When my wife and I headed to Windsor, Ontario three years ago, I reached out to a friend familiar with the region’s wine scene for winery recommendations. Without hesitation, he said Muscedere, located just north of Harrow near the north shore of Lake Erie.
On our first visit, Melissa Muscedere was working in the tasting room and she made an impression on both of us. Friendly, outgoing and full of information she was a joy to chat with. During our second visit a year later, she was away in Italy, but the following year we reconnected. This time, she mentioned that she would be in Kelowna two months later on her way to a wedding in Edmonton. It would be her first visit to BC. I asked her to contact me when she arrived and that I’d be happy to tour her around.
By the time she landed in Vancouver for a short visit with friends, Melissa had already received several winery recommendations, and I added a few more to that list. I met Melissa and her cousin, Tina at Quails’ Gate where they stopped for lunch, drawn by the picturesque views of the lake.
Tina remarked on the stunning scenery, which set the perfect stage for their first BC wine adventure. They each ordered a flight of 4 wines, one white and one red. They said the whites were the standouts as well as the dry rosé. To accompany the wines, they ordered mussels, Wagyu tartare, octopus, and the Dungeness crab risotto, all of which impressed them with their superb quality.
Our first stop was Ciao Bella, a winery I knew would delight them with its unique wines and the opportunity to meet a fellow Italiano, Roberto Fiume. Both Melissa and Tina were charmed by the winery and felt a strong connection with the owners.
Tina noted how it evoked the warm, personal touch they experienced at Muscedere. They appreciated the Fiume family’s commitment to keeping the Italian traditions alive and saw the love they had infused into their wines.
Standouts for the pair included the Pinot Grigio, Pinot Rosato (Rosé), and the Pinozannte (Sparkling). All were clean, crisp and refreshing.
Unfortunately, a small roadside forest fire prevented us from travelling south that day so we headed to nearby Mission Hill, where the stunning setting left a lasting impression. Tina remarked on the grandeur of the winery, and Melissa echoed, “What a beautiful winery with an amazing view!”
Then we made a quick hop over to Mount Boucherie. This visit was spur of the moment so I wasn’t able to arrange for them to meet winemaker Jeff Hundertmark, General Manager Jesse Harnden, or Vice President Craig McCulloch, three great guys that they would have enjoyed meeting. Nevertheless, we headed down to the tasting room and sampled some delightful wines. Their favourites included the Meritage and Syrah.
Notably, the duo was intrigued by the Blaufränkisch, a “. . . great light summer wine with its blueberry notes”.
They were also impressed by the age-worthy Summit, appreciating the story of how it is blended from the best of the best.
While on the Westside we were able to squeeze in a quick stop at Crown and Thieves. Melissa and Tina loved the cool 1920s speakeasy vibe. Here they sampled four wines noting that the Gamay had a different style than what they had anticipated. They enjoyed the Riesling; while the Gewürztraminer surprised them with its distinct flavour; however, the Cabernet Franc was the highlight, along with the Dimber Damber (aka head gangster) Meritage, which became Tina’s favourite.
Despite being past closing time, the ladies were open to visiting more wineries, so we headed to Lake Country where they explored, Intrigue, Peak Cellars, 50th Parallel, Gray Monk, and Arrowleaf.
The following day, we travelled south to Summerland, just a 45-minute drive away, where I had arranged a few appointments for them. Our first stop was at Solvero where we enjoyed a pleasant meeting with winemaker and general manager, Alison Moyes. Solvero focuses on quality through low production and specializes in clonal expressions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir along with some Pinot Gris.
Melissa and Tina were impressed with the four wines they tasted.
Melissa found the Pinot Gris clean and crisp, while the Chardonnay was nicely oaked and perfectly suited for pairing with buttered popcorn.
They also enjoyed the bone-dry Rosé, which was a great summer sipper, with balanced acidity for food pairing or standalone enjoyment.
Tina’s favourites were the Rosé and the Pinot Noir and both were admiring the layout and functionality of the winery and loved the labels depicting the various vineyards.
Although no one was at Garnet Valley Ranch, I was able to give them a brief tour of the property.
They were awestruck by the spectacular scenery and surprised by the variety of activities available – ATV tours, horseback riding, and Airstream glamping. Amazing view. Both expressed a keen interest in returning.
Next, we made our way to Dirty Laundry Winery. A friend had previously gifted them a bottle of Bordello, a red blend which had become an inside joke, so they were eager to visit and pick up another bottle. During a quick tasting session, they enjoyed the charming concept and backstory. Their impressions included that the Syrah was lighter than anticipated, and the wines were notably good – particularly the Sauvignon Blanc and Bordello. They both agreed that the Sauvignon Blanc was the standout, crisp, aromatic, and fruit-forward.
Our final stop on Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive wine route was Haywire, at the Okanagan Crush Pad, where they were fortunate to sit down with winemaker, Matt Dumayne. Matt treated them to an extensive tasting that included bubbles, whites, reds, and some new ready-to-drink (RTDs) offerings appealing to a younger market.
The standouts here included the Chardonnay and the Blanc de Blanc.
As Tina said, “At Haywire, we had a fantastic experience, trying a dizzying array of wines – bubbles, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and even their gin, brandy, and fortified wine. We felt truly pampered! We also sampled their new iced tea and Haskap wine and enjoyed a lively discussion with the winemaker about the differences between BC and Ontario regulations.”
Unfortunately, a significant traffic jam caused us to arrive in Kelowna too late for our appointment at SpearHead – a disappointment after hearing so many wonderful things about their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines.
As their BC adventure concluded, my two friends left with lots of well-wrapped wine in their suitcases, undoubtedly excited to share their BC acquisitions with friends and family when they returned home.
Some closing thoughts from Melissa:
- BC loves BC wine. All the restaurants they went to had a good selection of BC wines and for the most part, BC wines are readily available in government and private stores. This is not the case in Ontario.
- BC Wineries are easy to find with good highway signage (not allowed in Ontario).
- Wines in BC have a higher price point than Lake Erie North Shore
- Regulations are very different from Essex County
Tina is now a converted, enthusiastic fan of BC wines. She was greatly impressed by the breadth and depth of the wines and the consistent quality. She marvelled at the natural beauty of the land – the mountains and the serene lake.
Tina also said, “Downtown Kelowna is a busy happening place with lots to do. It was fun to walk around by the water, enjoy an ice cream and take in the views that reminded us of Hvar, Croatia.”
(All photos – Sam Hauck)
