Okanagan wine tour planned for early May

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/01/2019 (2483 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

By Diane Nelson

My phone rang while I was in Victoria for a family wedding this past October. I was perplexed.

First of all, the phone ringing was odd — I get way more texts than calls. Often people text to see if it’s OK if they call. Which is ridiculous, but I do it too.

Anyway, the call display showed the name of my longtime pal and musical collaborator Brent Campbell.

“Campbell?” I thought. “I haven’t heard from him in ages! I wonder what’s up?”

So I answered, and after opening pleasantries were exchanged and I informed him I was in Victoria as opposed to Brandon, he said he had a proposal for me.

Naturally, my curiosity was piqued. And I was even more interested when I heard what he had to say.

“I’m thinking of planning a wine tour of the Okanagan in May,” he said. “And I’m wondering if you’d be interested in escorting the tour.”

I was delighted.

“Of course I’d be interested!” I practically shouted.

Campbell, a man of few words, replied, “Great. Give me a call when you get home.”

Then he hung up.

I sat there, staring at the phone in my hand, still very pleased but wondering exactly what I’d agreed to. But as I said above, I’ve known Campbell for ages — more than three decades — he’s a master organizer, he’s very particular, and he’s incredibly reliable. If he was arranging something, I knew it would be top-notch.

And it turns out I was right.

Almost all the details are in place now, so I can happily tell you about our upcoming tour from Sunday, May 5 to Friday, May 10, in which you are cordially invited to participate.

We’ll taste products at least 10 wineries, perhaps even an 11th. And when I mentioned to Campbell that lots of people might be happy taking the bus, but there was a good chance not everyone would be thrilled about that prospect, he figured a way around that too.

So three options are available. Option One — take the bus both ways. Option Two — take the bus one way and fly one way. Option Three — fly both ways. We’ll have some demos and chats and wine-related activities aboard the bus on the way to the Okanagan, and will make coffee and lunch stops along the way. Once we arrive, the bus will ferry us between wineries and some spectacular dinner spots each night. All options of the trip include hotel costs (based on double occupancy) with breakfasts included — lunches and dinners will be at your own expense.

We’ll stay overnight in Calgary on the way there and back, and in the same hotel in Penticton all three nights we’re there. An added bonus in Penticton is there’s a casino that’s 15 minutes away by foot or a three-minute cab ride. We’ll be visiting Poplar Grove winery on Monday afternoon when we arrive in Penticton, and then enjoy dinner at the Vanilla Pod restaurant.

On Tuesday, we’ll taste at Clos du Soleil and Corcelettes (which has a Brandon connection in that Gord and Diane Peters are part owners!), have lunch in Keremeos, then visit Orofino (I’ve had amazing Riesling from that winery, and was so impressed when I tasted the Orofino Chardonnay a few years back, I ordered a case of it), then head for Burrowing Owl. (When Campbell came over for dinner so we could discuss this trip, he brought a bottle of Burrowing Owl Pinot Noir. It was fabulous, and I plan to buy a bunch of it at the winery!) Following that, the plan is to have a wine-pairing dinner at Sonora Restaurant, and return to the hotel around 10 p.m.

I’m very much looking forward to Wednesday, when we visit Culmina, where Don and Elaine Triggs and their daughter, Sarah, have established a beautiful winery. Don was one of the founders of Jackson-Triggs, but his new baby is Culmina, which produces some amazing wines. Don is originally from Treherne, and Elaine is from Elgin, so there’s a Manitoba connection there too.

After lunch in Oliver, we’ll stop at Second Chapter, Stoneboat and Tinhorn Creek wineries. Dining will take place at Miradoro Restaurant, and we’ll head back to the hotel around 8:30.

Before we leave the Okanagan on Thursday, you have your choice of tasting at either Quail’s Gate Winery or Sandhill Winery. Then we’ll hit the road and head toward home.

Here’s the breakdown cost-wise:

•Option One — $995 per person (based on double occupancy) — includes bus transportation from Brandon to the Okanagan and back, bus transportation to all wineries, the costs of all the tastings, two nights hotel and breakfasts in Calgary and three nights hotel and breakfasts in Penticton (single supplement is $400)

•Option Two — $845 per person (based on double occupancy) — you cover the cost of your flight either from Brandon to Penticton, or from Penticton to Brandon — includes bus transportation one way, bus transportation to all wineries, the costs of all the tastings, one night hotel and breakfast in Calgary and three nights hotel and breakfasts in Penticton (single supplement is $320)

•Option Three — $695 per person (based on double occupancy) — you cover the cost of your flights from Brandon to Penticton and back — includes bus transportation to all wineries, the costs of all the tastings, three nights hotel and breakfasts in Penticton (single supplement is $240)

Anyone interested in more information can email Campbell at info@kemnaytravel.com or call him at 204-724-7528. The website is kemnaytravel.com if you’d care to check that out as well. And if anyone wants to contact me, feel free to email diane.vinelines@gmail.com or via Twitter @vinelinesbdn.

I really hope you’ll consider joining us for what I think will be a fun week exploring first-hand the fabulous wines and fine dining the Okanagan has to offer. Cheers, everyone!