Day 21 Western Adventure

Day 21

We cannot believe this is our last full day in the Okanogan Valley.. We have had an amazing time at our B&B with Tom and Lynn, taking in the views, and touring the numerous wineries…

This morning Lynn (cooked) and Tom (served) baked pear with cinnamon, blueberries and honey yogurt to start. That was followed by fresh baked citrus and fruit muffins; then we were served a waffle loaded with mixed fresh fruit and a side of sausage. I forgot my camera (again), so tomorrow, on our last day, I have vowed to remember.

While, we won’t list all the wineries we visited today (don’t want people to think we have a problem…), we will talk about some of the highlights. Today, we headed to the Naramata area of the region. We began at Therapy Vineyards (like the name). We purchased the Freudian Slip and the Pink Freud – love the names and labels.

Neighbours to Therapy, is Serendipity (names and labels a “play” on Sir Isaac Newton) – a small winery owned by a former Toronto lawyer who changed professions and relocated. She offered us an extra taste of the Cab Franc (Todd’s favourite), but it didn’t compare to NOTL Cab Francs. We opted for the Sauvignon Blanc, the Pinot Noir, and the 2008 Serenata (a Bordeaux Blend to cellar).

We shared a light lunch at Red Rooster Winery before sampling their wines. We enjoyed a mixed green salad with a balsamic dressing and a plate of couscous, marinated chicken skewers, flatbread and hummus – very Middle Eastern (memories of Egypt..).

Across the road was Ruby Blues – very 60s / funky. The wines were okay, but the draw was the old van they have parked at their entrance.

Although Mission Hill is within walking distance of the B&B, we stopped with the truck because carrying wine back to the B&B would have been too much. (That’s a huge difference in the terrain here compared to NOTL – very hilly). The architecture of the winery is impressive.

You pass through the main gate, then the arched entrance into the courtyard. Straight ahead is the bell tower and terrace. To the right is the open-air restaurant, to the left, the tasting room, and other areas of the winery (education centre, amphitheatre, and barrel cellars). The vista – breathtaking – high on a hill, overlooking the lake and mountains beyond…

We sampled 5 of their premier wines and decided on 3 Syrah to take home and 3 of the Rosé for the journey home. The Quatrain was very nice, but it is available in Ontario, so we didn’t pick any up. I also bought something (Betsy has been questioning my lack of purchases) – a wine bottle holder…it’s a bear lying on his back, with his arms and legs positioned to hold a bottle to his mouth…

Quails here are like robins back home – there are a lot. They are so adorable as they scurry across the lawns and streets – Todd and I call them the “chipmunk” birds..irresistible to watch. Mamma is always looking after her babies, leading them here and there, and Papa isn’t too far off keeping an eye on all of them.

Dinner was at Mission Hill (we walked). The view is specular as you sit above the vineyards looking down into the valley with Lake Okanogan and the mountains beyond. We paired our food with suggested wine pairings on the menu. I started with the beet appetizer – beets done five different ways including a purée and foam. Todd started with a beef tartare that was accompanied with tomato brioche.

Both were very good. For our mains, Todd chose the Elk dish that came with tortellini – tasty – he could have had a few more… I chose the Duck plate – great choice…two nice sized pieces of honey glazed duck with mascarpone polenta.

For dessert we split our favourite – Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée with blueberry preserve and a ginger biscuit…a perfect ending to the meal…

Tomorrow…we are in for a long drive as we head to Jasper (about 7 1/2 hours of driving…).