Image Credit: Okanagan Wine Festivals Society
March 22, 2016 - 7:00 AM
OKANAGAN - From ‘Pilates and Pinot’ to an Iron Chef-inspired wine pairing competition, there’s something for everyone at the upcoming Spring Wine Festival.
The 22nd annual festival runs from April 28 to May 8 and offers numerous events to help you taste your way through Okanagan wine country.
There are several new events to check out this year, according to a media release from the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society, including: Pilates and Pinot in the lakeside vineyard of Evolve Cellars, Start Your Own Dynasty at the Hatch Winery, Asian Street Food with wine and cider pairings at the View Winery, Pinosity tasting and seminar at Stag’s Hollow Winery, Hops, Grapes and Grub with Miradoro’s chef, and the finale on Mother’s Day with a Rosé Brunch at Watermark Beach Resort.
The Best of Varietal Wine Awards kicks off the festival on Thursday, April 28, with a record number of entries expected. This is followed by the iconic WestJet Wine Tastings on April 29 and 30, which offers live music and a lively atmosphere with wineries from across the entire valley all under one roof. Later in the week on May 7, a foodie favourite, Iron Sommelier B.C. is a palate pleasing opportunity to taste and then vote for the best sommelier pairing of gourmet fare with B.C. wine.
“We as a winery look forward to the Spring Festival as it starts our season off with a bang,” Larry Gerelus, co-owner of Stag’s Hollow Winery says in the release. “We’ve been a winery member for almost 20 years, and a consumer before that. The Wine Festival is an excellent opportunity for wine lovers to be the first to try new vintages, take in a number of fun events and enjoy the Okanagan vineyards as they come to life.”
President and CEO of the Thompson-Okanagan Tourism Region Glenn Mandziuk says the event marks the start of the early summer season, attracting guests from around the country and the world.
“We applaud the wine industry for their efforts in creating such dynamic programming that directly assists in our goal to increase regional visitation outside the peak six week summer period,” Mandziuk said.
Find out more about the festival and order tickets here.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016