We drove to Osoyoos today with the intent of checking out some of the vineyards along the way back.
Wines are produced all along the Okanagan Valley from the US border all the way north to Salmon Arm but the area between Osoyoos and Oliver, called the Golden Mile, has the greatest number of wineries in the whole area.
We enjoyed visits to six of them today and came away with eight bottles of wine and some wine jelly.
The wine tastings at all the wineries were lovely but most memorable would have to be Rustico Winery. http://rusticowinery.com This one is owned by an older fellow from the Vancouver area who bought the place in about 2007 because of the history of the vineyard. The owner, who looks like a retired posse leader from Bonanza, lives in the original log house with a sod roof.
His tasting room is a replica of the Wild West with appropriately named wines like Silver Garter and Farmer’s Daughter, Bonanza and Mother Lode. He’s a colourful character with a quick wit and a few good stories. The wine was not necessarily the “Best in the West” but the showmanship of the tasting sure was!
Did you “check the oil” after all the tastings, Mom?
Your Dad is laughing hysterically at this moment!