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Page 14 • B.C. Wine Trails • Spring 2009 www.winetrails.ca
Spring 2009 • B.C. Wine Trails • Page 31www.winetrails.ca
◆ Okanagan South ◆ Okanagan South
109-1475 Fairview Rd.Penticton, BC
250.493.2723www.CanneryBrewing.com
SMALL BREWERYBIG FLAVOUR!
ome people may have thought Patt and Ron Dyck were joking when
on April Fool's Day 2001 the
former restaurant owners decided to open a brewery
right in the middle of wine country. Almost eight years later,
the success the couple has found, with the help of their long time
Brewmaster Terry Schoffer, is no laughing matter.
According to Patt, Cannery Brewing's success is not in spite of
being situated in the midst of grape vines but because of it.
"We feel fortunate to be where we are," said the warm and
friendly proprietor of Cannery Brewing, whose beers have become a
preferred choice for both residents and visitors to the valley. "I
think there is a real place for beer in the middle of wine
country."
As wine becomes more mainstream and less elitist, beer is
getting the opposite treatment, and gaining a sophistication of
sorts. As such, Cannery's beer tasting counter and retail store
have become a common stop for many Okanagan tourists and locals
hitting the wine trail.
"People are realizing it is a lot like wine," she said, adding
with a laugh that the success of one can really depend on the
success of the other. " We have a saying here that it takes an
awful lot of good beer to make a fine bottle of wine. Some of our
very best customers are the vintners of this valley."
Joking aside, the two share some similarities in both the way
they are made and the way they are tasted. For example, ensuring
that everything going into the brew is high quality is as important
to beer as it is to wine.
The Cannery's product, which is made with increasingly more
local and B.C. grown products, is sold in cans, dark glass bottles
or kegs. While many people can be seen sipping directly from the
bottle or can, Pat suggested that like wine, drinking beer from a
glass (of a particular shape and size) can optimize its flavours
and aromas. And like the pairing of different wines with food,
there is a growing interest in food and beer pairings. Patt
explained that choosing a beer that complements a food can also
enhance the overall taste sensation.
All of the Cannery's products, including their 360 Lager and
Cannery Pale Ale, can be tasted and purchased at their Fairview
Road location in Penticton. The rest of
their product portfolio, which includes the gently biting India
Pale Ale, the full-bodied Anarchist Amber Ale, the Blackberry
Porter (which pairs beautifully with chocolate), the handsome Maple
Stout and their most popular Naramata Nut Brown Ale are available
in stores around the province.
The fine handcrafted beers of Cannery Brewing can also be found
this spring at Taste of Kelowna on March 29, the Fest-of-Ale in
Penticton in April, Beerfest in Kelowna in May and this fall at the
Great Canadian Beer Festival in Victoria.
For more information go to CanneryBrewing.com.
~ Tracy Clark
250-490-2006
Wine Country Visitor Centre
• Travel Information• Ticket Sales & Event Details• Info on
Wineries &
Attractions• Open Daily 8am to 7pm
• Daily Complimentary Wine Tastings• Over 400 VQA Wines• Gifts
and Local Delectables• Open Daily at 9:00 am
Penticton Visitor Centre VQA Wine Shop
Open Daily
250-493-4055
Corner of Eckhardt & Channel Parkway
687 Main Street, Penticton492-4019
www.eatsquid.com
Fun Greek Dining Since 1976S
A BREWERY RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF WINE COUNTRY
Left: Cannery proprietor Patt Dyck pours a glass of her
Blackberry Porter, which is a great pairing with dark chocolate.
Yum!
Open 7 Days a Week YEAR ROUND
WINE SHOP HOURS10 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Daily
tel. 250-498-0310
Enjoy our landscaped grounds as well as our great wines! Turn
east off Highway 97 south of Oliver at Road 9, cross the Okanagan
River along 87th Street and look for our entrance.
Silver Sage is celebrating their 10 year Anniversary this year!
They are in the process of adding guest rooms and a new events room
to transform this winery into a beautiful place to hold your own
special events. Also to celebrate, they have improved their
fabulous Pinot Noir, The Passion, branding it as the special
anniversary wine. The Anniversary Edition of The Passion is a
fuller bodied Pinot Noir
with a beautiful garnet color and black cherry aromas. Black
cherry, black currant and pepper on the palate, with just a hint of
oak, this is a very versatile Pinot that pairs well with fish and
is also great with prime rib!
Along with a great Pinot Noir, Silver Sage produces two
outstanding Gewurztraminers, one with the unique addition of wild
sage fermented in the wine, giving it a holiday feel. Try this one
with special event dinners as it pairs well with Turkey and other
traditional holiday foods. Use it to marinate roasted pork in, or
pair it with spicy foods.
The Pinot Blanc is medium dry, food friendly and versatile with
crisp citrus and granny smith apple aromas - great
on its own or with pasta, fish, seafood and chicken. Creative
Winemaker Anna Manola also produces a lovely medium bodied Merlot,
a Meritage and a Rosé called Sunset that is fermented with
berries!
Silver Sage makes six fruit wines as well, most notable being...
The Flame. A sweet, hot spicy aperitif, made from a late harvest
Gewurztraminer is loaded with flavours of peach, apricot and a
spicy hot chili pepper! Try with chocolate dipped strawberries or
in a Caesar cocktail.
The Raspberry is rich and velvety, tastes like a handful of
fresh ripe raspberries. All from the Fraser Valley, add to
Champagne to make a Kir Royale, or to lemon juice and olive oil to
make a delicious raspberry vinaigrette. Great on Spinach salad
with
sweet red onion, balsamic strawberries, toasted pecans and goat
cheese - a summer dish to really impress your guests!
~ Avery Trent
LET THE CELEBRATIONS
BEGIN!
On a bitterly cold January day, I was warmly welcomed by Robin
Openshaw the Sales and Marketing Director of Hester Creek. As you
are probably aware, Hester Creek is undergoing a huge facelift and
Robin was excited to show me around the new winery now well under
construction, explaining the hive of activity and how they were
proceeding. Penticton Architect, Matt Coady has come up with a
fantastic design and when completed, this state-of-the-art 23,000
sq ft winery will rise in the hillside behind the existing cellar,
offering incomparable views of the vineyards and orchards in the
valley below. Environmentally, the new design will utilize the
benefits of geothermal energy for it’s heating and cooling and an
earthen roof will restore the natural vegetation and landscape of
the original site. A new wine shop and tasting room will be
incorporated within this building, the design of which has been
placed in the hands of Interior Designer Judith Park from
Vancouver. Their grand opening is scheduled for mid summer.
The site at Hester Creek covers approximately 85-acres. Newly
acquired land nearby within the “Golden Mile” has
raised to 75 their total acreage under vine. The winery has some
of the oldest vines in the Okanagan Valley allowing Hester Creek to
continue to produce consistently outstanding wines for many years
to come. With Winemaker Robert Summers’ expertise and meticulous
attention to detail, both within the vineyard and the cellar, there
has been a definite rise in quality. He ensures that the wines
represent the very finest of their varietal character and the
winery’s unique terroir. As Robert went on to say, “I’m not
interested in following a recipe; my philosophy is to let the
grapes express themselves”.
Innovations such as half bottles (375ml) and three litre casks
have proved very popular with wine consumers. The casks offer
quality 100% BC grown Okanagan Wine at a significant saving, with
an equivalent of four bottles in the cask. Available in Cabernet
Merlot and Pinot Blanc, they are now on the shelf
at private liquor stores as well as at the winery.
On Saturday, May 2nd the winery is holding its Spring Dinner.
Join them for an intimate dining experience in the warm,
Tuscan-style tasting room with live music being performed by the
William Leggott Jazz Trio. Seating is limited to 20 guests so do
book early to avoid disappointment. Non-refundable payment is
required at time of booking. Tickets are $125.00 each and include
taxes and gratuity. You can complete your weekend by booking a stay
at “The Villa at Hester Creek” which offers deluxe accommodation in
beautifully appointed executive suites.
Contact [email protected] for further booking
information. The wine shop is open for tastings daily 10am to
5:30pm.
2007 Pinot Blanc $16.09 �Clean and fresh on the nose with
aromas of white peach. You’ll find green apple and hints of
nectarine on the palate lingering on the delicate finish. Ideal as
an aperitif or with quiches and delicate fish dishes such as
trout.
2006 Cabernet /Merlot $16.09 �This wine is a classic Bordeaux
blend
of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and is a very
approachable and easy to drink wine. Good fruit, a nice touch of
oak and smooth tannins, make this a good match for most red meat
dishes.
2005 Reserve Cabernet Franc $25.09 �This is a complex red. It
reveals
aromas of red and black fruit namely raspberry and blackberry
with hints of vanilla. The palate shows similar fruits with hints
of malt and anise. This wine is delicious and would pair
beautifully with chicken, duck and pork dishes.
~ Mike Lee
WINEMAKER BELIEVES IN LETTING THE GRAPES EXPRESS THEMSELVES
ootal nne.mmeeinn
lleyy yyyterr tooo
nntlyy fof rr
mme.kkerr eers’ ndd iionn
The tasting room at Hester Creek.
Elena makes visiting to Silver Sage super fun!