Hidden Wine Region in Okanagan Valley

In 2016 the royals went on a Royal Tour of Canada as part of their commonwealth tour. They made a pit stop in Kelowna and explored a bit of the city to taste the local fare which included their traditional and unique foods and drinks that they had collected from Okanagan Valley. 

About Okanagan Valley

Grape Things/ Pexels | Behind every empty wine bottle is a unique story

The valley is approximately 155 miles long, stretching from the Canadian border in Osoyoos to Vernon, British Columbia. The valley is located about 250 miles east of Vancouver in more precise terms. The place is now the top British Columbian wine region that produces a large scale of award-winning vintage wines worldwide. The vineyard boasts about 80% of the province’s vineyard acreage, stretching out across sub-regions.

The Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Falls, Naramata Bench, and Skaha Bench are regions. Each of these regions has distinct soil and climate condition that is best suited to grow an extensive range of wine which vary from sun-ripened reds to lively fresh grapes and even crip whites.

The valley’s climate is unique because, in the daytime, the temperature reaches up to 40 degrees Celsius. Still, it drops down at night and becomes the ideal temperature to allow grapes to maintain their natural acidity, which is the signature element of the valley. It overall has a continental climate because of its interconnections with the four lakes; Okanagan Lake, Skaha Lake, Vaseux Lake, and Osoyoos Lake. In winters, the temperature quickly falls below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Pixabay/ Pexels | There are around 1,300 varieties of grape that are used to produce wine

Since the valley is located on the northern latitude, it also has longer exposures to direct sunlight, about 14 hours of daylight which is two hours more than the amount of the sun in Napa Valley. The valley offers over 60 different varieties of wine grapes, which range from sparkling wine to still and ice wines. 

Mission Hill Family Estate Winery

The Duke and Duchess visited the Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, a family-run boutique vineyard that offers world-class operations. The estate has been consistently ranked as one of the best international competitors worldwide wineries. The wines are rich in tradition, character, and an authentic taste of the British Columbia Festival. 

Maria das Dores/ Pexels | Historians say that this was when the earliest vineyards were arranged in the Middle East

The Mission Hill Family Estate Winery is situated in the heart of Okanagan Valley. Visitors are warmly welcomed with a glass of wine and are guided to seated tasting to carefully selected reserved wines that depict the diversity of Okanagan Valley and reflect the process of winemaking which is just as old as time.

The wines aim to express a unique winemaking region of Canada and a refuge or a sacred place you could visit to get away from the hurried paces in your daily life. The wines are of high-quality, high value, and you could taste them all across Canada, unlike anything else.