Winery Dining – Okanagan Edition

Living in British Columbia, many wine enthusiasts are quite fortunate to live only a 4 hour drive away from ‘Wine Country’, the Okanagan. Over the years, the wineries in this region has produced some pretty great wines. I often like to dine at wineries when I’m in Okanagan, as I find the menus are carefully curated to pair with the wines, which means the food is almost always amazing! I’ve narrowed down 4 wineries worth visiting for a memorable dining experience. I apologize in advance, as I’ve lost a substantial amount of photos from my Okanagan trips, and the few I still have copies of are the lowest qualities, so typical… 😦 But I do remember very well the dishes I’ve tried and pairings with it, so let’s get started! Please keep in mind that winery menus changes frequently, so it is best to check directly with the restaurant to see if the dishes I mentioned here are still available.

Terrafina at Hester Creek Winery

Sitting on top of the mountain, you can view the gorgeous landscape from the patio of the restaurant.

Love the Italian-inspired design here! I came here for lunch and tried a pepperoni filled sandwich similar to hot pockets (not on their current menu though), and also their wood oven baked pizzas (a must try here!). Since the flavours of these dishes were quite strong, I opted for their cabernet franc rosé to pair with the meal.

 

Smoke & Oak Bistro at Wild Goose Vineyards

Their wines didn’t mesh well with my palette, but the view from the bistro here is worth a visit! I came here for lunch and ordered their ‘Okanagan Harvest’, which features local cheese & charcuterie with house made condiments. I paired it with a Gewürztraminer.

 

Terrace at Mission Hill Winery

The restaurant! Isn’t the view just amazing!? Perfect views of the lake.

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I ordered the Haida Gwaii Halibut (best halibut dish I’ve ever had! I still remember that taste vividly up until now) with a squash puree sauce, pairing it with a flight. Reserve Riesling, 2011 Reserve Pinot Gris, and 2012 Martin’s Lane Viognier  You can see the flight in the middle photo of this collage.

This is the tasting room they had for their ‘special’ wines.

 

Sonora Room at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery

If you’re arriving around dinner time (like I did), the wine shop will be closed. BUT, you can speak with the front desk of the accommodation building (yes you can book a suite here!), maybe they will let you in like they did for me so I could pick up a few bottles and did a quick tasting 🙂

What a view!

I ordered the 2008 Pinot Noir and 2008 Chardonnay since we ordered both flavourful dishes and also seafood. I also recommend trying their Meritage as well if you’re really into reds. It was too much for me beyond a simple sample in the tasting room, but definitely a treat for those who appreciate a nice ‘old Italian’ strong red.

A bacon and biscuit starter, compliments of the chef.

A Tasting of Duck – Yarrow Meadow Farms Duck Leg Rillettes, Smoke Duck Breast, Foie Gras Torchon, Poached Stone Fruits, Toasted Brioche, and Plum Mustard. This dish was very interesting and you can definitely tell the thought the chef put into coming up with this dish. I paired it with the 2008 Pinot Noir because of its strong flavours.

Clams Vesuvius – Steamed Outlandish Manila Clams, Black Garlic, Cherry Tomatoes, and Chilies. I paired the 2008 Pinot Noir with this other flavourful dish.

Poached Arctic Char – Road 17 Arctic Char, Saffron Soubise, Fresh Peas, Wild Rice Crunch, and Crispy Chick Peas. Paired with the 2008 Chardonnay was simply perfection!

Dining here during dinner time meant that I was able to witness a beautiful sunset!

Cheesecake Taco – Fruit Salsa, Sweet Chili Sauce, and Molé.

Napoleon – Strawberries, Hazelnut Puff Pastry, Crème Fraîche Mousse, and Basil & White Chocolate Ice Cream. The basil ice cream was an interesting approach to ice cream, I loved it!

When our bill came, so did these yummy chocolates!

Inside of the restaurant. I would definitely recommend requesting for a table outside for the views, just like at the other winery restaurants!

The pool and hot tub for guests staying at the winery suites

 

Dining at wineries is such a nice little treat, not only because the food is incredibly delicious, but the view is just that relaxing, especially during the summer! Why not plan your next weekend getaway out here? There are a few winery dining experiences to try for my next trips, including the bistro at Liquidity Winey and Grapevine Restaurant at Gray Monk Winery!

With a view like this, how can you not want to visit the Okanagan?