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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 thevilla@hestercreek.com 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

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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!