Kelowna Wine History
Kelowna features an array of intriguing wineries in three distinct areas—the west-facing lakeshore and slopes of Okanagan Lake; East Kelowna Bench, which straddles Mission Creek in the agricultural heartland of Kelowna; and downtown Kelowna where the focus is on making fine wine… Read More Read More
Wine Trails
Not so long ago, Kelowna sat on the periphery of hard core Okanagan wine touring. Sure there were notable wineries, but no critical mass. Times change. Check out the Kelowna Wine Trails today… Pretty much everybody in the Central Okanagan lives near a winery. My home turf is the Westside Wine Trail, one of five newly designated routes on the Kelowna Wine Trails, and home of some of the Valley’s oldest vineyards with vines dating to the 1960s on the flanks of Mount Boucherie.... Read More
Heidi Noble: JoieFarm
Stirring the pot comes naturally to Heidi Noble. A graduate of the Stratford Chef School, her career included stints at some of Canada’s top restaurants. Looking for a change, Heidi moved out of the kitchen in 2000 and enrolled in a sommelier program. After several visits to the Okanagan with her new beau, Michael Dinn (a sommelier who worked front of house in a number of Vancouver restaurants), she fell in love again with the “sheer beauty and bounty of the region.” In... Read More
Hester Creek Estate Winery’s Cooking Class Dinner Series
Romance may be re-kindled over a glass of wine. Add a renowned BC chef, an enticing menu and some of the province’s superlative vintages, and you’ve got a case for a full-blown love affair. The setting? Hester Creek Estate Winery’s vine-laden landscape — more specifically the winery’s state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen. Beginning in May, Hester Creek’s Cooking Class Dinner Series pairs 14 guests with one acclaimed chef, four tasty courses and an equal number of... Read More
2010 Best Restaurants Readers’ Choice
Our readers have voted. Download a PDF of the 16th annual Okanagan Life Best Restaurants Readers’ Choice Awards. Read More
2010 Best Restaurants Editors’ Choice
Editors Paul Byrne, Laurie Carter and Karen Slivar have come up with an eclectic menu of dining favourites from up and down the Okanagan Valley. Download a PDF of the full story. 2010 picks in regioinal order Central Okanagan El Dorado Lakeside Restaurant: 500 Cook Rd., Kelowna 250.763.7500 The Harvest Grill: 2725 KLO Rd., Kelowna 250.862.3177 A La Crepe: Kelowna Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market 250.469.1915 The Bike Shop Cafe: 101-1357 Ellis St., Kelowna 250.861.6858 Wasabi... Read More
2009 Hillside Estate Viognier
Cool climate Viognier from Hillside Estate Winery on the Naramata Bench displays captivating fragrances of orange blossom, peach and mineral, and an intriguing palate featuring juicy peach, anise and creamy oak refreshed by mouth-watering acidity. Delicious with seafood and curried pork or beef. –Michael Botner Read More
D’Angelo 2007 Tempranillo
Distinguished red grape of Rioha fame, this Tempranillo from D’Angelo Estate Winery on the Naramata Bench keeps the faith with developed aromas of tobacco, cocoa and prune, and a smooth, rich-textured palate evoking black fruit, coffee and dark chocolate backed by supple tannins. Partners roast lamb or pork. –Michael Botner Read More
Naramata Bench
Naramata Bench Wine Region Glacial remains and long hours of summer sunshine make this bucolic strip of land on the east side of Okanagan Lake wine heaven. The slice of land on the southeastern flank of Okanagan Lake known as the Naramata Bench boasts BC’s densest concentration of wineries. Twenty-five lie along what must be the Okanagan’s best travelled dead-end. Read More Read More
Wine Country Blends With the Times
Okanagan Valley Wine Tasting On a snowy winter morning, a small stream of luscious deep red wine flows into Jim Perwal’s glass as he stands at the bar. Peering out the expansive window overlooking Okanagan Lake, he and his wife Sylvie marvel at how the grey clouds have parted to reveal a shimmering oval sphere of light smack in the middle of the water. They won’t forget this day. It’s their 25th wedding anniversary and they’re celebrating with a trip through four Okanagan... Read More
