The sun is shining, the the birds are calling, and the greenery is more lush than ever as the world slowly resumes its pace as we head into the summer months.

With travel restrictions in place, many are considering local experiences within driving distance, and for those residing in the province of British Columbia, what better than to take the scenic route for a visit to Penticton, where a variety of local and internationally recognized wineries in the Okanagan area offer up unique experiences with minimal travel time?

PAINTED ROCK ESTATE WINERY

The winery offers stunning views from its hilltop location, and tasting sections are comfortably spaced out to allow guests to enjoy their wine tastings as they gaze out to the rolling landscape.

Visitors are welcomed into the modern tasting room for a tasting of four of the estates best red wines – the Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Red Icon. Reservations are highly recommended as the winery will be just hosting just two tastings at once, socially distanced at their beautifully-designed under-lit tasting bar. Safety is their first priority, so they have taken every precaution to make their guests relaxed and comfortable during these times.

*View of the tasting room from outside and the outdoor tasting areas*

Painted Rock’s collection of award-winning wines are coveted both locally and even more so internationally, with its Red Icon blend being the most popular choice.

Here are the top 3 wines they recommend for visiting guests:

2015 Merlot – The wine begins aromas of cherry, blueberry, cassis and vanilla. These are echoed on the palate, along with flavours of spice and plum. The texture is rich, with long ripe tannins. Gold medal winner at the Wine Align National Wine Awards of Canada 2019.

2016 Syrah – From a glorious vintage, the wine is succulent, velvety and concentrated, with notes of plum sauce, cherry, pepper, leather, and cured meat. So ripe, yet beautifully spicy, balanced and fresh. Gold medal winner at the Wine Align National Wine Awards of Canada 2019.

2016 Red Icon – Painted Rock’s flagship blend crafted from the Bordeaux varieties planted on their single-vineyard estate.

Painted Rock Estate Winery Penticton Wintery Tours by Florence Leung

“It can’t be easy living up to the name Red Icon. Yet, Painted Rock’s flagship wine has done a compelling job since Day 1.”

— 95 Points -- Beppi Crosariol for the Globe & Mail

Painted Rock Estate Winery, owned and operated by the Skinner family, is located on Penticton’s newest sub-GI Skaha Bench. Their award-winning wines are 100% crafted from their estate-grown grapes. Guests will love that they can pre-order a picnic lunch prepared by The Bench Market to enjoy while relaxing in the winery’s stunning picnic area overlooking the vineyards and Skaha Lake. Don’t forget to grab a bottle of their sold-out Chardonnay or Rosé to enjoy with your picnic!

LAUGHING STOCK VINEYARDS

“Located on the famed Naramata Bench, Laughing Stock Vineyards is a serious enterprise with a most unfortunate moniker. We wake up every day with the constant motivation of not living up to our name.”

This is the first message we were greeted with upon landing on Laughing Stock Vineyard’s website. We definitely love the humour. Founders David and Cynthia Enns led ‘methodical, and calculated lives in the Financial Industry’ prior to taking a leap of faith and investing everything into the wine industry in 2003.

*Photo courtesy of Laughing Stock Vineywards*

Laughing Stock Vineyards has evolved and achieved much since then, with their ‘Portfolio’ and ‘Blind Trust’ Red (both Bordeaux Blend Red) and Syrah consistently rated as some of the top wines in the Okanagan region.

Kayla Sahara, Director of Drinkable Dividends, shared some tips with us on which wines to try, and what guests can expect from the tasting experience.

What would be the top 3 wines you recommend for those who have never visited before?

“Our Portfolio is a wine that marries the art and science of winemaking with a blend of Bordeaux varietals.

Our Syrah is Estate grown on our Perfect Hedge vineyard in Osoyoos, and blended with fruit from the acclaimed SunRock site, the style is inspired by Cote Rotie in Northern Rhone, blending 96% Syrah with 4% Viognier.

Amphora VR a blend of Viognier Roussanne. We produced this using a hands-off winemaking approach, this is our 6th year working with 500L terracotta clay Amphorae.”

What can guests expect from the wine tasting experience?

“Ours is an intimate one-on-one tasting session, focusing on how we make our wine, using French oak barrels, concrete eggs and hand made clay amphorae and talking about our vineyard sites and the terroir-driven wine. All this while taking in the beautiful view.”

*Photos courtesy of Laughing Stock VIneyards*

MORAINE WINERY

Winery owners husband-wife team Oleg and Svetlana Aristarkhov relocated from Alberta to make premium Okanagan wines; they made the leap following their philosophy that wine offers one of life’s most ‘simple, enjoyable, and accessible' luxuries.

In accordance with current safety measures, wine tastings are now all hosted on the outdoor patio, which means you enjoy a better view!

Moraine Winery also shared some insider tips for first-time visitors on which wines to try. They are famous for their Pinot Noir and Riesling, and the Rose Pink Mountain is highly popular as well.

PINOT NOIR

The fruit is exclusively grown on the Naramata Bench Sophia Estate Vineyard. This wine is a classic representation of clone 777 Pinot Noir that has been cultivated and cared for with “white gloves”. Hand harvesting and fermenting the whole berry, with the cap being punched down by hand, has ensured gentle tannin extraction and maximum flavour.

Tasting notes: Heady aromas of violet, Rainier cherries, old-fashioned rose petals, and just a touch of toasty oak make this a memorable and enjoyable wine to share with family and friends.

Food pairing: Try pairing it with a creamy mushroom risotto or some marinated grilled pork; you won’t be disappointed.

RIESLING

Whole bunch pressed and fermented at cool temperatures, our 2018 Riesling is packed with aromas of citrus and green apple and light floral notes. Your palate will be electrified; this wine finishes clean and leaves your mouth watering for more.

Tasting notes: Fresh citrusy notes, with green apples and limes.

Food pairing: Dare to pair this white next to steamed mussels in a creamy curry sauce, roasted snapper with lemon, or enjoy with a plate of fresh fruit and cheese.

ROSE, PINK MOUNTAIN

This wine’s name was inspired by B.C.’s very own natural Pink Mountain, a natural anomaly created by the fireweed which blooms throughout the spring and summer months. This vintage Pink Mountain is made out of 75% Gamay and 25% Malbec grown on our Estate Anastasia Vineyard on Naramata Bench.

Tasting notes: Fermented cold in 100% stainless steel, it captures the aromas of wild strawberries, cherries, and a hint of rhubarb.

Food pairing: Pair this bottle with melted brie, light pasta dishes, or grilled salmon.

*Spacious tasting room at Moraine Winery. Photo courtesy of Moraine Winery*

FOXTROT WINES

This boutique winery located on the Naramata Bench just minutes away from Laughing Stock Vineyards specializes in ultra-premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. They use grapes grown from 25-year-old own-rooted vines in its Estate vineyard, producing some of the most notable age-worthy pinot noir in the region.

The tasting room is not open at the moment but the team intends to re-open sometime in June according to covid safety measures. You can still try the wines by purchasing their wines online, which include the Foxtrot Chardonnay 2018 and Waltz 2017.

Foxtrot Chardonnay Tasting Notes by Gustav Allander

"The 2018 Chardonnay has a light lemon colour. On the nose, aromas of apricot and citrus, with white floral overtones compliment a mineral backbone, rounded out by a touch of honey and toasty oak notes from barrel aging. On the palate, it is well balanced with bright acidity, expressive minerality, medium body, and a soft buttery finish. This wine can be enjoyed now or aged up to 3 years."

Waltz 2017 Tasting Notes by Gustav Allander

“The 2017 Waltz Pinot Noir displays complex fruit aromas including black cherries and raspberries, as well as soil tones and notes of spice and coffee. On the palate, there is an abundance of red fruit, as well as a touch of chocolate; it displays a bright minerally acidity and is developing a creamy texture. Moderate tannins on the finish suggest that this wine will keep well over the medium-term.”

If you are headed out to explore beautiful British Columbia this summer, make sure to have Penticton wineries on your list to experience some of the most celebrated wineries in the Okanagan!