Pkanagan Grape

@ Okanagan Wine Festival -— Ocr. 9 shranil Qet. 18,
20 events at wineries Urenghaut the Okanagit.

MCST years, visitors to Okanagan wine country

at the end of September would be welcome.
Sermally it’s just before harvest,

when winemakers watch, wait aed plan

as their grapes sweeten in the cay

autuni sunshine.
Phis vear was difterent.

Crush wis iat full swing under the
melting late Septentber sun for most
Vineyards in the region and the sweet,
dusky grapes normally found in tight
slusters on the vines were already
picked. It was a busy time to be enter: z

taining.

Deana LANCASTER

Ts thanks to the mild winter, early

spring and jong, hot summer that the

NEWS REPORTER

harvest was so early this year and locals
say it’s the best crop of grapes in 30 vears — burt that’s just the

half of it.

B.C. wines are making their mark in the world, and even
just a few days exploring the wiacries in the valley is enough to

figure out why.

Unabashed enthusiasm an:i a willingness to pour heart,
soul and lots and lots of dollars into the industry are clear
indications of where our wines are going.

Straight up.

WINE y

The Okanagan Wine
Festival Events Guide will
be available at all! Okangan:
wineries, but you can pick
up an advance copy from
your LDB store or Tourism
B.C. Info Centres. Another
option is to contact the
Okanagan Wine Festival
Society by phone ar 250-
861-6654 or surf into their
website at www.owfs.com.

A clear example is the new
Burrowing Owl Vineyards,
where the winery is set into
the hillside. It’s a breathtak-
ing site — the deck outside
the future tasting room is the
perfect spot to watch the sky
streak purple and orange as
the sun seis over acres of
South Okanagan grapes.
Not to mention the wines —
the 1997 VQA Pinoz Gris
and Chardonnay have both
been declared winners by
wine writers lucky enough to
get their tastebuds to a bot-
de.

Also big news in the south:

the brand new Vincor vineyard, where 130 acres of grapes
were planted this year, with a further 370 acres slated for

planting in the spring of 1999.

The vineyard rests on benchland Vincor is leasing from the
Osooyos Indian Band, a partnership which should result in
employment for the band and plenty of pretaium grapes for
Inniskillin Okanagan, Jackson-Triggs, Sawmill Creek and

Okanagan Vincyards wines.

Brand new is not the only news, though.

Growing recognition for the area’s wines also comes
because of the winemakers, who, though they have different
styles and face different challenges, consistently produce good,

great and award-winning wines.

Like those in the “Golden Mile” south of Oliver.

Within walking distance of each other there is Tinhorn
Creek Vineyards and Sandra Oldfield, who says she prefers to
“put the bung in the barrel and try not to peck.” There’s the

meticulous winemaking of

Da Vinci tour
scheduled
for November

WEST Vancouver's Travel
Experts is planning an
overnight excursion to view
Victeria’s Leonardo da Vinci
exhibit at the Royal British
Columbia Muscum on Nov.
3 and 4.

As well as viewing the art-
work tour members will a!so
take a sightsecing tour of
Victoria. Round trip wans-
portation will be provided by
Maverick Coach Lines with
passengers staying at the
Clarion Grand Pacific Hotel.

For more information and
costs call Jessica or Juliet at
Travel Experts 926-8511.

‘Turkey
Dinner’
Monday
October»
12

92678922
-13th Street, West Vancouver

Sunday, October 11
5O 5-/
3 course set dinner

Sorry, no promononst coupons accepted - Lirred seanng

Sess

Photo Tim Pawsey

WALTER Gehringer produces wine in the “Golden
Mile” south of Oliver, B.C.

Walter and Gordon Gehringer at Gehringer Brothers, and next
to them, Hester Creek Estate winery, where winemaker Frank
Supernak is battling heavy }5-year-old vines, and still produc-
ing noteworthy wines.

The news is no different in the north,

Mission Hill Winery, one of B.C.’s best-known, is still
growing. A massive underground barrel cellar has been blasred
through rock in the side of the mountain. When it reaches full
capacity, it will hold 5,000 to 7,000 barrels.

Quail’s Gate Estate Winery has also played host to con-
struction this year — an 18,475 square foot production facilizy
opened in August, so winelovers will be happy to note produc-
tion of Quail’s Gate limited release and family reserve wines
will increase.

With all this growth, it won’t be shocking if winery owners
and winemakers hoist a glass to themselves at this year’s
Okanagan Wine Festival.

Kicking off today, the festival promises to be a nine-day cel-
ebration of a booming industry. Until Oct. 28, there will be
more than 120 festival events, including picnics, barbecues,
winemaker’s lunches, dinners and more.

Now, it would detinitely seem, is just the right time to visit.

Wineries on a mission

Joha Moore
Contributing Writer

IF you're heading to the 18th Annual Okanagan Fall Wine
Festival, a visit to Mission Hill, who stunned the wine world
by winning a succession of international awards in recent

See Keremeos page 28

MoTHER INDIA
Take our Foous &
Horm: Beuvery

When you buy any
entree from the menu

, : xn? IP
‘ Bay alec? Dag som
in. LAMB, SEEF or $622
6 tues CHICKEN CURRY 169-58.

5-10 pm 7 days/week
900 W. 16th, North Van.
Phi: 985-8860 Fax: 986-5546

person

Open 5-1 Ope Tues.-Sunday closed Mondays
07 Queensbury Ave.
For teservations and inquiries call 988-1 3314

OPEN DAILY 7 am - 10 pm
*BREAKFAST * LUNCH © DINNER ¢
OPEN FOR BRUNCI# SATURDAY THRU MONDAY

WEEKEND BRUNCH STARTS 8 AM

marina griil

LOCATED AT LYNNWOOD MARINA
1653 Columbia St., North Vancouver

Park Royal South
988-0038

Rene’s hesiaurant

(across from Kaymonds)

OT aN

Friday, October S. 1998 - North Shore News — 25
Caw CT OODTIBIOATE 2
10 Gif? CERTIFICATE |
Ee see i
gn * wg, Present this certificate and receive
$10°off your dinner entrée.
Entrees from $11.95
{ certificate per couple
Valid for dinrer only

250 EF. ist St. N.Van ¥

Roenysions vornmenioad

Restaurant |

For reservations call
92:1-8161
5 km north of Horseshoe Bay, Sunset Marina

Is English, leish, Scottish & Walsh, and il's delicious!
Mia Stainsby - The Vancouver Sun

The Marmalade Cafe is o keeper — spread if around.
Tam Reashaw —Nocth Shore News

Sunday & Monday — October ttth & 12th
Thanksgiving
Celebrations.

Sunday only — from 6:30 -9:00 pm.

Dine te the cool jazz sound of

RED'S QUARTET
Turkey Dinner $42 9°

potatoes, veggies & cranberry sauce

Or enjoy our famous roast beef

dinner with Yorkshire pudding $12
“989 Mating Drive kaiMreK:

Thursday Night
Roast Beef or
Turkey Special

5-9 pm only Sap 3°

Coffer valiel antil Dec. 1/98)

Breakfast Special
Two eggs, hashbrowns,

2 stices of toast & choice of
ham, sausage or bacon

only S$ 2?

Hours of
Operation:
Mon-Wed 86 pm
Thurs-Fri 39 pm
Saturday § 28-5:30 pm
. Sunday 10-6 pm

(before li am)

926-1018