Our 5th Annual Okanagan Wine Buying Trip. It's Going to be a Very Red Christmas.

For our fifth annual Okanagan wine tour we returned to Summerland and the Bottleneck Drive.  starting out on the first day of summer we found it wasn't as hot as our early fall visits had been.  We were hoping not to worry so much about the heat cooking our wine and  also find less wine SOLD OUT.  I'd say we were successful because I'm feeling very smug about my purchases.  

Day 1 we visited Bonitas for tasting and lunch and Okanagan Crush Pad for tasting.  We liked Bonitas and had a bottle of their Gewurztraminer with lunch on the patio.  

The warm crab and goat cheese dip served with flatbread and veggies was given a thumbs up by everyone at the table.

                                                                                                           

I liked the beet and orange salad with goat cheese rolled in walnuts and honey balsamic but I LOVED the oyster add on.  

David thought the basil crusted tuna nicoise was one of the best dishes of the weekend.  

The pasta special with rose sauce, prawn and sausage was also a hit.  

Okanagan Crush Pad is an interesting place with creative ideas and some kick ass international consultants.  Pay attention, they're doing BIG THINGS.  I'll stop every time I pass.   They have some comfy outdoor furniture and start the tasting with a glass of their excellent Pinot Gris served tableside.  A very nice touch.  Then they give you a $5 card for use in their Enoteca machine.  They had 8 wines in the machine and you could get a $1 or $2 pour.   Novel and fun.  They follow up with a tour of the winery but it was a full house and we had a date at the spa.  Next time.  I bought a bottle of The Bub by Haywire to try at TTG's Friday's winedown.

We were staying at The Summerland Waterfront Resort so had dinner at Local Restaurant there.  They have a new chef and a new menu and it needs work.  We've loved that restaurant in the past and I'm sure they'll work out the kinks.  Great wine list.