Story by Adrian Brijbassi, Vacay.ca managing editor
Justin Hall reaches for a bottle of white wine and gazes at it the way an Olympian might look at a medal. The bottle marks years of effort and determination to reach a pinnacle of achievement.
That summit was attained in March when NK91裸聊视频橫ip Cellars earned its first gold award at the Chardonnay du Monde competition, held annually in France.
| Justin Hall is ready to pour a glass of NK91裸聊视频橫ip Cellars wines. The winemaker has helped the winery grow into one of the top labels in Canada. (Adrian Brijbassi/Vacay.ca) |
There were 52 gold-medal winners in total; the top two entrants 91裸聊视频� Liquidity Wines91裸聊视频� Reserve Chardonnay and Kalala Organic Estate Winery91裸聊视频檚 Chardonnay Icewine 91裸聊视频� were also from the Okanagan Valley. For NK91裸聊视频橫ip Cellars, the gold medal is just the latest accolade for an operation that has become used to notoriety.
The enterprise grew from a curiosity as the first Aboriginal-owned and -operated winery in North America to what is undisputedly one of Canada91裸聊视频檚 finest winemaking brands. In 2016, it was named Intervin Canadian Winery of the Year, and has earned numerous top five honours during its nearly two decades of existence. Hall credits consistency in all aspects of the winemaking process 91裸聊视频� including in personnel 91裸聊视频� for NK91裸聊视频橫ip91裸聊视频檚 success.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 good to have recognition and assurance that we are doing good work. This is about consistency. We have three winemakers who have been working together for 15 years and that91裸聊视频檚 nearly unheard of in this industry.
| The NK91裸聊视频橫ip Cellars Tasting Room features decor depicting symbols with cultural meaning to the Okanagan Nation. (Nic Amaya photo for Vacay.ca) |
That familiarity allows us to shoot ideas off each other constantly and we also have different approaches to winemaking, so when we collaborate we91裸聊视频檙e each bringing a different perspective to the process,91裸聊视频� says Hall, who is an Indigenous winemaker from the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB), which owns NK91裸聊视频橫ip Cellars in partnership with Arterra Wines Canada.
91裸聊视频淥ver time, you build a database in your mind on how you sculpt and craft your wines. That91裸聊视频檚 where we91裸聊视频檙e at now. We know based on the type of season we91裸聊视频檝e had and our past experience what the wine is going to be like before we even begin the process of putting it in the barrel.91裸聊视频�
NK91裸聊视频橫ip Cellars produces 18,000 cases of wine a year, remaining a boutique operation. Hall and Randy Picton are the primary winemakers and Aaron Crey, who is a member of the St贸:l艒 Nation near Chilliwack, is the supervisor of cellar operations. Together, they have gained a deep understanding of their line of products, their grapes, and the terroir of the South Okanagan.
Visitors to NK91裸聊视频橫ip Cellars have the opportunity for an education themselves through an immersive walk through the winery91裸聊视频檚 processes and the Indigenous culture of the region.
| The Perfect Union tasting experience includes the chance to savour NK91裸聊视频橫ip Cellars wines that are only available at the winery and local cheeses from the South Okanagan. (Adrian Brijbassi/Vacay.ca) |
The tasting room and cellar are next to , a luxury resort that is the first property in Canada to join 91裸聊视频� marketed as a 91裸聊视频渁 global collection of unique and story-worthy stay experiences.91裸聊视频� Spirit Ridge is in an ideal location for exploring the wine culture of the South Okanagan.
The hotel includes spacious units, family-friendly amenities as well as spa facilities and a full-service restaurant. A few steps away is the , where the Indigenous community honours its past and showcases its heritage with artifacts and storytelling.
In partnership with Arterra, NK91裸聊视频橫ip has created one of the most unique wine experiences in Canada. Its tasting room is decorated with OIB symbols. Beneath it is the on-site barrel room where special dinners and other activities take place amid the wines being aged.
The indulgences include tasting experiences that showcase more than just NK91裸聊视频橫ip91裸聊视频檚 wines. The Perfect Union tasting includes wines paired with local cheeses and served in the NK91裸聊视频橫ip cellar. In the Land to Legacy Tour, visitors can learn about the full scope of the winemaking process, sample six of NK91裸聊视频橫ip91裸聊视频檚 wines, including its Riesling Icewine, and tour the winery91裸聊视频檚 facilities before or after visiting the NK91裸聊视频橫ip Desert Cultural Centre.
While the tasting room and its patio overlooks vineyards and Lake Osoyoos, most of the grapes used in the NK91裸聊视频橫ip wines are found in Oliver along the Black Sage Bench, considered the premier viticulture area in the nation.
Sam Baptiste, a former chief of the OIB, was among the Indigenous workers who cleared the land for vineyard production decades ago. He was in high school in 1968 when he picked rocks from the ground and then took on the early chores of establishing a vineyard: pruning grapevines, pounding posts into the ground, and putting in anchors to keep them steady.
| NK91裸聊视频橫ip Cellars tasting experiences provide visitors an opportunity to indulge in boutique wines while also learning about winemaking and Indigenous agricultural practices. (Photo courtesy of NK91裸聊视频橫ip Cellars) |
91裸聊视频淲e still handpick. We91裸聊视频檒l have up to 80 people in one day picking, just like we91裸聊视频檝e always done,91裸聊视频� says Baptiste, the general manager at NK91裸聊视频橫ip Vineyards in Oliver, which is wholly owned by the OIB. The earliest grapes were sold to other wineries in the Okanagan before the OIB elders decided to get into the winemaking business themselves.
After those years of effort and diligence, the NK91裸聊视频橫ip name 91裸聊视频� which means 91裸聊视频淏ottomland91裸聊视频� in recognition of the location at the southern tip of Lake Osoyoos 91裸聊视频� has established itself as an esteemed label.
91裸聊视频淧eople have come to trust our brand,91裸聊视频� Hall says. 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 largely because they know what to expect when they get a bottle from us. That goes back to having 15 years of trial and error, of learning what works, of having consistency in our label. In the end, it91裸聊视频檚 what we91裸聊视频檙e after.91裸聊视频�
MORE ABOUT SPIRIT RIDGE,
UNBOUND COLLECTION BY HYATT
Location: 1200 Rancher Creek Road, Osoyoos, BC
Website:
Telephone: 250-495-5445
Room Rates: A search on the property91裸聊视频檚 booking engine returned a nightly rate of $256 for a June weekend.
: The Perfect Union wine-and-cheese tasting costs $25 per person and is an excellent way to learn about NK91裸聊视频橫ip91裸聊视频檚 wines and the local cheeses available in the valley. Also, there are standard tastings that include a sample of five wines for $5 or a sample of Riesling Icewine for $3 (standard tasting fees are waived with the purchase of a bottle).
: Visitors can learn about the full scope of the winemaking process, sample six of NK91裸聊视频橫ip91裸聊视频檚 wines, including the Riesling Icewine, and tour the winery91裸聊视频檚 facilities for $15 per adult.
WIN A PRIVATE LONGTABLE DINNER WITH CELEBRITY CHEF RICH FRANCIS
You and three friends have a chance to experience Canada91裸聊视频檚 premier Indigenous chef, Rich Francis, as he brings his culinary talents to Spirit Ridge and the Nk91裸聊视频橫ip Desert Cultural Centre in Osoyoos on June 9, 2018, for an outdoor longtable dinner like no other.
Dine under the stars next to teepees and traditional pit houses, and feel the warmth of legendary Osoyoos Indian Band hospitality. Chef Rich Francis promises to inspire with Indigenous flavours and modern twists.
Winners and their party are put up for the night in a suite courtesy of Spirit Ridge. Three prizes to be won. Don91裸聊视频檛 miss your chance to be part of this phenomenal and unique dining experience with this Top Chef Canada finalist.
MORE COVERAGE
Destiny Matches Winemakers and the South Okanagan
Immigrants from India, farmers devoted to sustainability, and Indigenous community members have turned the grape-growing regions of Oliver and Osoyoos into global success stories.
Osoyoos Indian Band Cultivates Success
The grape-growing land of the South Okanagan resides in the traditional territory of the Osoyoos Indian Band, which is a community of about 540 members within the Okanagan Nation, and their agricultural practices and spirituality tied to the land have been important in cultivating the crops that have led to such success for many in the region. .
This is the second of an expanded content series focusing on travel to Osoyoos and the South Okanagan. It was created in partnership with the Osoyoos Indian Band, Destination Osoyoos, Arterra Wines Canada and NK91裸聊视频橫ip Cellars, and the Oliver-Osoyoos Wine Association.
