We had a winery-packed afternoon here in Osoyoos...and were treated like real-life VIPs...
9:00, Susan, Suzie, Cindy, and I took off from McDonald's on Sumas Way in Abbotsford. We didn't make any stops, but we did manage to have a lot of laughs. We even remembered all the words to Meatloaf's Paradise by the Dashboard Lights.
Kathleen's gal pals: Susan, Suzie, and Cindy
1:30, Nk'Mip: Wanda Leary left the tasting bar to show us around and share her knowledge about North America's first Aboriginal-owned and operated winery that overlooks Osoyoos Lake and acres of vineyard. We tasted several wines in their Riedel Room, including Cindy's two favourites, the unoaked 2007 QwAM QwMT (kwem kwampt) unoaked chardonnay ($24.99) and the Winemaker's Series 2006 Merlot ($19.99).
Wanda in the Riedel Room at Nk'Mip
2:30, A & W: We hadn't eaten since breakfast so we figured we'd better stop for a quick burger. Sure, I'd been spitting, but the others hadn't.
3:00, LaStella: Jocelyn Doucette, who is taking a break from her profession as an accountant, poured wines for us in the tasting room and wine maker Daniel Bontorin came out to chat. The three stand-out wines were the 2008 Leggiero unoaked chardonnay ($25.00), 2008 Vivace pinot grigio, and 2006 Maestoso merlot ($85.00).
Jocelyn in the tasting room at LaStella
4:00, Road 13 Vineyards: It was raining, which meant that the tasting room was full of people who were tired of getting wet at the campsites. The crowds didn't bother us, though. We were lucky that cellar master Bailey Williamson took us for a fabulous tour, filled us with all sorts of interesting information, and poured wines for us in the barrel room. The 2008 Riesling ($18.99) was a huge hit with our small crowd, and I loved the 2007 Jack Pot syrah. I thought the syrah was wonderfully meaty and earthy with dark red fruits and pepper. Susan said, "It stinks but tastes good!" And hey...I nearly forgot...I got to spit in the drain! I wasn't too good at it, but it did give the others something to laugh at.
Road 13's cellar master, Bailey Williamson, shares wines with us in the barrel room
5:30, Liquor and grocery stores: We picked up non-wine beverages and some snacks and breakfast foods to take back to Spirit Ridge.
6:00, Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa: Check in and pack all our luggage, groceries, and newly acquired bottles of wine into our lake-view two-bedroom villa. Took some time to look at wedding pictures (all three of Susan's kids got married over the last year), chat, laugh, snack, drink, laugh, chat, and then get ready for dinner.
9:00: Dinner at Passa Tempo, on site at Spirit Ridge.
10:30: Back to the villa, relax, blog, and go to bed to get ready for day two, which is starting with a vineyard walk and barrel tasting at Township 7 Vineyards & Winery.
Good night!