Early indications are that this year’s 33rd Fall Okanagan Wine Festival will be a great success, with several of the flagship events sold out weeks ahead of time.
Blair Baldwin, general manager of the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society, says they moved some events to larger venues this year to accommodate more people, and they’re glad that decision was made.
Already, both nights of the WestJet Wine Tastings in Kelowna the first weekend are sold out and those events sold out earlier than ever before, said Baldwin.
The Harvest Reds and B.C. Cheese event is also sold out.
The B.C. Wine Awards reception Oct. 3, which kicks off the festival, was moved this year from the Rotary Centre for the Arts into the Laurel Packinghouse next door, which can accommodate more than double the number of people, and it’s already half full.
“It’s looking extremely good for this year,” he commented.
A feature of the festival’s 150 or more events are the wine and food pairings such as La Bussola’s Oct. 2 Barrel Tasting Dinner with Tyler Harlton Wines. It will be a three course dinner with four wines presented by the proprietor and the winemaker, at La Bussola Restaurant on Ellis Street in downtown Kelowna.
Sommelier and co-owner Luigi Coccaro says they are also presenting the wines of two Oliver wineries, LaStella and Le Vieux Pin with a six course food pairing with three wines from each winery. It’s on Oct. 10. Tickets for both events are available through the restaurant.
Okanagan Spirits is offering something a little different: a Winetender’s MixOff. Bartenders will pair up with the best local wines in a competition to mix up a winning cocktail, and you get to vote for your favourite drink.
It’s Tues., Oct. 8 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Laurel Packinghouse. There’ll be live music, drinks and appetizers. Tickets are available at: www.smartbetty.com/winetender
In the Central Okanagan, there are also dinners and lunches and wine tastings at many local restaurants and wineries, as well as a grape stomp at the House of Rose and an opportunity for young chefs to show off their talents at The Young Chefs at Okanagan College Oct. 10.
For a full list of events, go to: www.thewinefestivals.com or pick up a copy of the events guide wherever local wines are sold.
jsteeves@kelownacapnews.com
