The beauty of a self-guided tour is that you are the master of
your own destiny!
The following tours have been developed by accomplished Sommelier
Mireille Sauvé and are available in full detail to all guests
of the Okanagan Wine Country Villa. Modify them to suit your needs,
whether for timing, dining preferences or tastes in wine, we are
confident that there is something for everyone in these wine-lovers’
journeys…
Sideways Tour
If you love a good Pinot the way Miles did in the movie ‘Sideways’
then this is the tour for you. Sip your way through the valley’s
best Pinot Noirs on this full-day itinerary, from as far north as
Kelowna to the South Okanagan and Similkameen, complete with lunch
recommendations.
Wineries Visited: Cedar Creek, Summerhill, Quails’ Gate, Mission
Hill, Greata Ranch, Thornhaven, Dirty Laundry, Stag’s Hollow,
Wild Goose, Golden Mile, Blue Mountain, Orofino, Inniskillin Okanagan
Time Required for this Tour: 10 hours (round-trip from villa)
Similkameen Tour
A little-known but highly regarded wine region, the picturesque
Similkameen Valley is home to some of the best vineyards in British
Columbia. On this half-day itinerary you can visit all four wineries
(plus one fruit winery) in the area and decide for yourself which
wines grow best down south (trust us – it’s not an easy
choice!).
Wineries Visited: Orofino, Herder, Crowsnest, Laszlo, Forbidden
Fruit
Time Required for this Tour: 5 hours (round-trip from villa)
Backyard Tour - North
Don’t have much time but want to soak in some of the local
wineries? Then this is the tour for you. Driving 15 minutes north
offers tastes of some of the best wines B.C. makes. Taste the wines
and bring home some souvenirs of your stay in the heart of Okanagan
wine country.
Wineries Visited: Wild Goose, Twisted Vine, Stag’s Hollow,
Hawthorne Mountain, Noble Ridge
Time Required for this Tour: 4 hours (round-trip from villa)
Backyard Tour - South
Don’t have much time but want to soak in some of the local
wineries? Then this is the tour for you. Driving 20 minutes south
offers tastes of some of the best wines B.C. makes.
Wineries Visited: Jackson-Triggs, Fairview, Tinhorn Creek, Gehringer
Brothers, Hester Creek
Time Required for this Tour: 4 hours (round-trip from villa)
Big Guns Tour
These are the biggest wineries in the Okanagan Valley – the
ones that really put on a show! Complete with lunch and dinner recommendations,
this tour takes you from north to south, visiting the ‘splashiest’
wineries in B.C.. If you’re looking for good wines and great
gift shops then get ready to be impressed.
Wineries Visited: Gray Monk, Calona, Summerhill, Cedar Creek, Mission
Hill, Quails’ Gate, Red Rooster, Hawthorne Mountain, Tinhorn
Creek, Burrowing Owl
Time Required for this Tour: 13 hours (round-trip from villa)
Golden Mile Tour
A must-see when visiting the Okanagan Wine Country Villa are the
esteemed wineries of the Golden Mile. A mere 20-minute drive from
the villa gets you started on a tour through some of B.C.’s
most sought-after wines. Complete with lunch and dinner recommendations,
this is one tour that you will want to bring your camera for. (*Note:
This tour can easily be split into two parts for a more leisurely
two days of touring.)
Wineries Visited: Tinhorn Creek, Gehringer Brothers, Hester Creek,
Inniskillin Okanagan, Antelope Ridge, Golden Mile Cellars, Burrowing
Owl, Desert Hills, Black Hills, Silver Sage, Carriage House
Time Required for this Tour: 11 hours (round-trip from villa) *or
two days of 5.5 hrs ea.
Naramata Bench Tour
Often referred to as ‘Canada’s Napa’ is the wine
growing pocket just north of Penticton called ‘Naramata Bench’.
Successful in its winemaking, from Pinot Gris to Syrah with everything
in between, no winemaking area in B.C. has received more international
press than this thriving area. Stop in at each winery, neatly lined
up alongside Lake Okanagan, and stop for lunch along the way.
Wineries Visited: Township 7, La Frenz, Red Rooster, Poplar Grove,
Lake Breeze, Hillside, Van Westen, Laughing Stock, Lang, Elephant
Island, Therapy, Kettle Valley, Nichol
Time Required for this Tour: 10 hours (round-trip from villa)
Personal Favourites Tour
Every wine has its beauty, as does every winery, but over the years
I have become particularly fond of certain visits in the villa’s
neighbourhood, for the people, the views, the wines or for other
reasons that make them exciting and unique. This tour takes you
through my personal favourite spots to visit in the Okanagan, including
a great lunch spot, complete with tips of what to watch for (or
who to talk to…)
Wineries Visited: Herder, Forbidden Fruit, Orofino, Golden Mile,
Burrowing Owl, Noble Ridge, Stag’s Hollow
Time Required for this Tour: 7 hours (round-trip from villa) |
