Dubbed one of the Canada’s best winter parties by MSN Travel the annual Winter Okanagan Wine Festival at Sun Peaks celebrates British Columbia wine paired with local cuisine in a spectacular alpine setting.
Now in its 17th year, the festivities offer something for every taste from Jan. 16 to 25, including quintessential winter experiences planned with over 30 wineries at the height of ski season.
A boon to oenophiles, foodies and outdoor aficionados, festival guests can enjoy Sun Peaks Resort’s spectacular new terrain. The resort now ranks as the second largest in Canada, growing to 4,270 acres of in-bound ski terrain with the addition of over 500 acres for the upcoming season. Infused with mountain personality, the festival celebrates both the rough and tumble and the sophisticated sides of Canada’s Alpine Village.
Not content to sample varietals around ordinary tables, the festival’s famous progressive tasting takes over 650 participants into the mountain air and ski-through village to taste B.C. wineries’ diverse offerings. Plus, new this year are Vertical Goes Vino and I Heard It Through the Grapevine. Several events have already sold out, being snapped up shortly after they became available, including one of the traditional favourites Port, Chocolate & Cheese: After the Après Social and the brand new Explorer Series.
Tickets are still available for the remaining 18 events but are going quickly. Guests are encouraged to book early to avoid missing out.
“The Sun Peaks Winter Okanagan Wine Festival is truly a quintessential British Columbian Festival to start your new year. After a fantastic day skiing at one of the world’s best resorts, the idea of relaxing to delectable B.C. wine and cuisine is proving to be very popular,” said Blair Baldwin, general manager of the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society. “It’s the perfect way to embrace winter in an intimate environment with the tastemakers behind our award-winning wines and food. And with advance sales looking their strongest ever in 17 years before the mountain has even opened for the season, this great winter party will definitely please the après ski gods.”
One of the largest winter gatherings of B.C. wineries with well over 100 different wines, the popular festival is showing ticket sales already 30 per cent ahead of last year. Tickets range from $29 to $130, with packages including accommodation starting at $149 per person, per night. For complete event listings go to www.sunpeaksresort.com/wine-festival.
“Inviting dozens of B.C. wineries and hundreds of wine festival guests to explore our winter playground is a highlight here every winter,” says Brandi Schier, media specialist with Tourism Sun Peaks. “This year, we are looking forward to the inclusion of three of Kamloops’ newest wineries as well as guests discovering our new and challenging terrain in-between some of the exciting new events and traditional favourites.”
The B.C. wineries participating this year include: 40 Knots Vineyard and Estate Winery Inc., Bartier Family Vineyards Ltd., Bella Wines, Bench 1775, Cana Vines, Castoro de Oro Estate Winery, Covert Farms Family Estate, Dirty Laundry Vineyards, Fort Berens Estate Winery, Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery, Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery, Harper’s Trail, Kismet Estate Winery, Little Straw Vineyards, Meadow Vista Honey Winery, Misconduct Wine Co., Mission Hill Family Estate, Moon Curser Vineyards, Monte Creek Ranch Winery, Privato Vineyard and Winery, Recline Ridge Vineyards and Winery Ltd., Rivers Stone Estate Winery, Road 13 Vineyards, Rollingdale Winery, Silkscarf Winery, Sonoran Estate Winery, Sperling Vineyards, St Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Sunnybrae Vineyards and Winery, Tantalus Vineyards, Thornhaven Estates Winery, Volcanic Hills Winery, and Wild Goose Vineyards.
