Happy Friday! I’m ecstatic because I am currently celebrating a four day weekend. Not only am I celebrating a four day weekend on an actual weekend (rare in the hospitality industry), we also bought a new wine ride yesterday – a 2003 Mazda 4 x 4. Now, I’ve yet to break it to Wanda that I’ve been cheating on her. She’s a great ‘ole gal but it’s time she retire. I’m sure it will sting a bit that her replacement (not that my dear old van could ever be replaced) is 20 years her junior but wine cases are heavy and Eddie, the Mazda, has a nice size truck bed that is covered with a canopy and will hold a cooler, or air mattress for camping, just perfectly.
Wanda has served us better than we could have ever imagined but we just can’t bare to make her climb any more mountains, though I’d like to find a small piece of land (that isn’t my front yard) to park her on so we can, from time to time, go enjoy some wine and camp in the comfort of her while she’s parked on a bank overlooking some water. Anyone have any land they wish to donate to Wanda? Otherwise I see her soon becoming part of a Quebecois family of transient fruit pickers.
The tears over Wanda’s retirement are drying quickly as I plan Eddie’s first Okanagan wine touring day-trip! We’re heading south tomorrow so I can practice some of those touring tricks and tips I told you about in my last couple of posts. It’s that time of year again where I get a grand deal or two at a few sister wineries. While we’re out, I’m thinking we might as well explore some of the other goodness the south Okanagan wineries have to offer. So the plan is to head south as soon as we can tomorrow, after a few necessities are taken care of. My list is ambitious and I’m breaking my own rules by organizing a list longer than three wineries but I know in my tour, after a couple of stops, a couple more stops will get knocked off the list and put on the “next time” list. Right now the list stands at a couple wineries I’ve visited before and a few that I’ve been dying to try out.
The List:
Nk’Mip – I’ve told you repeatedly how much I love Nk’Mip wines. This entire southerly trip is planned around our Nk’Mip visit. I just hope the rain holds off so we can enjoy a wine flight and delicious eats on their patio before I fill up a mixed case to bring home…there will most definitely be some Pinot Noir and buttery Chardonnay (don’t judge me, I like unoaked too) in this case.
Mooncurser – Last fall I had the chance to indulge in a taste of Mooncurser’s Bordeaux red blend, Border Vines. I loved it instantly. I immediately grabbed a bottle as the tasting was at a VQA store. I am excited to visit them and enjoy their dark and tall tales while tasting (and spitting) their portfolio.
Young & Wyse – I don’t know much about this winery other than what I’ve read. I’m not overly familiar with their product but in wine publications and online they always catch my eye. I like the experienced family run approach and look forward to trying their selections.
See Ya Later Ranch:Now, I’ve been to the ranch a number of times, it is magical at the top of the mountain. And I’m excited to try the road uphill to the winery with Eddie as opposed to Wanda (the local cyclists could peddle up the hill faster). I know the wines well and some of the folks even better. This is more of a stop to visit a friend but I will be leaving with a case of tasty, tasty wine.
If there is time I’d love to swing a stop at Meyer Family Vineyards. It might not happen this trip but I definitely want to get here. They focus on Burgundy style wines – mmmm Pinot Noir, plus the gal of the family was in my last wine class and I’d love to pay a visit.
So until I’ve tasted, so long! I’ll let you know what I enjoy and where we end up stopping. Now we’re off to find a good canoeing lake for Sunday – it’s a bit easier to load the canoe onto Eddie than Wanda.
Happy sipping!
vine, wine & wander 