Sunday, June 23, 2013

Okanagan Wine Region

In the 2012 season I was employed at Mission Hill Family Estate in Kelowna, BC. I started as a server at the Terrace Restaurant for the first 2 months then was promoted to Campus Sommelier for the rest of the season. I conducted private tours, media tastings and tastings of their premium Legacy wines: Oculus, Quatrain, Compendium, Perpetua, Martin's Lane. An unbelievable experience that helped build my wine knowledge for my upcoming ISG Diploma course. 
After moving to Vancouver for 7 months I have missed the winery, the familiarity of the wines and my wine friends. Time to go visit! My boyfriend Chris and I moved out of our Vancouver rental, overloading my SUV with all of our belongings. We took a beautiful drive on highway 3 to Osoyoos and visited wineries heading north to Kelowna.

Chris and I stopping at Lake Osoyoos for picnic dinenr

View from NK' Mip Winery

NK' Mip Winery. The most southern located winery in BC - stunning Rose and Cabernet Sauvignon!
La Stella - premium Italian style wines, lovely Rose and Merlot's

Orofino from the Similkameen Valley. Tiny little sub region in BC. Bone dry Riesling and gorgeous Muscato Frizzante.

Winery signage approaching Oliver.....how to choose? Note sagebrush and desert terrain in this dry wine region.


Gorgeous Lavender outside Stoneboat winery. Chris' favorite Pinot Noir is from here.
Visit back to Mission Hill Family Estates on Lake Okanagan

Keystone and Bell Tower - a magical place to spend the season of 2012

Keystone with Mission Hill Pelicans

2nd dinner course at Mission Hill Terrace Restaurant: Panko Crusted Side Striped Prawns with Pork Hock Terrine, Radish and Borage Flowers

Flight of Oculus in the Oculus Salon....I am now the owner of the '04 - '09 vintages if anyone is interested in tasting the flight????

From Left to Right: Dos Equis (Troy from the Mission Hill shop that knew everything about anything), myself, Andy from my Level 2 ISG class and Astral Media, and my man. Chris.

"Andy's Angels" - part of our tasting group from Level 2. Myself, Andy and Kara (sommelier at Mission Hill)

Our gracious host's in Kelowna, Shannon and Matt from Experience Wine Tours. Matt and I were classmates in ISG Diploma Vancouver. After you go through a course like that you are bonded for life!

Okanagan Cherry Season!!!!


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