Ep 153: Okanagan Valley, BC Canada
After a great trip, compliments of Wines of British Columbia (http://www.winebc.com), I give my impression on what the Okanagan Valley is & what it has to offer. You may not like all I say, but it's an honest look at the good and bad of the region!
- First, we provide a thanks to the great people who were part of the trip: Laura Kittmer of Wines of BC, Lori Pike-Raffan and Blair Baldwin of the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society, Kyle Taylor from Sun Peaks, Arnette Stricker of @RTWGirl and Stefanie Michaels, @AdventureGirl
- We review the brief history of Okanagan wine, which began in earnest in 1990.
- We talk about the grapes available here from Merlot (most widely planted grape), and Pinot Noir to Pinot Gris (second most widely planted grape), Chardonnay, and Riesling
- Climate and geography are next -- we talk about the desert conditions of South Okanagan and why dry conditions, lakes, and latitude make such a difference to the wines here
- We get into the nuts and bolts -- the sub regions and what each grows and specializes in, discussing the importance of exposure and location and what that means for wine styles.
- Osoyoos/Black Sage and Oliver are the regions I mention as being high potential, along with the Similkameen Valley, west of Osoyoos and similar to the area.
After a bunch of facts, I give my opinion on what the region is and where it may be going (which some of you may not like, but those are the breaks!)
Thanks again to all who made the trip possible. I'll be coming again to see the south part of the region, but I appreciate the overview and the amazing hospitality, kindness, and meticulous planning but the Wines of British Columbia and the folks at the Okanagan Winter Wine Festival. Go to http://www.winebc.com for more information!