Take me to Tinhorn

On a sunny September morning, I boarded a plane to Tinhorn
Creek Vineyards for the ultimate day trip: wine tasting, vineyard
tour and lunch at Miradoro
restaurant.

YVR > a field in Oliver. (On a private plane – i could get used to that.)

We arrived to a very warm welcome with the Tinhorn team – complete with
a glass of rose and some fresh Okanagan fruit. After a sip and a snack,
we headed out for an expansive tour. Tinhorn has earned a stellar
reputation with both its wine and its environmental achievements: the
winery is certified Salmon Safe, relies on strategy (not sprays) to
control pests, uses recycled cardboard and glass whenever possible,
heavily composts and was the first-ever Canadian winery to be carbon
neutral.

Here we are learning the details of irrigation and why some grapes taste
EXACTLY like red pepper.

Just to be sure, I sampled off this vine. Really, it was like biting
into a red pepper.

And as promised, lunch on the beautiful Miradoro patio. Chef Jeff Van
Geest (formerly of Aurora Bistro) has created a sophisticated menu that
relies heavily on local fare with a nod to Mediterranean influences. We
absolutely loved the melon salad with house-made ricotta, the
Neopolitan-style margherita pizza and grilled flank steak. All with wine
pairings, of course.

We took an afternoon walk to check out the restaurants compost center
(surprisingly clean and unstinky) and then headed to the cellar for our
final tasting.

I wasnt’ told there’d be a quiz, but they went easy on us. We even got
to swirl-and-spit like a pro.

An exceptional day in the Okanagan. And though we were sad to leave this
view behind:

We were more than happy to take a little piece of Tinhorn Creek with us.

For fall wine events, visit iwww.tinhorn.com