Okanagablog: Sharing Bottles At Baneé & An OK Summer Primer

By Kate Colley – Last weekend was Banée, the South Okanagan’s Secret Wine Festival. I was hired to put together a Lower Mainland food/wine media press trip, and 10 of us spent three days in Osoyoos and Oliver learning about the terroir and taste of the South Okanagan. We stayed at the desert-inspired Spirit Ridge Resort and it was a blast. Despite being six months pregnant and surrounded by (mostly) tasty wine for days, I had a good time helping Jay Drysdale lead the group. We began standing atop “vistas” on the east and west sides of Hwy 97 – named the Golden Mile Bench and Black Sage Bench accordingly – to gain perspective on what is arguably BC’s best growing region. There are subtleties and benefits to each bench and these were discussed in a “Bench vs. Bench Smackdown” tastings.

Having listened to winemakers and media at each stop and during tastings, it was clear that there were many different opinions on pesticides, slope, temperature, soil, aspect, grape varietals, public opinion and resulting sales. Representatives included winemakers from Gehringer Brothers, Dunham & Froese, Black Hills, Tinhorn Creek, Oliver Twist, Quinta Ferreira, Cassini Cellars, Hester Creek, Desert Hills, Road 13 and more. Their goals are straightforward – to make the best possible South Okanagan wines that reflect the area’s distinctiveness (and to sell them all for a profit).

Exceptional palates and the expertise that years of traveling and tasting through the world’s wine regions gave the media in attendance a very global perspective – something that area winemakers can definitely benefit from. Constructive criticism, colourful discussions and, thanks to David Scholefield, several unusual analogies flew about the room – all with the purpose of getting to know the South Okanagan better.

Newcomer Cassini Cellars, with its brand new burnt orange winery (virtually on the curb of Hwy 97 in Oliver) is one to watch. Tasting blind, the winery was liberally praised from wine heavy weights for its Pinot Noir and to-be-named blended red. Currently priced at under $25 – it’s a steal.

We paid a visit to hidden gem Covert Farms, a 700-acre largely organic (striving for biodynamic) farm on a picturesque clearing with an unparalleled view of McIntyre Bluff, worth a stop in the summer for fresh local produce, to visit Dunham & Froese vineyards and to park for a hike up the celebrated rock face.

Osoyoos’ answer to Urban Fare and Tools & Techniques is Home Hardware – come here for cooking demos (we just missed Edible BC’s Eric Pateman) and elusive culinary wares and products. Don’t miss lunch at Dolce Deli, also on the main drag. Pedigreed bakers and owners, run a fantastic little shop featuring charcuterie, cheese, quiche, desserts (TO-DIE-FOR), a cosy outdoor patio and some specialty finds like pickled plums and white balsamic that got all the foodies tingling. So good.

We saddled up to the Corkscrew Saloon, a community event for Oliver residents to taste local wines and restaurant fare, fearing a whole lotta hokey. It was indeed hokey, with a casino, jail and Mae West-esqe MC, but it was fun. Lots of wines to taste, all the local vintners on hand to chat, hearty local food and a sincere community feel.

Back at Spirit Ridge, the in-house restaurant, Passatempo’s new chef Jonathan Thauberger put on a great spread of rabbit, bison, duck and delicious Orin apple courses – all paired blind with South Okanagan and global wines for contrast and benchmarking.

The finale of the weekend was the much ballyhooed Banée. Held for the first time on the outdoor patio of Passa Tempo, the event’s elegance was kicked up a notch this year. It was fantastic! A ticketed and open-to-the-public (in the know) dinner, the Banée brings together South Okanagan winemakers, owners, industry, media and aficionados. Everyone brings wines from their own shop as well as wonderful wines from around the world. I didn’t know about the second part going in and ended up with a brilliant seat across from David Scholefield , Sid & Joan Cross and in between chef Ned Bell and Quinta Ferreira’s winemaker.

Dozens of bottles of wines are placed on shelves or in iced buckets that everyone can help themselves to. The idea is that you grab a bottle, taste it and pass it on for another table to try. David and Sid brought bottle after bottle of celebrated wines to our table – shared their significance with our group and brought everyone’s palates up to speed. Wines were regularly scooped up from the table and new ones took their place throughout the night. Food was served family style and a great sense of fun and camaraderie ruled the night. I am eagerly anticipating next year’s Banée when I can actually drink the wines – though this year’s clarity helps in reporting all the fun.

Summer’s Coming!

One of my very favourite things about the Okanagan – the Penticton Farmer’s Market – starts next weekend! Saturday, May 2. We made it through the winter!

The Okanagan Spring Wine Festival begins on Friday, April 30th – visit www.ows.com for complete details. There are dozens of events happening across the region from north to south. I’m excited about the Naramata Bench’s free Roll Out the Barrels celebration and the Terasen Gas Gourmet & Grapes Gala held at Kelowna’s Cabana Grille on May 3., when chef extraordinaire David Hawksworth will take part in an Iron Chef Showdown with Cabana chef/co-owner Ned Bell.

Love Nota Bene? Love Jason Priestly? Black Hills is having their ultra-chic Nota Bene Release Party on June 12 at the winery.

Feast of Fields’ Okanagan date and venue have been confirmed. Mark your calendar for a day of local eating and drinking on Sunday, August 23 at Summerland’s Valentine Farms.

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Kate Colley is one of BC’s top lifestyle and tourism media specialists. Her work has seen her in travel and tourism; the luxury, culinary, interior design and retail sectors; and promoting the brands of spas, destinations and wineries. Kate established her private communications business in 2006 following her roles as communications director at Top Table Restaurant Group and Manager of Travel & Trade Media Relations at Tourism Vancouver. An avid traveler, Kate splits her time between offices in Vancouver and the Okanagan where she takes advantage of the two regions’ vibrant restaurant and wine scenes.

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