Wem enwitcie

Secrets of an amazing
Okanagan wine tour een

SLAM MIELG, 4S

> How to make the most of your vineyard journey through the

Okanagan Valley

Rebecca Peterson

 

best parts of winery touring is
trying samples of different wines

Stores across the province. To
make the most of your budget,

Staff Writer from all over the valley. Be safe, limit your purchases to wines you
nless youre hopping and don’t drive after trying that know you wont find back home.
l ona tour bus with a third sample of chardonnay. Many wineries will advertise

knowledgeable guide of the area,
planning a wine tour takes no
small amount of strategy. The
following tips should help you get
the most out of your money and
your time while exploring one of
the most beautiful regions of our
province this summer.

Plan your destinations in
advance

You can, of course, wander
aimlessly through the Okanagan
and wander into whichever
winery happens to catch your
eye—it’s a fun, relaxing way to
approach wine touring. If you're
in this to win, however, you'll
want to chart a course in advance.
Many tourist spots in the area
have wine touring maps that
show where all the wineries are
located. From there, pick the
wineries you really want to visit,
and plan accordingly. You’re less
likely to get lost this way, and as
long as you don’ try to cram in
too many winery visits in one
day, it should help alleviate some
stress from the trip.

Make sure you have a
designated driver

If you aren't on a tour bus,
bribe a friend or family member
to take the wheel. One of the

Reward your designated driver
handsomely for their sacrifice.

Set a budget, stick to the
budget

Wine is expensive. Good
wine is really expensive.
Especially after a few “tasters,”
you may be tempted to shell out
a little more than you can afford.
If you really can’t trust yourself,
withdraw the amount you plan to
spend in cash. Once youre out,
youre out. It may not be a bad
idea to hand your wallet off to
your designated driver, either.

Bring a camera

If you’ve never visited a
vineyard before, you might not
be prepared for how gorgeous
many of them are. Wineries like
Burrowing Owl, Moon Curser,
and Red Rooster sport some
amazing views over the valley
and the Naramata Bench region.
It’s a perfect place to take photos
of friends, family members, and
significant others, as well as a
perfect shot of yourself!

Only buy wines you can’t
find in-store

This requires a little bit of
pre-planning. Many of the wines
you'll sample on your tour are
actually available in BC Liquor

which wines are winery-exclusive,
so don’t be afraid to ask if you
aren't sure!

Don’t ignore the cheese

A lot of these wineries will
provide small samplings of fine
cheeses and crackers to pair with
the wines you'll be sampling.
Not only is snacking a good idea
when spending the day sampling
wines, but some of these wineries
also make their own cheeses. If
you're looking to stock up on
gourmet cheese that happens to
pair perfectly with the rosé you
just bought, try the wares at the
Upper Bench Estate Winery or
Poplar Grove.

Follow the Bead Trail

If you're looking fora
keepsake from your winery-
touring adventure, how about
a charm bracelet? Many of the
wineries in the Okanagan sell
charms unique to their wineries,
as well as a bracelet to string
them on. If you buy a bracelet at
your first winery, you can keep
collecting beads throughout the
day to show where you've been.
It’s a fun way to keep track of your
journey, as well as something to
carry home with you at the end of
the day that’s bound to last longer
than the wine and the cheese.

Perine

 

 

@ 76 likes

fji_mensah Sassy Thrassy! Memories from 2
years ago.

#douglascollege #theatre #acting

 

Image via www.distinctlykelownatours.ca