Oliver Winery – Food Persuasion

Burrowing Owl Winery and Sonora Room Restaurant

Published on September 27September 19 by Caroline L1 Comment

Burrowing Owl Winery & Estate is the first in my BC winery series.

Restaurant: The Sonora Room Restaurant
Wine tastings by donation to their owl conservatory
www.bovwine.ca
Region: Oliver in the South Okanagan
List of All Okanagan Wineries

This was my first winery on the trip up to Okanagan the famous Burrowing Owl. I checked out some of the reviews online and it was fairly positive. Have to admit I hadn’t had any of their wines for a while and was excited to get rekindle my affair with their Meritage.

The estate is sprawling reminiscent of a castle. It was long and windy drive up to the winery and the estate was perched up top. The views were gorgeous.

Entering the tasting room, it was packed, everyone was pushing their way to the bar. It felt more like a bar and I felt like I had to elbow my way through to the front.

We were famished and decided to have lunch at the Sonoma Room before we the wine tastings. I wished we done the reverse, I would have loved to have tried Burrowing Owl’s wines before our meal. The pairing recommendations on their menu, I felt could have been paired better.

I really wanted to this winery to be one of my greats, unfortunately it fell short, the wine and food. I bumped into other patrons after all was done and regrettably it was a consensus.

None the less the view is spectacular and that alone is worth the trip.

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
100 Burrowing Owl Pl
Oliver, BC V0H 1T0
(250) 498-0620

Cassini Cellars

Published on September 12September 4 by Caroline LLeave a comment

Tastings: $5 credit towards purchase

Restaurant: n/a

List of All Okanagan Wineries

Local award winning winery. Our faovurite was the Maximus from their collector series. It is a smaller winery, no picnic area and located on a busier road. Not so much in terms of views but, this bottle is worth it. You can also purchase this from your local VQA store, only 310 cases and this is their most popular wine.

“MAXIMUS is about complexity, balance, elegance, character. This classic Bordeaux/Meritage style wine has intense aromas of black currant, black pepper, strawberry jam, vanilla, cocoa and tobacco. This full bodied wine finishes with a nice oaky balance, with a long lingering silky finish with soft and subtle tannins.”

The tasting room itself was great, not busy at all which I liked, I didn’t have to fight my way to the tasting bar. This was right off the highway so no views or picnic area.

4828 HWY 97
Oliver, BC, V0H 1T0
Tel: 250-485-4370

Le Vieux Pin Winery

Published on September 11September 4 by Caroline L2 Comments

Winery Features

Small picnic area
Region: Oliver, South Okanagan
$5 tastings credited towards purchase
Le Vieux pin
Region: Oliver: South Okanagan
Restaurant: n/a

List of All Oliver Wineries

I love this little winery. Their drive for quality makes their wine really stand above all other wineries in the area. Jeff educated us on their winery and rigid standards for quality control. That is also one of the reasons why the volume is kept low.

They have a small picnic area as well, I prefer going to their sister Winery LaStella for a picnic instead, their views are stunning.

Sauvignon Blanc is quite unique in that they mix a little yeast, to take out that acidic bite usually found in Sauvignon Blancs, resulting in a rounder wine. Yep, I had to get a few.

The Equinox line is their premium line, averaging around 75 cases and starts at $70 a bottle.

The tasting room is small and lacks view but, the wine is worth a trip.

Le Vieux Pin Winery

5496 Black Sage Rd

Oliver, BC V0H 1T0

(250) 498-8388

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards

Published on September 10September 4 by Caroline L1 Comment

Winery Features

Restaurant: Miradoro Restaurant
www.tinhorn.com
Tastings free
Region: Oliver, South Okanagan
Unique features: free wine tastings, summer concert series, one of the most stunning views

Gorgeous! The views are spectacular. For a few years now Tinhorn Creek has been presenting a concert series during the summer and anytime a stadium is perched on top of a mountain, in a vineyard…Yes Please!

A very popular destination for weddings, the vineyard is ideal for it. This bench was just too romantic to pass up and I usually cringe at cute/romantic things but, maybe because I was on vacation or, I was mesmerized by the stunning views and I’ve been sipping on wine for nearly 4 hours but, I thought this winery would be a perfect setting for a wedding. (ahhheemm…don’t read too much into this)

Upon walking in, you are immediately welcomed with a glass of wine and instructed to explore their grounds. There are two bars where you can try out a few of their wines and a small shop in the middle. A great tidbit, if you don’t want to carry their wines back you can purchase them at your local VQA store.

Standing at the top of Tinhorn’s Creek grand stair case.

This is a small vineyard where guests are invited to tastes the grapes. Quite interesting, you can taste the difference between the grapes as you go through the different varieties

Their winery restaurant, Miradoro Restaurant is on the pricier side, their steak are a little more expensive than Gotham’s Steakhouse in Vancouver.

There is separate room where they showcase their barrels, it’s pretty neat, you learn a little bit more about the types of wood they use and the reason why.

I will definitely be back, the estate is just too breath-taking to miss.

Events at Tinhorn:

Okanagan Fall Wine Festival – Oct 3

Chef vs Chef Dinner – Oct 4

For more events at Tinhorn please visit Tinhorn in my events section

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards

537 Tinhorn Creek Road
Oliver, BC V0H 1T0
(250) 498-3743
tinhorn.com‎

Events at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards

Published on September 10September 4 by Caroline LLeave a comment

I recently just got back from Tinhorn Creek and here’s my take on it.

Oliver, BC (September 3, 2013) – Summer’s nearly over but harvest time is just around the corner and the change in season marks a happy time of celebrations, family-style dining and making the most of the South Okanagan’s natural bounty at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards.

Communal dinners, vineyard hikes and wine festival events will all be held amongst the spectacular backdrop of Tinhorn Creeks unique wine country terroir this fall. The annual Okanagan Fall Wine Festival kicks off on October 3rd 2013 and Tinhorn Creek Vineyards and Miradoro Restaurant will be taking part in this year’s festivities to help celebrate the local wine industry.

On October 4th 2013, Miradoro’s Executive Chef Jeff Van Geest will be taking on Chef Adam Pegg, from Vancouver’s award-winning La Quercia restaurant, in a light-hearted Chef vs Chef dinner. Each chef will cook alternate courses and all dishes will be paired with fine wines from Tinhorn Creek’s premier Oldfield Series. Winemaker Sandra Oldfield, assistant winemaker Korol Kuklo and viticulturist Andrew Moon will guide diners through the evening’s pairings.

Combining Pegg’s love of Italian food with Geest’s passion for local produce and Mediterranean flavours, the Chef vs Chef menu features the very best of fall food such as classic antipasti, heirloom tomatoes and burrata, whole fire-roasted suckling pig and olive oil hazelnut cake with pine mushroom gelato. The meal takes place between 6-10pm and tickets cost $125pp; call 250-498-3742 to reserve a place.

Dig deeper into the world of winemaking this harvest season with a vineyard hike and lunch on October 7th, 8th and 9th 2013, as part of the Fall Wine Festival. Proprietor Kenn Oldfield will be leading a behind-the-vines tour of Tinhorn Creek’s Golden Mile vineyard, giving a unique glimpse into vineyard practices, grape varietals and terroir during a fun and educational hike through the vineyard. After the hike the 20 guests enjoy a well-earned lunch and leave full of newfound knowledge and good food. Tickets cost $35pp and are available from www.tinhorn.com.

Thanksgiving, on October 14th, is a great time to get together with family and friends but the celebrations don’t have to stop once the holiday is over. Every Tuesday, from October 15th until December 17th 2013, Miradoro Restaurant will be hosting communal table dinners that offer family-style food. Chef Jeff Van Geest and his team showcase the best local seasonal produce during a multi-course dinner, all enjoyed in the company of old and new friends. Each week’s communal table dinner is a different theme, highlighting a region, style of cuisine or showcasing a delicious local seasonal ingredient. Tuesday night communal table dinners take place between 6.30-9.30pm and cost $30pp; call 250-498-3742 to book your place at the table.

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About Tinhorn Creek Vineyards

Established in 1993, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards is located just south of Oliver B.C., in the famed Golden Mile wine-growing district. As the number one winery destination evoking classic south Okanagan terroir, Tinhorn Creek proudly offers 100% estate grown wines, growing grapes on both the Black Sage and Golden Mile benches. As the first winery in Canada to support carbon neutral measures, Tinhorn Creek continues their commitment to land stewardship, conservation and environmentally sustainable practices. Family owned and operated, Tinhorn Creek offers an unrivalled visitor experience including a self-guided tour, along with wines that rank among the best in the world, and since April 2011, the exceptional Miradoro Restaurant. For more information about Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, call 1.888.484.6467 or visit the website at www.tinhorn.com.

CC: press release