of the fruit came from the winery’s Mt.Lehman vineyards while the other 25% comes from the Naramata bench vineyard. It has tropical flavours of pineapple, mango and lime.
Valley Commons soft launches starting Saturday, September 4 before the grand opening on September 8
[Oliver, BC] After months of planning and much hard work, September 8 is a big day for husband-wife duo Kyla Richey and Rudy Verhoeff. It’s the day they open the doors to - Valley Commons in the south Okanagan’s District Wine Village (DWV). The winery will also do a 'soft launch' at DWV starting on Saturday, September 4 for long-weekend visitors. Those at DVW this weekend will be the first to taste the wines and shop the merch.
Starting next week, Valley Commons will be open Wednesday through Monday (closed Tuesdays) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We are so excited to welcome guests and introduce them to our beautiful wines,” says Richey. “Our tagline at Valley Commons is ‘Where we gather’ because we strongly believe that friendships and family ties are strengthened, and community is created when people gather to enjoy a glass of wine together.”
Kyla Richey and Rudy Verhoeff, owners of Valley Commons Winery. Photo credit: Shari Saysomack
Guest Experience
In addition to the tasting room, Valley Commons’ beautiful new 1,500-sq-foot facility houses the winery’s production area with its fermentation tanks. Guests may even catch a glimpse of winemaker Bill Adams working his harvest magic, as he transforms Okanagan and Fraser Valley grapes into beautiful wines.
The winery offers two different experiences for guests – a quick and casual visit to the stand-up tasting bar with a flight of four ‘petit pour’ wines for $10, or a more leisurely seated experience for $15 and five wine samples to savour. All the wines will be available for sale by the glass and the bottle. In addition to the stand-up tasting bar, the facility offers two tables with two seats each inside the tasting room and an additional 14 seats on the outside patio overlooking the central plaza.
The Wines
Visitors to Valley Commons will be able to enjoy its 2020 vintages created for the winery by Mark Simpson of BC Wine Studio. Starting with the 2021 vintage, wines will be made by Valley Commons staff winemaker Bill Adams and supported by consulting winemaker Pascal Madevon.
The current portfolio of 2020 vintages includes:
Garden Society, a premium red blend ($40/ btl, $14/glass)
Cabernet Franc ($35/btl, $12/glass)
Rosé ($30/btl, $10/glass)
Pinot Gris ($28/btl, $9/glass)
Harvest Table White, a blend ($25/btl, $9/glass)
Valley Commons Winery 2020 Vintages. Photo credit: Ian Lanterman
Richey and Verhoeff want the tasting room to be a unique experience; not only for the sampling of their wines but also a way for individuals to be inspired by, and connect to, the natural beauty that surrounds them. The couple envision it as a place for people to gather and reconnect.
Richey comments, “We want it to be a place to come as you are and be welcomed as family. It will be a place that combines the sophistication of metropolitan tastes with the agricultural cornucopia of the Valleys. We invite people to visit Valley Commons to recharge their spirit and discover new, exciting wines.”
To stay up to date with the latest news from Valley Commons, to subscribe to their newsletter and to order the winery’s first vintages visit www.valleycommons.ca and be sure to follow along on social at @valleycommons.
Valley Commons Winery 2020 Rosé. Photo credit: Ian Lanterman
Toast #NationalRoséDay with 10 BC Rosé Wines
Since National Rosé Day is almost here (June 12, 2021), we’re sharing how you can celebrate the occasion with some of our favourite BC wines! Each rosé on this list was made locally with grapes grown in BC. From the Fraser Valley, to the Okanagan, and even the Island, each corner of BC has a rosé that’s sure to fit your palate. Read the below descriptions to find out which rosé is right for your #NationalRoséDay festivities.
Bizou + Yukon Pinkie Rosé, Singletree Winery Rosé, and Haywire Gamay Rosé
This rosé gives flavours of bright and juicy red berries with floral notes on the nose. It’s approachable, easy to drink, and pairs well with charcuterie. Available online at okanagancrushpad.com , in-person at the winery in Summerland, BC, or at select private wine stores throughout the province.
A blend of Malbec and Syrah, find this refreshing pink rosé online at singletreewinery.com or in-person at the winery in Abbotsford or Naramata. This wine is predicted to sellout, so move quickly!
A dry, mouth-watering rosé, filled with flavours of bright fruit and orange blossoms. Pair it with your choice of grilled fish or sip it solo. Available online at okanagancrushpad.com, in-person at the winery in Summerland, BC, or at select Save-On-Foods stores throughout the province.
Pink Cadillac Rosé, Free Form Rosé, Nostalgia Rosé, and Blue Grouse Estate Winery Quill Rosé
As playful as the artwork on its label, the Pink Cadillac tastes of berries and exotic fruit on the palate. Drink this on its own or with a light fruit-filled salad. Available online at nostalgiawines.ca or in-person at the winery in Oliver, BC. You may be able to find this wine at private wine stores throughout BC in the coming months.
A sweet red berry rosé on the nose, balanced by equal parts sweet and savoury fruit on the palate with a juicy acidity. Available online at okanagancrushbad.com, in-person at the winery in Summerland, BC, or at select private wine stores throughout the province.
A saignée-method rosé, this wine gives you flavours of watermelon, cranberry, grapefruit, raspberry, and passionfruit. Available online at nostalgiawines.ca or in-person at the winery in Oliver, BC. You may be able to find this wine at private wine stores throughout BC in the coming months.
When sipping this rosé, expect it to be well-balanced, with flavours of strawberry, pink grapefruit and earthiness. Pair it with salmon or watermelon and goat cheese salad. Available online at bluegrouse.ca or in-person at the winery in Duncan, Vancouver Island.
Evolve Cellars Pink Effervescence, Stoneboat Vineyards Rosé, and Narrative Rosé
A bubbly rosé for the sparkling wine lovers! With flavours of berry and peach, and bubbles in every glass, this wine will beautifully complement a celebration like Rosé Day. Available online at timewines.ca, in-person at TIME Winery & Kitchen in Penticton, BC, or at select Save-On-Foods, BC Liquor Stores, and private wine stores.
Filled with hints of strawberry, watermelon, cranberry, pink grapefruit and guava on the finish, this wine is both juicy and medium dry. Available online at stoneboatvineyards.com, in-person at the winery in Oliver, BC, or at select Save-On-Foods stores throughout the province.
Those looking for a dry rosé have found their match with the 2019 Narrative Rosé. This wine is bone dry and filled with fruity flavours like ripened berries. Available online at okanagancrushpad.com, in-person at the winery in Summerland, BC, or at select BC Liquor Stores.
[Oliver, BC] The Verhoeff Group of Companies announces the purchase of Stoneboat Vineyards located on the Black Sage Bench in Oliver, BC. The business continues to be family-owned, changing hands from Julie and Lanny Martiniuk to the Verhoeff family.
Led by husband-wife duo Kyla Richey and Rudy Verhoeff, the new owners keep the Stoneboat Vineyards name and are eager to build upon the legacy of the Martiniuks, while winery employees stay on with new ownership, including winemaker William (Bill) Adams, and general manager Levi Gogolinski. Industry veteran Pascal Madevon joins the team as consulting winemaker to work with Bill in the cellar.
“Our family is thrilled to make its entrance into the BC wine industry by taking over from the Martiniuks, a family that has established their name as a top-quality grape grower and producer on the Black Sage Bench,” says Rudy Verhoeff, owner of Stoneboat Vineyards. “Our intention is to continue their outstanding work and expand the brand’s presence in the Okanagan and beyond.”
The Verhoeff family, based in Fort Langley in the Fraser Valley, has experience with businesses in the event and hospitality sectors including Red Door Events and Trading Post Brewing, and soon in the District Wine Village with Trading Post and a new winery Valley Commons.
The team will apply its vast experience in foodservice, events, and hospitality to the BC wine industry. Kyla and Rudy complete years of traveling to compete on Team Canada’s women and men’s volleyball teams respectively and are welcoming the change to one of Canada’s biggest-growing industries.
“We are so excited to enter the wine business at such an exciting time of growth and change,” says Kyla Richey. “All of our neighbours have been so welcoming, and we can’t wait to receive visitors from outside the valley soon.”
New Stoneboat owners Rudy Verhoeff, Kyla Richey, Paul & Cobi Verhoeff toasting with Tim Martiniuk, centre. Photo credit Shari Saysomsack
About Stoneboat Vineyards
Stoneboat Vineyards is a family-owned and operated winery located in Oliver, BC founded in1979 by the Martiniuk family. Known for its award-winning wines and Black Sage Bench location, the portfolio of wines is guided by consulting winemaker Pascal Madevon and crafted by winemaker Bill Adams, These include: Pinot Noir, Pinotage, Pinot Gris, Rosé, sparkling wine, red and white blends, and Icewine.
The winery team strives for balance in its approach. Through thoughtful farming, Stoneboat engages in a variety of conscientious and non-invasive practices to maintain healthy vineyards. Balancing these grape growing elements provides wines with a character that cannot be duplicated anywhere else.
Visitors to the winery are welcomed by general manager Levi Gogolinski and the Tasting Room Team to enjoy a taste of South Okanagan terroir and drink in the picturesque vistas. Stoneboat Pinot Club members receive a curated selection of wines in club shipments, first access to limited small lot wines and library releases, and Pinot Club benefits when visiting the winery.
Schedule a tasting, catch the latest news, and learn more at www.stoneboatvineyards.com
Photo credit Shari Saysomsack
*Download photos and more here.
[Oliver, BC] Oliver Twist Estate Winery is now Nostalgia Wines Inc. The ownership remains solely under Gina Fernandes Harfman. When Harfman purchased Oliver Twist Estate Winery in 2012, she kept the namesake Oliver Twist and created her own Nostalgia series to put her stamp on the business. With 2021 being the 15th anniversary of the winery, the time was right to finalize the change.
“Nostalgia Wines is more authentic and better connects to what we represent here,” Harfman notes.
With the name change also comes modernized packaging that better reflects the wine quality, displayed on Nostalgia Wines’ three wine tiers: Nostalgia, Pin-Up, and the Family Collection.
The team at Oliver Twist Winery has been a bit mischievous... they are now Nostalgia Wines Inc.
The team at Oliver Twist Winery has been a bit mischievous... they are now Nostalgia Wines Inc.
THE HISTORY BEHIND NOSTALGIA WINES INC.
Harfman is proud of her South Okanagan farming legacy. Terroir is in her blood: Harfman is the fourth generation from her paternal side, and the third generation from her maternal side, to sink her hands into South Okanagan soil. Her maternal grandfather, Joe Fernandes, left Madeira in the early 1950s to establish orchards and a fruit stand in Osoyoos. Her father, Ken, has 6 hectares (15 acres) of vineyard in Osoyoos which he runs with the help of Harf- man’s brother, Jeremy.
This connection to wine started Harfman down the winemaking road, starting with the winemaking course at Okanagan College. She gained experience as the assistant winemaker at Cassini Cellars for 2010 crush. For 2011 crush, she joined the previous owners and winemaking consultant, Christine Leroux, at Oliver Twist. From the very first vintage, Leroux has guided the wines at Oliver Twist, and she remains an important member of the Nostalgia winemaking team today.
In Harfman’s woman-owned and managed winery, she carries on her prede- cessors’ vision and traditions. She has chosen the name Nostalgia because for her, wine is about creating memories and making connections. She hopes that people will experience her wines, and in doing so, forge new memories.
“Nostalgia is something relatable to everyone,” she notes. “As everyone has memories.”
Nostalgia Wines Inc.'s owner and winemaker, Gina Fernandes Harfman
THE WINES & THE WINERY
Open year-round on the Black Sage Bench in Oliver, BC, Nostalgia Wines offers a range of small production wines from its Nostalgia, Pin-Up, and Family Collection tiers: from dry to off-dry whites and rosés, medium to full-bodied reds, as well as sparkling and dessert wines (including a fortified Port-style). Wines are released in quantities from 24 - 675 cases only and are worth seeking out each release (all wines can be purchased at the winery or online at NostalgiaWines.ca).
Harfman ensures the grape quality is high, sourcing most of the grapes from the estate’s Home Vineyard: Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Viognier, Kerner, Merlot and Syrah. She also sources from her family’s farm, and from treasured, long-term grower partners. Her attention to detail continues throughout the entire winemaking process.
Visitors to Nostalgia Wines are welcomed with heart, personality, nostalgia, and great wine. After taking in the memora- bilia collection inside the wine shop and watching the winemaking in progress through the tasting room windows, the sense of history and love at this family-run winery is unmistakable. Situated right in the heart of South Okanagan wine country, guests take in the views of the rugged desert hills, vineyards, and orchards, while sipping and soaking up the surroundings.
Nostalgia Wines 2018 Merlot, 2018 Meritage and 2020 Rosé
The Nostalgia and Family Collection wines demonstrate the serious side of Harfman’s winemaking style. Guests are impressed by the entire lineup and are charmed by the fun and seductive Pin-Up Series, which allows Harfman to express her fun side. The retro-cool paintings on the Pin-Up bottles are by artist Ralph Burch.
Nostalgia is the comfort and happiness triggered by sensory experiences. Once visitors discover this boutique, family-run winery, and enjoy a glass of wine from one of the estate’s scenic patios, they will want to take home a taste and make more memories of their own.
To keep those memories alive and satisfy you at home when you are feeling “Nostalgic,” membership in the Recollec- tions Wine Club is your best bet. This flexible membership allows you to choose your own selection and order on de- mand any time of year, in person or online, with special Club pricing. Harfman makes exclusive wines for Club members only, such as small lots of Malbec and Petit Verdot.
Watch for the new Nostalgia and Family Collec- tion labels and the refreshed Pin-Up Series to hit the winery’s shelves this month, or order online at NostalgiaWines.ca.
Pin-Up Series Rockabilly Red, 2020 Pink Cadillac and 2020 Boogie Woogie White
ABOUT NOSTALGIA WINES INC.
Nostalgia Wines Inc. is a winery located on the Black Sage Bench in Oliver, BC. It is owned by Gina Fernandes Harfman who is a fourth-gener- ation farmer in the Okanagan. Harfman is the winemaker behind the terroir focused, small lot wines produced on the property.
Nostalgia Wines carries three tiers of wine: Family Collection, Nostalgia Series and the mischievous Pin-Up Series which showcase labels that depict 1960s-inspired artwork.
To learn more about Nostalgia Wines Inc. or shop the wines, visit www.NostalgiaWines.ca
[Penticton, BC] After a year of changes, the team at TIME Winery & Kitchen is hitting a new groove. Since the purchase of the winery in July 2020 by Ron and Shelley Mayert, new parent company Five Vines Cellars has injected new energy into the TIME Winery, Evolve Cellars and the McWatters Collection labels.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
The Mayerts are committed to keeping TIME Winery family owned and operated, with a focus on handcrafted, small batch wines. By welcoming returning faces and adding some new ones, the Five Vines Cellars ownership has combined experience, tenacity, and a dose of enthusiasm to the winery team.
Siblings Christa-Lee and Darrien McWatters stay on as general manager and operations manager respectively, holding up the family legacy of winery founder, the late Harry McWatters.
The 2020 grape harvest is underway under the guidance of winemaker Lynzee Schatz. Since joining the team in summer 2019, she is now leading the cellar, aided by Will Ingle, Brent Peachey, Darrien McWatters, and Maja Syska.
Chef A.K. Campbell is the creative force behind the menus in the kitchen and catering. He has revised the menu to be burger forward and the public is here for it.
Most recently, the wine trade applauded as Kimberly Hundertmark joined the team as hospitality manager, to oversee guest services, special events, and the wine club, supported by the tasting room and kitchen teams, and Chelsea Dumayne for social media and events. With new ownership and new additions to the team, Five Vines Cellars is equipped with lessons from the past, keen spirits, and the drive to take the winery and its labels to the next level.
Five Vines Cellars hospitality manager, Kimberly Hundertmark. Credit Chris Stenberg.
TIME TO VISIT THE WINERY
Built within a historic and revitalized movie theatre in downtown Penticton, TIME Winery & Kitchen in Penticton, BC continues to welcome guests all throughout the fall and winter months to taste TIME Wines, Evolve Cellars, and the McWatters Collection. Under the TIME Winery & Kitchen banner, an elegant tasting bar and restaurant safely welcomes guests to taste and discover beautifully crafted wines for any occasion, as well as some of the best gourmet burgers in the Okanagan.
With a tasting room and kitchen open year-round, visitors can pop in for a wine tasting or bite to eat, even this coming winter after hitting the slopes. The winery also offers unique experiences, like learning how to sabre a bottle of sparkling wine, or sampling wine from the barrel. For all special experiences, visit timewinery.com to book.
The wine shop and tasting room are open daily, from 12 to 6 PM. The kitchen is open Wednesday through Sunday from 12 to 9 PM. With social distancing procedures still in place, reservations are recommended for all winery tastings and dine-in services. These can be made online at timewinery.com or by calling 236-422-2556.
Singletree Winery Naramata, located in Naramata, BC
As British Columbia enters phase three, locals are beginning to wonder what this summer will hold. The weather is slowly starting to get better, which means more opportunities to go outside and explore this great province. With no other way to vacation, it looks like we’ll be travelling within BC for the next few months.
The only problem is…how do we do so safely?
To make sure we’re travelling responsibly this summer, Destination BC has issued 10 things to remember before heading out on your next BC adventure.
Reposted from Destination BC, June 15, 2020
Take extra time to research and plan your trip in advance, and make sure you have a Plan B if your activity is at capacity. Many businesses and services in BC have adopted new protocols, and changes to their schedules or policies to ensure your safety. You’ll want to become familiar with them ahead of time. For example, you may have to book in advance for attractions or experiences where you didn’t before, and transportation schedules, like BC Ferries, may be operating at reduced capacity. Some businesses or outdoor spaces may remain closed. See the HelloBC.com accommodations listings, transportation listings, and experience provider listings to start your research, and contact the local Visitor Centre for more information.
While many communities in BC will be welcoming people back this summer, some, such as many of BC’s Indigenous communities, can’t welcome you just yet. Please be respectful of these communities and know that they’ll welcome you when they are ready. See Know Before You Go to learn more about what’s open, or contact the local Visitor Centre.
If you normally travel with extended family or with several friends, consider travelling in a smaller group this summer. Travelling with fewer people makes it easier for you to practise physical distancing in public, and may have less of an impact on the destination.
Consider a slower travel pace this summer to help curb the spread. Instead of checking in and out of multiple destinations during one trip, choose one destination and one accommodation for your entire trip, and use that as a ‘home-base’ for exploring all the destinations nearby.
If you’re heading to a more rural area of the province, stock up with the essentials before you leave home (i.e. groceries). This helps lessen your impact on BC communities who may be experiencing supply issues, and reduces your touchpoints within communities who may have limited health care facilities. Even better: create a Clean Trip Kit, including hand sanitizer, soap, gloves, masks, and toilet paper. While some businesses and destinations may supply these for visitors, it’s not a guarantee.
Practise physical distancing and frequent handwashing hygiene to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Follow the recommendations from the BC Centre for Disease Control to learn about preventative activities, and talk to the tourism businesses you are visiting about the steps they are taking to keep you and their staff safe. WorkSafeBC now requires all businesses to post their new COVID-related health and safety protocols at their workplace for staff and visitors to see.
When exploring BC’s outdoors, always leave it in a better state than when you arrived. Respect local wildlife. Minimize campfire impacts and check BC Wildfire Service for fire bans and fire safety tips. Pack out what you pack in, and dispose of waste properly. These are just some of key principles of Leave No Trace, a set of seven guidelines for enjoying the outdoors responsibly while minimizing your impact on the landscape. Visit Leave No Trace and BC Wildfire to learn more.
No matter what outdoor activity you are planning, you must be prepared. Remember to follow the three Ts—trip planning, training, and taking the essentials. AdventureSmart is a great resource to get informed before heading outdoors.
Remember, activities may take longer than usual, or places may be at capacity when you arrive. Be calm, patient, and kind, and remember, we’re all in this together.
BC’s tourism businesses are eager to welcome you back this summer and your support is more crucial than ever. Remember, with the border closed, our businesses are relying on British Columbians. For now, you have the province all to yourself! Make the most of it. See What’s Open in BC by Community to learn where you can support local businesses.
More Helpful Links:
• HelloBC Know Before You Go
Destination BC is on Twitter and Instagram. Find them at @HelloBC
After teasing followers on social media with the sneak peeks of the label under development, the wait is over.
Okanagan Crush Pad announces its 9th Wine Campus project, this time, a collaboration with Matthew Landry.
The team at Okanagan Crush Pad Winery is pleased to announce that Lesley Brown has joined its team as vice president sales and marketing, to lead the company’s Vancouver based HQ Wine & Spirits division.
In 2012, when Paul Brunner and his family took over the pioneering Blue Grouse Estate Winery on Vancouver island, they could not have predicted what they would undertake over the next seven years.
Investments include major upgrades to the winery and property, going organic, and now, this season, the evolution of Blue Grouse includes a label refresh
Get out your stretchy pants, Vancouver, because the 17th annual Dine Out Vancouver Festival kicks off today!
Over the next 17 days (until Feb 3) Vancouverites will be able to try dishes and drinks from the best chefs and producers in the region and we have a handful of BC winery clients whose amazing wines are featured in menus around town.
[Summerland, BC] On September 27, Christine Coletta, owner of Okanagan Crush Pad (OCP), has been presented the Founders Award at the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival. Coletta has been presented the award in recognition of her contributions to the BC wine industry.
When presented the award in front of industry peers by industry veteran Harry McWatters of ENCORE Vineyards, Coletta said "I was very touched to receive this award. It was emotional to see my name added to a trophy containing the names of people who have worked tirelessly to create a thriving BC wine industry over the past 30 years."
This award is a further recognition for Coletta's passion and leadership in propelling the industry forward and to rise on an international level. Coletta has worked tirelessly to advocate for and to improve the Canadian culinary scene.
Coletta started her career in hospitality as a server during her early years and it was in the 1990s that her leadership and dedication for the industry took off. As founding executive director for the BC Wine Institute, Coletta forged VQA as a standard to support the local wine industry and its various marketing activities. In addition, she co-founded Wines of Canada, the national wine standards arm. Under that umbrella, Coletta developed a roadshow that crossed Canada to encourage support for local food and wine.
After helping numerous BC wineries establish their businesses, Coletta launched her own wine, Haywire, and Canada's first purpose-built custom crush winemaking facility at OCP. Since 2011, Coletta has assisted more than 15 BC wineries in their winemaking via OCP.
Coletta has also been on the leading edge of Canada's organic farming and winemaking movement, establishing OCP as Canada's top producer of wines made from organic grapes and without additives or manipulation.
Earlier this year, when the government of Alberta held a boycott on BC wine, instead of responding with retaliation, Coletta led and set the tone for collaboration, by initiating a BC wine and Alberta food event.
And above this, Coletta doesn't keep her knowledge and ideas to herself. She shares her resources and continually offers advice and encouragement to not only her own team and people, but also her community and industry. Her most recent project is on the team that formed the Okanagan Wine Initiative, where seven leading BC wineries have united to share resources and to collaborate on various projects internationally, across Canada, and in their home market, British Columbia.
With another accolade added, Coletta will continue to innovate and propel the industry forward to become a premium wine producing region and a superb wine tourism destination.
About Okanagan Crush Pad:
Okanagan Crush Pad is Canada's first purpose-built custom crush winery facility, located on the 10-acre Switchback Vineyard in Summerland, BC. Owned by Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie, Okanagan Crush Pad focuses on making wines that celebrate purity and simplicity, and aim to lead the next evolution of Okanagan wine. Visitors to the tasting lounge, set in the heart of this state-of-the-art facility, get a rare glance into the art of winemaking. Watch the cellar team in action, discover why the team makes wine in concrete tanks, and learn how the team composes wines that are definitive expressions of their vineyards.
For more information visit: okanagancrushpad.com.
Celebrating a Meeting Place of Friends at Irish Times in Victoria, BC
Photo Credit: Mister Pixel Photography
Winery owners Judy and Skip Stothert love celebrating their family traditions. When they started Coolshanagh Winery in the Okanagan, they didn’t hesitate to name it “Coolshanagh”, a Celtic word that belonged to Judy’s side of the family.
“Coolshanagh” means a “meeting place of friends.”
For generations, Judy’s family started using the word “Coolshanagh” under letterheads and soon enough, her cousins named their houses as Coolshanagh. This soon became a family tradition and carried through to multiple generations in celebration of the friendship between family and friends.
Although not entirely certain, the Stotherts share that the word “Coolshanagh” originated from Judy’s grandfather in Ireland and then eventually landed in Canada with his immigration to Newfoundland and Victoria.
When the Stotherts heard that Victoria’s Irish Times Pub won Irish Times' The Irish Pub of the Year in North America (chosen from 16,000 Irish pubs worldwide), they were ecstatic! This achievement follows Irish Times’ wins from previous years: Top 10 Irish Pubs Outside of Ireland in 2015; Best Pub in the City (8 out of last 12 years).
The Stotherts are fortunate that their Coolshanagh Chardonnay is listed by the bottle at Irish Times Pub. However, that wasn’t the celebratory aspect. It was how impressive and honourable this accolade is and the perfect fit between Coolshanagh and Irish Times Pub. It’s almost serendipitous.
Tracing back to family traditions, Coolshanagh originated from Irish roots then eventually arrived in Victoria, like Irish Times. Irish pubs are known for their unique, cozy and friendly ambiance. This, like Coolshanagh, makes a perfect place for the gathering of friends.
Join us in celebrating this beautiful friendship between Coolshanagh and Irish Times by visiting the pub the next time you’re in Victoria!
How Impressive Was This Award for Irish Times Pub?
16,000 Irish pubs worldwide were screened for this award, including UK, Ireland, Europe, North America and more.
Congratulations to our friends!
- From Skip and Judy of Coolshanagh
