Virtual wine school is in session with the wineries in Oliver-Osoyoos Wine Country
During these pandemic days we have been learning to adapt and make do with the current lifestyle changes. Here in wine country, we are ordering wines online (good thing!), learning about wines online (good thing!) and still choosing to support our local wineries, breweries and distilleries while we imbibe at home (very good thing).
To aid you in your home wine studies, Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country has launched a podcast series and online interactive tastings with wine educator Moss Scheurkogel. Moss is the founder of Oliver’s wine school, The Vinstitute, that offers tastings and lessons on-site at an operating winery and vineyard.
The Uncork The Sun Podcast Series is downloadable from their website, and the monthly interactive tastings will be held on Facebook Live with Moss.
“We are excited to partner with The Vinstitute to launch the first podcast series dedicated to our region, as well as live virtual tastings,” says Jennifer Busmann, executive director of Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country. “We have incredible potential to create world-class wines here at the very southern tip of the Okanagan Valley, and a rich tapestry of characters, techniques and varietals to share. We want to bring those stories to life with this in-depth look at what makes us stand out.”
This is the perfect time to really explore the incredible range of wineries, terroir and people behind the labels. The 30-minute podcast episodes will be released every other Friday and can be found on online, as well as iTunes, Spotify and other notable podcast apps. Episode 1 is available now (click here) and will look at how to create and maintain a personal wine cellar, guiding listeners to discover which wines have the best aging potential, and which wines should be enjoyed now. Episode 2 explores the concept of terroir and will be released on Friday May 8.
The monthly live virtual wine tastings will feature the 44 wineries that make up the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association. The first virtual tasting was on Tuesday, April 28 at 7 p.m., on Facebook Live (click here) and featured the Golden Mile Bench’s Gehringer Brothers Pinot Noir and Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Pinot Gris. The second virtual tasting will be on Tuesday, May 26 at 7 p.m. and will focus on rosé wines and spring pairings, with wines from Black Hills Estate Winery, Oliver Twist Estate Winery and vinAmite Cellars.
Once you learn more about these wines, you can jump onto their websites and order online to have your own tasting at home. And, just think how wine smart you are going to be after these days of isolation are over.
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