British Columbia Canada Blog

 This Thursday, on April 29th 2010 at 7.00 pm you can sample 4 delicious wines at Once Upon A Vine located in Maple Ridge, British Columbia:

#600 - 20395 Lougheed Hwy
Maple Ridge, BC, British Columbia V2X 2P9
ph. 604-460-8463

Once Upon A Vine is hosting this wonderful wine tasting event so that guests can come and sample four (4) delicious wines, commercial “benchmarks” of wine kits that can  be made at home at economical prices. Each wine will be paired with a scrumptious appetizer. Entry fee is $15.00 Per Person - redeemable towards the purchase of any wine kit made that evening. If you purchase one FEATURED wine, you will receive an ADDITIONAL $10 off! 

Interested? Register to attend by calling: 604-460-8463

Related Links:

BC wineries

Top 5 BC wines

Best Okanagan Wineries

This November, BC residents and visitors will be able to enjoy abundance of food and wine in Whistler during their food and wine event called Cornucopia. The celebration of food and wine in Whistler will take place from November 12-15, 2009. The tickets for various events during Cornucopia start from $40/person

If you love food and wine then don’t miss this unique opportunity to mingle, mix and learn from acclaimed chefs, sommeliers, vintners and restaurateurs’ visiting Whistler or Whistler locals. The variety of events during Cornucopia include, hands-on seminars, fascinating winemaker dinners, gala tasting events and sizzling after-parties.

Cornucopia’s Crush Gala Grand Tasting, a festival highlight, will be presented on Friday, November 13th as an exclusive Premiere event, and on Saturday, November 14th to accommodate the high demand for tickets to the event.

Plan your Whistler trip today with BC Travel Guide

 Okanagan Fall Wine Festival is one of it’s own kind and the largest Fall wine Festival in North America, therefore a must visit for all wine lovers. This year Okanagan Fall Wine Festival  is being celebrated from October 1st to 11th, 2009 across 92 wineries in the Okanagan. The Okanagan wine Festival society is gearing up to organize and host about 150 different events.

Some of the events, I am looking forward to include:

1. Valley First Credit Union Grand Finale Consumer tastings on October 9th and 10th 2009 at Penticton Trade and Convention centre (273 Power Street). This is one of the largest event with over 60 wineries present and over 240 wines to sample. The ticket includes: enjoyable live entertainment, souvenir wine glass, all your wine tasting, bread and cheese and a free taxi ride home. This is a great event for those trying wines for the first time as well as those who want to expand their wine knowledge.

The advanced tickets are priced at $50/person. Call : 877-763-2849 to get your tickets today.

2. An evening of Fine Italian Cuisine and the wines of Tinhorn Creek on Thursday, October 1st 2009. The Villa Rosa Ristorante voted Best Italian Restaurant 9 years in a row. Each year during Wine Festival, there is a series of extraordinary multiple course menus, paired with the exceptional wines of the Okanagan’s finest wineries. You can experience all the rich flavors of authentic Italian food and full bodied wines. To enhance the evening winery representatives from Tinhorn Creek will be on hand to introduce each wine and answer any questions that you may have, as each course is being introduced.  To get tickets, call: 250-490-9595 and the tickets are priced at $99.95/ person  

3. Not everything has a price attached to it. Some events are free. Join fellow residents and tourists at the breathtaking Greata Ranch, located just south of Peachland, for wine tasting and a lovely artwork show and sale from well known Okanagan Artists Louise Lambert, Julia Trops, Rebekah Wilkinson and Charlotte LaFleur, Saturday and Sunday October 3 & 4, 10-4 pm (or 6 pm). For more information, email: julia@juliatrops.com

4. Enjoy fall Sampler plate at Little Straw Vineyards Estate Winery on October 6th, 7th and 8th 2009 from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm. Take time from your hectic wine touring to savour the flavors of fall. Relax on Little Straw Vinyeyards Estate Winery’s spacious deck with a glass of one of  newest releases and  “Fall Sampler Plate” as you gaze out over the vineyards and lake . Later take a look at local artist’s work featured in the gallery. For more information, call: 250-769-0404.

5. All you need is Cheese and the Rhone Ranger scheduled for Monday, October 5th 2009 at Manteo Resort from 6.30 to 8.30 pm. The tickets are priced at $40.00/person and can be bought at Ticketmaster.ca or by calling 250-860-1470. At this event, the guests will be able to evaluate variety of wines from the Rhone region of France grown and produced in the Okanagan Valley. These will be paired with fine Canadian cheeses like long aged Cheddars, mixed rinds, Aged Gouda along with a few unique Blue Cheeses. Wines will include Syrah/Shiraz, Viognier, Mourvedre and Grenache to name a few.

For more information, visit: Okanagan Fall Wine Festival

Related Links:

Okanagan Wineries

Okanagan Accommodation

British Columbia’s wine industry has always been innovative and exciting for wine lovers. We have some world class wineries and excellent wines. Recently, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery located in Summerland (Southern Okanagan)  has released its commemorative Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games sparkling wine called “Tribute”

Tribute Wine is the brain child of senior winemaker Mark Wendenberg who has also created Sumac Ridge’s Stellar’s Jay and Pinnacle. Offering fresh citrus aromas with zesty apple flavours on the palate, the Tribute wine exhibits excellent Chardonnay varietal character while offering exceptional quality. Sumac Ridge’s Tribute Sparkling wine has wide distribution and will be found at provincial/private liquor stores across the country from mid-September . It is priced at $30/750 ml. $1.25 will be donated directly to the Canadian Olympic team and the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic winter games from the sale of every bottle.

Wine lovers can taste Tribute(TM) on September 20, 2009 from 2pm - 5pm at the BCLDB’s 39th and Cambie Signature BC Liquor store. This event will feature winemaker Mark Wendenburg autographing the commemorative bottles, and Cellar Door Bistro chef Roger Planiden will offer bite-sized samples of his culinary creations.

 So, if you are coming to British Columbia for Vancouver 2010 olympics, don’t forget to celebrate with this wonderful wine.

Related Links:

British Columbia wineries

Okanagan Wineries

People say when in Rome, do as Romans do. We, in British Columbia say when in BC do as BC residents do. If you are visiting BC this summer, then join us in these TOP 10 BC ACTIVITIES and experience the real BC Summer:

1. BC HORSEBACK RIDING : Horse Back riding is one of the most popular activity not only for BC residents but also tourists. If you want to experience a true western heritage then do book a day trip or a few hours trail ride with one of our BC guest ranches today. 

Depending on length of your vacation, you can choose in -town ride or take your group/family for a journey through backcountry trails of British Columbia. Horseback riding is not too difficult and is usually enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities.

2. BC WHITEWATER RAFTING: You’ve not had a real BC adventure if you haven’t tried Whitewater Rafting. My favourite places to go for Whitewater Rafting include Kicking Horse near Golden and Clearwater which is about 4 hours drive from Kamloops.

3. BC CAMPING: If you want to enjoy wilderness and save money on lodging then Go camping. Most campgrounds in BC are reasonably priced from $20-$40/night. However, if you are planning to go camping during long weekends then make sure to book ahead.

4. BC KAYAKING/CANOEING: Another way to discover British Columbia is through Canoeing or Kayaking. Crystal clear waters of BC against the backdrop of majestic mountains offer a really memorable experience. If you are interested in sea kayaking, then coastline of BC lined with the Pacific ocean will provide you the perfect getaway opportunity. There are various touring companies which provide guided Sea Kayaking tours with a chance to spot killer whales. If you are good at canoeing or kayaking then you don’t even need a guide. Just grab a map and head out on one of BC’s beautiful lakes or rivers.

5. BC GOLFING: We in British Columbia take golf seriously and are known for some gorgeous golf courses. Popular destinations in British Columbia for Golfing include: Kelowna, Kamloops, Golden, Vancouver, Whistler and Fernie. Have you reserved your tee time yet?

6. BC MOUNTAIN BIKING: British Columbia has a lot of provincial parks and most of them offer mountain biking to the riders on specific trails. Many of our ski resorts are open during summer for downhill and cross-country biking. Silver Star Mountain Resort is one of my favourite places for mountain biking because they operate chair lifts to get riders and their bikes to the top of the mountain. Although, BC has thousands of kilometres of trails and logging roads, it is also known for bears. So beware of wild life and take precautions while riding a mountain bike in BC. Oh and if you are looking for some cool bike racks then check out: My Bike Racks

7. BC FISHING: Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, Rainbow Trout, Char, Pike, Bass etc can all be found in waters of British Columbia. The most popular fishing spots throughout BC include: Capilano river, Callaghan Lake, Quesnel Lake, Queen Charlotte Islands, Okanagan Lake, Columbia and Kootenay River.

8. BC HIKING: If you don’t want to indulge in extreme adventure but still want to be active then consider hiking. BC offers excellent day hikes, lovely picnic spots and exciting fun-filled backpacking trips. It is pretty inexpensive activity too because all you need for a good hike is a decent pair of shoes and a back pack with essentials like water bottle, Bugs Spray etc.  

9. BC HOUSEBOATING : Shushwap, Salmon Arm and Sicamous are your best bets for Houseboating in British Columbia. Luxury, Service and Adventure, you’ll find everything on a BC Houseboating tour.

10. BC WINE TOURS: You will find great wineries throughout British Columbia but some of the world’ best wineries are located in Thompson Okanagan region. Wine tasting tours are the best way to savour the fine wines while enjoying the natural beauty of beautiful British Columbia.  

Yes, you read it right! Hollywood Celebrities will visit British Columbia this weekend from June 12-14th 2009. Why not rub shoulders with them? You are most welcome to visit Osoyoos, BC for the first annual Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival. Destination Osoyoos, in tandem with presenting sponsor Black Hills Estate Winery and the business community of Osoyoos are presenting the first annual Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival from June 12 to 14, 2009. 
 
At this wine festival, the guests will experience excellent food and wine pairing events from regional Chefs and Winemakers. Believe me, Okanagan Wineries has a lot to offer. A number of stars will attend this 2009 Summer Festival like Jason Priestley (Beverley Hills 9020, Hollywood & Vines), Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek, National Treasure), Dean Cain (Superman), Tiffani Amber Thiesen (Saved by the Bell, Beverly Hills 90201), Jann Arden (singer), and Terry David Mulligan (The Tasting Room).

The keynote event is the Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Auction, with proceeds benefiting children’s charities. Participants can sip wines from an array of South Okanagan wineries and nibble on delicious appetizers from local restaurants in the “20 km Diet”. Then they can bid on rare wine from great Canadian wineries in both the Silent and Live Auctions. All proceeds go to the 2009 beneficiary which is the Providence Children’s Center.

The Canadian Tenors will be the headlining act for the Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Auction, which will be taking place at the Walnut Beach Resort from 4 pm to 7 pm.

In addition to the Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Auction, three other great events are happening during the festival:

1) The Nota Bene Release Party
Featuring host Jason Priestley, Celebrity Chef Ned Bell, and winemaker Graham Pierce. Celebrate the release of the latest wines from Black Hills Estate Winery while tasting the cuisine of Ned Bell and listening to the music of DJ Jenn Goulet and the live tunes of Double Magnum.

Saturday June 13, 3:00-7:00 pm, Black Hills Estate Winery. Tickets are $149.00 each.

2) Burrowing Owl Winemakers Dinner
Featuring Chef Bernard Cassavantes and the exceptional wines of Burrowing Owl

Friday June 12, 7:30-10:30 pm, Burrowing Owl Estate Winery. Tickets are $125.00 each.

3) Desert Spirit BBQ: The official after-party!
Featuring Chef Jonathan Thauberger and wines from the South Okanagan. Enjoy a casual BBQ and opportunity to socialize in an upbeat setting.

Friday, June 12, 7-11 pm, Spirit Ridge Resort. Tickets are $49.00 each.

Tickets for all events are available for online purchase at www.ticketweb.c (website below) or visit www.blackhillswinery.com.

For accommodations contact the Walnut Beach Resort at www.walnutbeachosoyoos.com, or call 1-877-936-5400

For general information on Osoyoos, call Destination Osoyoos at 1-888-676-9667

Related links:

Okanagan Wineries

Wondering about Best BC Wines? Well, Okanagan’s 2009 Spring Wine Festival has just concluded and the competition for the Best Wine was really tough. However, the wine Connoisseurs did manage to spot Best BC wines. Five BC wines which have won Gold medal are:

Related Links:

Kelowna Wineries
Oliver Wineries

Since last few years, the wine tourism in British Columbia has increased and if you want to know more about Wine Industry Trends in BC then do attend a session being held at The BC Wine Museum and VQA Wine Shop (located at 1304 Ellis Street, Inside the laurel packinghouse), Kelowna, British Columbia on May 7th 2009 at 7.00 pm with host Julianna Hayes. The guest winemaker during this event will be Bradley Cooper from Township 7 winery.Bradley will showcase variety of wines and will discuss what’s new on the BC wine scene including the rising trend of using social media, such as blogging and twittering to promote and access wines. Now, that sounds interesting. Isn’t it?

Wine Industry Trends in British Columbia is going to be an interesting event to explore BC wines in an interactive, fun and casual environment. The tickets are priced at $25/person and only $20 for Kelowna Museums members. To reserve seats and buy tickets, call: 250-868-0441