Life is too short to drink bad wine...

Hmmm, let's see Oliver and the Naramata Bench, BC during the Pinot Gris harvest with the weather forecast predicting 25 degrees for the first weekend in October - shall we go? A..yes. Any weekend away with my husband coincidentally also named Oliver and our dear friends Andy and Anna is always no brainer, guaranteed fun, relaxation with good conversation then to throw in my favourite grape the lovely Pinot Gris and that's a weekend away. How to make it more special? Stay in the guest house at the Burrowing Owl Winery on the day they are harvesting the perfectly ripe Pinot Gris grapes. The tractors started rolling at about 5:30 am rousting us from our big fluffy beds, you could feel the vibe in the air, this what the wine makers have been waiting for all year. Nestled on a sandy plateau near the north end of Lake Osoyoos, Burrowing Owl is situated in one of the most highly rated locations for growing grapes in Canada. We strolled through the vineyards, stepping out of the way of container after container of Pinot grapes on their way to crusher. These grapes have 24 hours from the time they are picked until the time they must be safely tucked away into one of the giant stainless steel vats, to start the process of becoming one of my favourite BC wines.

The Burrowing Owl is warm, cozy and built in the style of an adobe structure you would see in New Mexico. Our rooms reflected that same earthy warm feeling, we also had great outdoor space with a small terrace where we sat overlooking  the beautiful pool, with of course, our of glasses of wine while listening to the coyotes howl at dusk, pure magic.

But, what got me really excited the next day was seeing the some of the newer wineries using modern architecture for their tasting rooms. I loved the the use of concrete, stainless steel, aluminium and native Douglas Fir, very harmonious with the dessert like surroundings. Below are some of my favourites, for both wine and modern styling.

Blackhills Estate Winery
http://www.blackhillswinery.com/

Church and State Winery
http://churchandstatewines.com/

Saving my favourite winery for last we were reminded that flash and show is not always necessary in the wine biz. I have been a big fan of Van Westen's Vivacious a delicious blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris since I discovered it at The Pair Bistro in Vancouver in the spring. I was most excited about visiting this particular winery. Following hand painted signs off the main road through the Naramata Bench, we drove down an unassuming dirt road thinking that we must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. Sure enough I see the big V on a nondescript cinder block building, we parked the cars. Holding court inside were the wine makers themselves Robert Van Westen and his wife Tammy. He had holding tanks to build, 2x4's to move and grapes to pick but there he was telling us all about his wine and showing us how he produces these award winning vintages. He wears his passion for his grapes on his sleeve, it's wonderful to see and not to mention taste! The highlight of trip for us all.

Van Westen Winery 

http://www.vanwestenvineyards.com/

I'm inspired to: try some lino print making (from the Burrowing Owl label)

Beautiful: Robert Van Westen, his unabashed love for his grapes and his tousled hair and wrinkled shirt.