Not Just Another Winter Wine Tour!

How about a winter wine tour?  Just when you thought spring was on the way - it snows again!   But that never prevents us from taking guests out for a cozy afternoon of wine tasting and food sampling.  Just another day here at Distinctly Kelowna Tours  www.wildflowersandwine.com.

While most others have scattered off to the warmer climates, we continue to offer a selection of great winter wine tours.  Not only that, we have partnered with our friends at Okanagan ATV Tours www.okanaganatvtours.com and provide a uniquely blended tour (like some of the great blended wines we sample) mixing a few hours of guided ATVing with wine touring. How better to appreciate our wonderful winter land?

Like all our tours, we begin from our office here in downtown Kelowna.  We are located inside the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort, however if you are staying somewhere else, let us know and we will pick you up at any accommodation in the Kelowna area.

Once started, you’ll be guided by our personable and expert staff and start learning about everything wine related, and then some.  With their breadth of local knowledge, passion and keen desire to showcase our region, you’ll be surprised how enjoyable a tour can be this time of year.  

We offer three tours this winter:  Eastside Bench Winery Tour, Westside Bench Winery Tour with Lunch Stop, and our newest offering, our ATV and Winery Tour with Stop for Lunch.

The Eastside Bench Winery Tour is an exceptional afternoon wine tour in the Mission area of Kelowna including Tantalus Vineyards www.tantalus.ca.  These old vineyards were first planted to grapes in 1927 and produce some of the top wines in Canada.  After that it is off to Summerhill Pyramid Winery www.summerhill.bc.ca for a tour and tasting.  Explore their very unique pyramid, discover why they think it makes their wine taste better, and sample the World’s Best Sparkling wine (according to the judges at the International Wine and Spirits Competition  www.iwsc.net/product-trophies).  Complete the tour at St. Hubertus Estate Winery www.st-hubertus.bc.ca with tastings of more excellent Okanagan wines and some excellent German style varietals.

The Westside Bench Winery Tour with Lunch Stop takes you to West Kelowna near the volcanic slopes of Mt. Boucherie.  Active 50-60 million years ago, she’s left a fantastic legacy - exceptional grape growing soil!  Mission Hill Family Estate www.missionhillwinery.com has a European inspired bell tower, great views, and a cellar Dracula would love!  Just down the road, we’ll stop at Quails’ Gate Estate Winery www.quailsgate.com.  With a wine tasting at their bar overlooking the lake followed by exquisite lunch offerings at their Old Vines Restaurant you cannot help but be charmed by this quaint location.  Finally its off to Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery www.mtboucheriewinery.com located near the base of the old volcano.  Taste the best earth can give including one of my favourites - Gamay Noir!

The ATV and Wine Tour with Lunch Stop, well, hmm, could it get any better?  We’ll take you out to Peachland and have our experienced friends at Okanagan ATV Tours show you how to ride a 4 wheel quad.  Never tried it before?  No worries, they’ll supply you with the gear, training, and confidence to tackle the narrowest trail and highest peak.  Tailored for all skill levels, this is a must do tour.  Naturally we have added wine tastings and a stop for an amazing lunch onto this gem.

Distinctly Kelowna Tours Business Excellence Award Winners Operated by: Wildflower Trails and Wine Tours Ltd. Ph: (250) 979-1211 Toll Free: 1-866-979-1211 info@wildflowersandwine.com www.wildflowersandwine.com

Naramata Bench Winery Tour with stop for Lunch

Grapes, Fame, and more wine Tasting

The summer never seems to end here in the sunny Okanagan, and we’re proud of that fact. Things just keep getting better and better. The grapes are swelling – filling themselves up with lovely juice, flavour, and colour. Soon, we’ll be awaiting their conversion into yummy wine after the pickers set forth and fly at the vineyards by hand or with machine in the fall. Meantime, our guests just keep coming, and who can blame them? With our great wineries, excellent guides, and an overall experience second to none, we offer the best wine tasting experiences in the Okanagan Valley. And you know, it’s more than just a wine tour. Over the last few weeks, I’ve taken our guests on a number of great tours, passing through the towns of Summerland, Penticton, and my favourite – Naramata (my mom lives there, what can I say?). We’ve been so busy taking our guests all over the Okanagan, that I have neglected to update our blog. So here it is folks!

Sumac Ridge Estate Winery and Summerland

Honestly, just when I think my guests are in heaven sipping wines, laughing and smiling, along comes their chance for greatness (and their 15 minutes of fame). During a recent visit to Sumac Ridge Estate Winery in Summerland, we encountered a film crew from New Brunswick. After chatting with the director Denise, we learned they were filming a 15 part series about the Canadian wine industry. I guess our Canadian wines have become so good, a television show can be created around it. Makes us feel pretty proud and a tad bit selfish when inviting guests to join us on our wine tours. But we don’t mind. We share the enthusiasm, passion, and interest our partners do too. Anyhow, the director invited us to chat with Harry McWatters, the founder of Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, the first estate winery in British Columbia. So there we were, six excited guests and myself standing with Harry while he sampled a glass of his own Meritage, discussed the history of the industry, and answered numerous questions we posed. Check – 15 minutes of fame for all of us! Goes to show you never know what can happen during our wine tours! http://www.sumacridge.com/about/bios.asp

Even funnier, three days later I ran into the same film crew while I was escorting another gaggle of guests in the cellars underneath Mission Hill Estate Winery. Like old friends, Denise the director invited my guests to participate in some more filming upstairs in the tasting area. No interviews, as they were shooting "B-reel" footage for background shots, my guests were thrilled nonetheless to be a part of it. Look for the TV show on Channel 5 French TV (English version will be aired early next year).

Chance Winemaker Encounters: More than we bargained for...

But there is more to wine tasting that just fame… Ha. In fact, what could be better than three encounters with the actual winemakers themselves? Well, that is exactly what happened last week as I took a small group of guests touring the Naramata Bench, outside of Penticton. While visiting La Frenz Estate winery, I tracked down their winemaker Jeff Martin. Although busy with the daily operations of growing grapes, he gladly spent a few minutes chatting with my Ontario guests. Themselves wine industry professionals, their animated discussion revolved around the type, size, and spacing of grape trellises. Seems there are differences in opinion between not only Eastern and Western Canada about how to grow grapes, but here in the valley too. This diversity of opinion and technique only means that much more sampling for guests alike. Tough, but once you start you may never stop drinking wine…

After that we scooted over to Red Rooster Estate Winery, and saw a portable bottling operation based in the community of Naramata. Seems that some of the smaller wineries contract out this task, and the process and setup is quite unique to see. Winemaker Karen Gillis answered more questions and without further ado, we moved on. Later, as my guests were sampling wines at Zero Balance Estate Vineyards, a couple of guys in work clothes pulled up in a large truck to unload boxes of wine and additional supplies. As I was in the process of asking a question about their wines, I heard an accent tinted response from behind me. Who was it?  Master distiller and Holman Lang winemaker Laurent R. La Fuente. Tall, lanky and part French and Spanish, Laurent happily talked wine, spirits, and weather for a few moments. My guests were surprised and impressed to see the winemaker pitching in to help with the daily operations.

And so, you never know who you'll meet, or what can happen during a Distinctly Kelowna Tours wine tour. Never a dull moment, and as always, our guests walked away full of wine, food and great memories. Don’t delay – come today!

Remember, just around the corner is the Okanagan Summer Wine Festival in Silver Star Resort http://www.thewinefestivals.com/summerfestival.htm.

Hope to see you there!

J

Distinctly Kelowna Tours Business Excellence Award Winners Operated by: Wildflower Trails and Wine Tours Ltd. Ph: (250) 979-1211 Toll Free: 1-866-979-1211 info@wildflowersandwine.com www.wildflowersandwine.com

Hiking & Winery Tour with stop for Lunch (7-8 hours )

What a great day! An early Saturday morning pickup in Winfield for two guests. They were fresh off their early morning flight from Edmonton and these ladies were husband-free (the guys were out golfing!), a tad bleary eyed but feeling better after a stop for coffees and muffins.  From there we drove to our starting point at the lower lookout on Knox Mountain, detouring through the north end to show them some lovely restored houses and landscaping examples. Geared up and ready to go, we struck out like a herd of turtles. A moderate hike, the trail meanders gently upwards, offering us the chance to stop for great views of the Okanagan Lake, Kelowna and Okanagan Mountain Park. Continuing onwards, we levelled out near the top and followed a relatively flat trail for a ways. Soon we arrived at the top to slurp water from the fountain and take a washroom break. Before long we traversed in a gentle circle ending up at another lookout, offering an even higher perspective. Satisfied, we ambled back to the van, taking a slightly different route. Total time - 1.5 hours - not bad! Feeling refreshed, and running a bit early before collecting a few more guests, we found a hidden treasure at a nearby park. Intrigued, and with a little coaxing from me, they discovered their first geocache (geocaching.com)! After that, the day was wide open for wine tasting on the Westside Bench. After collecting eight more excited guests at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort we started the sampling at Quails' Gate Estate Winery. We stopped for a fantastic lunch in their Old Vines Restaurant and even found time to wander through the rows of tiny grapes for some fresh air and sun. Feeling emboldened with their newfound wine expertise, our little group of "sommeliers-in-training" loaded up the van and drove the few minutes up to Mission Hill Family Estate Winery. More wine sampling, a cool descent into their volcanic carved cellars, and several cases of Oculus later, we started off for the final destination - Little Straw Vineyards. The group was particularly impressed with the Viognier and Tapestry wine samples. As a few of my guests sat outside dreamily taking in the last part of the afternoon, I spotted a nearby cherry dangling enticingly from a low branch. I couldn't resist and it mysteriously found its way to my mouth. Hmmm, a bit sour 'cause cherries will need another week or two yet, I nevertheless enjoyed my simple harvest. Laughter, good memories, and boxes of wine later, I dropped off my happy troupe giving them just enough time to catch their breath before they headed off to an evening of hot summer winds, great dining and more good times here in beautiful Kelowna. 

Come visit us, we'd love to host you. Cheers - J



Distinctly Kelowna Tours Business Excellence Award Winners operated by: Wildflower Trails and Wine Tours Ltd. Ph: (250) 979-1211 Fax: (250) 979-1205 Toll Free: 1-866-979-1211 info@wildflowersandwine.com www.wildflowersandwine.com

Kelowna BC - Winery Touring in the Okanagan

Distinctly Kelowna Tours Business Excellence Award Winners
operated by: Wildflower Trails and Wine Tours Ltd.
Ph: (250) 979-1211 Fax: (250) 979-1205 Toll Free: 1-866-979-1211
 info@wildflowersandwine.com
http://www.wildflowersandwine.com/

Hiking Tours Kelowna

Hike along breathtaking trails in the Okanagan, dine at a winery restaurant and explore wineries and wines. Choose either an easy or moderate trail for your morning hike.

Bring your camera to capture wildflowers in bloom and views of this ancient landscape. Reward yourself with great food and wine as you relax over lunch.

Enjoy tastings of tantalizing red and white wines as you visit wineries in the afternoon.

Distinctly Kelowna Tours Business

Excellence Award Winners
operated by: Wildflower Trails and Wine Tours Ltd.
Ph: (250) 979-1211
Fax: (250) 979-1205
Toll Free: 1-866-979-1211
info@wildflowersandwine.com
http://www.wildflowersandwine.com/

South Okanagan Winery Tour with stop for Lunch

Experience the beauty of the natural desert environment of the South Okanagan, a premier wine growing region of Canada.

A spectacular scenic drive among ancient landscapes and endless vineyards leads you to the hot, dry microclimates and glacial carved terrain that produces the heat-loving grapes.

There are many wineries to choose from for tastings of wines that are internationally recognized for quality, flavour and balance.

Stop for a delicious lunch en route.

For more information contact:

Distinctly Kelowna Tours
Business Excellence Award Winners operated by:
Wildflower Trails and Wine Tours Ltd.
Ph: (250) 979-1211
Fax: (250) 979-1205
Toll Free: 1-866-979-1211
 info@wildflowersandwine.com
http://www.wildflowersandwine.com/

Naramata Bench Winery Tour with stop for Lunch

Join a tour to one of the most stunning wine regions in the world.

Travel along the shores of Okanagan Lake, on country roads and through vineyards and orchards to the timeless Naramata Bench.

Sample well awarded reds and whites at wineries such as Red Rooster, Hillside and 3 others.

There are 23 wineries to choose from, some on the edge of white silt cliffs and all with views of Okanagan Lake. The stop for lunch is at the Barrel Room Bistro at Hillside.

For more information please contact

Distinctly Kelowna Tours
Business Excellence Award Winners operated by:
Wildflower Trails and Wine Tours Ltd.
Ph: (250) 979-1211Fax: (250) 979-1205
Toll Free: 1-866-979-1211
info@wildflowersandwine.com
http://www.wildflowersandwine.com/