Call it nirvana when your Okanagan Valley wine travels includes the District Wine Village, Oliver. Oliver, at the south end of the Okanagan Valley, calls itself Wine Capital of Canada. Besides the many fabulous wineries located in/around Oliver it also home to a District Wine Village. Oliver's District Wine Village, at 100 Enterprise Way, is home to tasting rooms for 12 wineries, one brewery, one distillery and a restaurant. The village's goal is to create a local community to celebrate artisan production and craftmanship. The District Wine Village in Oliver is a great way to visit many wineries in one location.
District Wine Village, Oliver © Spaswinefood
Welcome to District Wine Village, Oliver © Spaswinefood
John and I were so delighted to met up with our Okanagan friend, Deborah on that hot summer day. Let me share three of our tasting rooms stops at the District Wine Village:
1. Gneiss Wines
Gneiss Wines, located at #106, describe the naming of their wines in this way:
Gneiss (nice) - named for the stunning South Okanagan metamorphic rock formations with distinct banding due to differing minerals in various layers such as granite, quartz & feldspar. Our wines styles capture the best of the terroir and the essence of each unique wine varietal for your enjoyment. Gneiss Wines is located in the world class District Wine Village at the foot of a massive gneiss rock face. This rock formation spills into our vineyard creating ideal soil characteristics and heat retention after sunset. Entering into our 3rd generation of winemaking, our small lot hand crafted wines are carefully tended throughout the process to capture the essence of our desert terroir.
Welcome to Gneiss Wines © Spaswinefood
After we visited their tasting room I learnt their vineyard, with over a kilometer of frontage on the KVR trail, is within Naramata bench sub-appellation. It is a vineyard that rolls gently beneath sun soaked gneiss rock formations. Its soil has some loose gneiss rock fragments, organic topsoils that are underlain by silty, sandy glacial sediments. The vineyard's long growing season is due in part to its west and south inclination, and the moderating heat from Okanagan Lake.
During our tasting room visit we sampled some of their whites (Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier), Rosé (Pinot Noir), reds (Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon), and white and red blends.
Gneiss Wines © Spaswienfood
Tasting Gneiss Wines © Spaswienfood
I particularly like The Chief.Gneiss Wines, The Chief, 2021
Gneiss Wines, The Chief, 2021 © Spaswinefood
After tasting their wines we bought some of "The Chief" wines. They describe "The Chief" 2021 as:
2. Winemaker's Cut
The Winemaker's Cut located at #107, like the two other tasting rooms we visited, has a unique story to share. I will begin with the Winemaker's Statement:
Originally from Slovakia, my wife and I, we packed our passion for wine and with our knowledge and experience and we readied ourselves for new opportunities and new experiences.
After years behind the scenes as the winemaker for a number of labels we made the commitment, my wife and I, to create our dream: the Winemaker`s CUT, producing wines that were true to us, true to what we love and producing wines that honoured our beliefs in playing classical music in our vineyard and cellar, naturally farmed vineyards and our expectations of quality through traditional harvesting and winemaking methods.
Winemaker’s CUT meant a host of things to us subjectively. It spoke to finally stepping from behind the scenes and making our dream a reality. It was a piece of us, and our opportunity to capture and share a moment exactly as we saw it. It was the opportunity to make the calls for ourselves, like a director’s cut, to share our unique point of view - our styling and blending of an Okanagan wine.
Michal
Winemaker's Cut, Fidelia Sparkling Brut
Winemaker's Cut, Fidelia Sparkling Brut © Spaswinefood
Winemaker's Cut, Fidelia Sparkling Brut, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC © Spaswinefood
Their Fidelia Sparkling Brut wine is produce by the Charmat Method.
Winemaker's Cut, Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Winemaker's Cut, Sauvignon Blanc 2022 © Spaswinefood
Winemaker's Cut, Rosé, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2023
Winemaker's Cut, Rosé, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2023 © Spaswinefood
Winemaker's Cut, Bohemian Merlot Franc, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2021
Winemaker's Cut, Bohemian Merlot Franc, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2021 © Spaswinefood
Winemaker's Cut, Bohemian Syrah, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2020
Winemaker's Cut, Bohemian Syrah, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2020 © Spaswinefood
Winemaker's Cut, Bohemian Cuvé Rouge, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2020
Winemaker's Cut, Bohemian Cuvé Rouge, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2020 © Spaswinefood
This tasting was a fabulous introduction to the Winemaker's Cut wines.
Wine Tasting Winemaker's Cut Wines © Spaswinefood
Next, we would be introduced to another wine series that they produce.
Q&A Wines
Q&A Wines © Spaswinefood
Before I share Q&A wines let me share the story behind Q&A Wines. It goes like this:
Ten years ago a couple from Slovakia, both winemakers, decided to move to Canada because of our show Hollywood and Vines. They opened a winery in the Okanagan and our paths were crossed forever. It was destiny.
Two years ago, we decided to put this beautiful story in a bottle. We started by questioning everything – the smallest decision, the most trivial detail – to try to create a wine that has every answer. Now you can hear what it has to say.
It’s a wine that has a lot to say. But it does so elegantly, almost quietly. It doesn’t demand your attention. It earns it.
Now, we can’t wait to share it with you.
Sincerely,
Jason Priestley, Actor/Director
Terry David Mulligan, Broadcaster
Michal Mosny, Winemaker
With a backdrop story like that we explored the wines and were not disappointed.
Q&A Wines © Spaswinefood
We were particularly intrigued by their Q&A wines.
Q&A Wines © Spaswinefood
Q&A Wines, Q&A 2020
Q&A Wines, Q&A 2020 © Spaswinefood
The first Q&A wine was a Bordeaux style blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot). Whereas the second wine was, a blend of Rhône grape varieties (Rousanne, Marsanne, and Viognier). Southern Rhône style White Blend is a term often used to describe the various combinations of white wine grapes used in the southern Rhône Valley.
Q&A Wines, RMV 2021
Q&A Wines, RMV 2021 © Spaswinefood
It was great intro to the Winemaker's Cut and Q&A wines. For sure we bought some to appreciate later.
Q&A Wines on Our Table © Spaswinefood
3. Silhouette Cellars
Silhouette Cellars tasting room, located at #110, sells wine from two Naramata Bench family-owned wineries. Their own sparkling wine house is Silhouette Estate Winery, and their still house is Therapy Vineyards.
Welcome to Silhouette Cellars © Spaswinefood
I so loved being introduced to their sparkling wines.
Tasting Silhouette Estate Sparkling Wine © Spaswinefood
Their BOYD sparkling wine is made in the traditional method from 100% estate-grown grapes. They won both the BC Lieutenant Governor and WineAlign gold for their very first release. This is the vision they bring to making sparkling wine:
Sparkling wine was our passion before joining the Naramata wine world as a business. Now it’s more than a passion, it’s a way of life and a legacy for our family. That’s why though our winery and vineyard are named Silhouette, our Method Traditional Sparkling Wines are named after our family, BOYD. Combine people, place, soil, hard work, climate, and we even say, hopes & dreams, and you have a very special place, terroir. No terroir is exactly like another and therefore provides grapes like none other. The importance of terroir dictated the design of our BOYD labels. The shoreline of our property along Lake Okanagan can be seen along the top of the label. Our name rests on our land. The tartan is our Scottish family tartan, also rests on our land, and is embossed into the label paper. Our family motto CONFIDO means TRUST. Confido Naramata Bench. We trust in what the land provides on the very special Naramata Bench. To create amazing wine. To build community. To raise a family legacy.
Silhouette Estate Winery, Classic Cuvée, Naramata Bench, BC
Silhouette Estate Winery, Classic Cuvée, Naramata Bench, BC © Spaswinefood
Silhouette Estate Winery, Boyd Blanc De Blanc, Naramata Bench, BC 2018
Silhouette Estate Winery, Boyd Blanc De Blanc, Naramata Bench, BC 2018 © Spaswinefood
Yes, a few of these sparkling wines came back with me.
Silhouette Cellars, Boyd Blanc de Blanc 2018 © Spaswinefood
Therapy Vineyards has been another of their big projects for over five years. You can also taste these award winning wines at their District Wine Village location. The Therapy Vineyards still wines we tasted included:
The Ridge Riesling, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC
The Ridge Riesling, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC © Spaswinefood
Portrait Pinot Noir, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2020
Portrait Pinot Noir, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2020 © Spaswinefood
Portrait Pinot Noir, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2020 © Spaswinefood
AON 2019
AON, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2019 © Spaswinefood
Therapy Vineyard, a small family owned and operated winery includes dream-team winemakers, and a crew of hospitality and vineyard staff whose goal is to create a great adventure with them. They also have an inn where visitors can stay, for those looking for a luxury getaway in Naramata Wine Country.
Besides being introduced to the wines, we loved discovering the beautiful art on display at the tasting room.
Wine Tasting, Silhouette Cellars © Spaswinefood
Wine Conversations, Silhouette Cellars © Spaswinefood
The art displays here was so inviting.
Captivating Art, Silhouette Cellars © Spaswinefood
I could not help but notice not only the art on the walls but also, a chandelier.
Chandelier, Silhouette Cellars © Spaswinefood
Let There Be Okanagan Valley Vinous Magic
Given the District Wine Village tasting rooms we visited referenced Naramata Bench, I found this article to be insightful.
The multiplicity of orientations and soil conditions in Naramata Bench encourages the production of small-lot wines from selected sites—a tendency that has led to the successful cultivation of such a wide range of grape varieties. Counterintuitively, this could become a distinguishing feature of the region, with the variety of wines reflecting the great variety of growing conditions.
Hence be prepared to find a rich diversity of wine possibilities not only here but in general throughout the Okanagan Valley. This past two summers (2023, 2024) was so much fun exploring the Okanagan Valley wine scene. These visits to the Okanagan have given me the opportunity to visit some of British Columbia's best wineries. The Okanagan Valley vineyards: (1) lie within the same latitude, as some of the greatest European vineyards, and (2) has attracted winemakers from great wine regions of the world. The result is these winemakers have put their talents and passion into making today's Okanagan wines. The Okanagan Valley has eleven official sub-regions, with each defined by its distinct soil and climate conditions. They include: Golden Mile Bench, Golden Mile Slopes, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Falls Skaha Bench, East Kelowna Slopes, Lake Country, South Kelowna Slopes, Summerland Bench, Summerland Lakefront and Summerland Valleys. Once you have discovered this wine region it will keep calling you back.
If you are interested in “a wine and food adventure” then put the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia on your list. We were not disappointed in the culinary offerings because there are so many award winning Okanagan Valley winery restaurants. Here is some useful travel information to help you plan your wine country getaway to Okanagan wineries. Kelowna, the largest city in the Okanagan Valley is within driving distance from Vancouver (237 miles). Kelowna’s international airport has direct flights from Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Seattle.
District Wine Village Wines © Spaswinefood
Do not miss discovering the magic of Oliver's District Wine Village. Special thanks to our Okanagan friend, Deborah, my #sisterinwine! The majority of District Wine Village tasting rooms are from smaller wineries but Nk’mip also has a tasting room there. Without a doubt, the vinous magic of the Okanagan Valley was an highlight of my wine travels. I invite you to join me in my wine travels in Okanagan Valley and elsewhere at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon, and at Spaswinefood on Twitter and Facebook. I am so looking forward to sharing more on my vine-filled explorations in the Okanagan Valley.
CHEERS!
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