The world has been watching as the Okanagan is once again dealing with severe wildfires this summer. The current situation in the Okanagan is largely under control and travel restrictions have been eased after devastating fires ripped through the area this summer. The sense of relief is palpable from the community, but with that relief comes the stark realization that severe wildfire threats are no longer an unusual event, they are now an annual concern. Our latest article for the Daily Hive here explores the challenges as well as how people can help to support the BC wine industry.
In business, it’s generally understood that not adapting to changing circumstances will generally lead to a company’s demise. In the case of Okanagan Crush Pad, they face the opposite challenge in that their original model has been so successful, they’re now transitioning their business sooner than expected into a full-time winery. Haywire Winery personifies ‘the little winery that could’, transforming from a small virtual wine anchoring the OCP portfolio of wines, into the headline act.
Though still relatively young as a wine region, British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley has come into its own and firmly established itself on the world wine stage. We recently visited the region for the third time in two years and we continue to be surprised and delighted by both new finds and old favourites. On this trip, we explored Mission Hill Estate winery, Checkmate Artisanal winery, Martin’s Lane and CedarCreek Estate winery, along with the new District Wine Village – all of which provide fantastic wine tasting experiences. Here’s a taste of what we experienced:
Once you visit a couple of Anthony von Mandl’s half dozen wineries, your expectations rise quickly in anticipation of the next. His portfolio includes Flagship Mission Hill Family Estate, Checkmate Artisanal Winery (producer of Canada’s first 100-pt wine) and the ultra-premium Martin’s Lane. Right next door to the latter is CedarCreek Estate Winery, one of the Okanagan Valley’s ‘original 8’, and an excellent stop in its own right for any wine enthusiast.
The Bell Tower in the distance is unmistakable. As soon as you turn onto Boucherie Road in West Kelowna and drive alongside Okanagan Lake, you see it perched atop a ridge, beckoning you to come have a taste. Head straight for that wine beacon and you’ll arrive at Mission Hill Family Estate, one of the most renown wineries in BC’s Okanagan Valley, and a five-time Canadian winery of the year.
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