The GOODS from Westside Wine Trail
West Kelowna, BC | The Westside Wine Trail throws open their doors on Sunday, December 6th for the third annual “Sip into the Season” event. The event is even larger than last year as three new wineries joined the Wine Trail. Now with eleven wineries to explore, it is suggested that visitors start enjoying the event right at the start time of noon, as there is so much to see and do!
Each winery will host local artisans and crafters in their tasting rooms and cellars for a wine & craft tour from noon to 5pm. Visitors are invited to get to know the Westside Wine Trail see some crafts, enjoys some sips, taste some bites and cross some holiday shopping off their lists while enjoying an easy afternoon of touring the wineries.
This unique and one of a kind event will see visitors travel on a self-guided tour from winery to winery as they enjoy the works of the artisans and crafters at each location, along with award winning wines, gift packages and holiday cheer. Artisanal jams, abstract art, hand painted wine glasses, natural beauty products as well as culinary stocking stuffers, candles and handcrafted jewellery are some of the items visitors can expect to see from the different crafters and artisans.
Visitors are encouraged to start at either end of the trail, either at Ciao Bella Winery on Glencoe Rd or Rollingdale Winery on Hayman Rd. For added convenience, touring options are available through Distinctly Kelowna Tours and Uncorked Okanagan and if you are looking to spend the night the Cove Lakeside Resort and Casa Loma Lakeshore Resort offer lakeside accommodation options. Visit www.thewestsidewinetrail.com for a detailed listing of winery locations, crafters, artisans and their product offerings.
Wineries & crafters/artisans participating in the ‘Sip into the Season” event include:
Beaumont | Artists Arlene Currie & Janice Sich | Sugar Pine Design | Passionate Florals | Laurels’ Xmas
Baking | Lourou’s Soaps | Wine Gift Baskets
Ciao Bella | Christmas crafts, goodies & decorations
Kalala | Sweet Peas Little Farm
Little Straw | Halo House Handmades | R3 Furniture & Accessories
Mission Hill | Salt Works | Fraser Valley Gourmet | Mission Hill Preserves | Maple Roch | Mt Boucherie Jazz Trio
Mt. Boucherie | GZ Pendants | Persnickety’s
Off The Grid | Wooden Arms | Jackalope Farms
Quails’ Gate | Callabell Jewelry | Rowes Creations | My Breedom Creative Designs | Okanagan Edibles
Rollingdale | Rio Branner
the hatch | artisan on site
Volcanic Hills | Olivia’s Oil’s & Vinegars | BeetleWood Industries | Brainybee | Allan Waidman | Tyjo’s | Fabrics | Blu Saffron Bistro
When: Sunday, December 6th
Time: noon – 5 pm
Where: West Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, BC
What: ‘Sip into the Season’, a wine & craft tour event
Who: Participating Wineries include: Beaumont Family Estate Winery, Ciao Bella Winery, Kalala Organic Estate Winery, Little Straw Vineyards, Mission Hill Family Estate, Mt. Boucherie Family Estate Winery, Off the Grid Organic Winery, Quails’ Gate Estate Winery, Rollingdale Winery, the hatch and Volcanic Hills Estate Winery
Cost: complimentary
DETAILS
West Kelowna Visitor Centre | 2376 Dobbin Rd. | West Kelowna, BC |
Telephone: 250-768-2712
Email: westsidewinetrail [at] gmail.com | Website: thewestsidewinetrail.com
Social Media Links: www.twitter.com/westwinetrail | www.instagram.com/westsidewinetrail | www.facebook.com/westsidewinetrail
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Address (Admin Purposes) c/o Little Straw Vineyards, 2815 Ourtoland Road, West Kelowna, BC V1Z 2H7
Contact: Salina Petschulat Curtis, Association Coordinator
Phone: 250-707-1298 | email: [email protected]
GALLERY
The People
The West Kelowna Vintners Association (WKVA) is better known by its destination brand, the Westside Wine Trail. These nine wineries are proud of their deep roots in the BC wine industry and are passionate about their craft. Beaumont Family Estate Winery, Kalala Organic Estate Winery, Little Straw Vineyards, Mt Boucherie Family Estate Winery, Mission Hill Family Estate, Quails’ Gate Estate Winery, Rollingdale Winery, the hatch and Volcanic Hills Estate Winery welcome you to explore and discover the area, one sip at a time.
About The Westside Wine Trail
Discover a deep & fascinating blend of experiences…
The Westside Wine Trail is home to some of the oldest and most well established vineyards and wineries in the Okanagan Valley. It is a place where the tasting room experiences are diverse and moments turn into lifelong memories.
Rolling hills of vineyards, scenic lake views and leisurely rural roads provide an idyllic backdrop for discovering local flavours one sip at a time, while an alluring pinot noir or a crisp sauvignon blanc, a vineyard concert or an encounter with a winemaker is sure to delight you.
The Westside Wine Trail is a year round destination. In the summer visitors can expect to not only enjoy warm summer days, but they can also relish in the roadside fruit stands that dot the landscape and provide farm to table opportunities. During the winter months the wineries are open for tastings with special events taking place like holiday open houses and culinary workshops and the hills are just minutes away for a morning of skiing or snowshoeing.
The cluster of wineries host three signature ‘Sip Series’ events during the year, each with a different theme and tasty sips. The Sunday of the Family Day Weekend, a wine & chocolate extravaganza is held, called ‘Sip With Your Sweetheart’. The first Saturday in June is when the wineries celebrate their summer whites with a ‘Sip into the Summer’ event and the holidays wouldn’t be complete without a wine & craft tour event. On the first Sunday in December visitors can travel from winery to winery where they can see local artisans and crafters in the tasting rooms and cellars for the Sip into the Season event.
The terrior varies depending on where in the Okanagan Valley grapes are grown. For wine growers along the Westside Wine Trail in West Kelowna, the bud bread usually happens in late April with crush beginning by mid-September and lasting into the third week of October. The harvesting of Icewine grapes can take place anytime from December to January, depending on the temperature. The soils here are very unique in that they are loaded with mineral deposits as well as glacial till, volcanic rock and large boulders. This is because the vineyards in area are derived from Mt. Boucherie which is the remnant of an ancient volcano. This volcano is a focal point in the community and is worth a hike up, as the views are spectacular.
There is always something new to discover, no matter the season. The wineries of the Westside Wine Trail are easy to find, within easy reach of major centres and are open year round. We are a 3.5 hour drive from Vancouver, 10 minutes from downtown Kelowna and a very leisurely and scenic 40 minute drive from Penticton.