Sip big reds
Behind the scenes, winemakers are frantically getting the new vintage into tanks and barrels. But in the tasting rooms, the crowds have thinned out after a busy summer. That makes fall the perfect time to sample the Okanagan’s just-released red wines. Expect to taste some powerhouse vintages from the last few sun-drenched seasons. One great way to tour the wineries is on two wheels, and Vivid Tours in Kelowna even lets you add power to your pedaling with sanitized electric bike rentals. They also offer a variety of guided tours around the Okanagan Valley.
Dine at a winery
The only thing better than tasting wine at a winery is dining there, too. The Okanagan Valley’s winery chefs are developing a uniquely local wine country cuisine based on exceptional ingredients from fields, streams, forests and even the backcountry wilderness, where foragers pluck wild asparagus in spring and porcini mushrooms in fall. Two winery restaurants to try: Old Vines Restaurant at Quails’ Gate in West Kelowna and Miradoro at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards in Oliver.
