How to Sip and Dine Your Way Through Canada's Okanagan Valley

Take a two-day wine-filled journey through British Columbia’s South Okanagan Valley.

The Okanagan Valley is a place of dramatic contrasts. Formed by glaciers and volcanoes, it’s a destination where lakeside beaches meet bluffs and steep hillsides striped with vines give way to valley floors speckled with stone-fruit orchards. It’s long been a playground for city dwellers in Vancouver and Calgary, who pop over for weekend jaunts, but now, its wineries and farm-to-table restaurants are calling to travelers from all over the world.

If you fly into the valley, you will land at Kelowna International Airport, the region’s urban, modern hub. From there, drive south and watch the strip malls quickly fade in the rearview as wine country unfolds in front of you.

Day 1

Oliver, Golden Mile Bench, Osoyoos

Take a drive: Pick up your rental car and drive south on Highway 97. It’s less than a two-hour drive from Kelowna to Osoyoos if you don’t stop. But where’s the fun in that?

Snag a coffee: Travel through Penticton, a city on an isthmus between Okanagan and Skaha lakes. If you are feeling peckish, stop at Wayne & Freda for a justly famous breakfast sandwich called “The Bacon.”

Photo op: Continue along the highway past McIntyre Bluff, which marks the start of the South Okanagan. From here, the valley opens wide into a sea of undulating ponderosa pines that give way to sagebrush. Pull over for a photo.

Stop for a sip: Hit the brakes at District Wine Village, a hub of several small, independent wineries. Alternatively, meander to Covert Farms Family Estate, a 650-acre regenerative farm and winery nestled against the bluff, and take the tour through orchards and vineyards in their cherry-red 1952 Mercury truck. (This is a fantastic option if you’re traveling with kids.)

Savor a bite: As you continue south, you’ll hit the town of Oliver, aka the “Wine Capital of Canada.” Hungry? Find gloriously overstuffed burritos at El Sabor de Marina, a turquoise food truck parked next to Oliver Global Grocers, where you can also grab hot samosas for around $2 each.

One more taste: Keep to the valley’s west side, in the subregion known as the Golden Mile Bench. Pop in for a plummy Syrah at high-altitude Rust Wine Co., the Chardonnays at CheckMate Artisanal Winery, the silky and powerful Cab Franc at Gold Hill Winery, or the well-​structured red blends at Hester Creek. With chef Adair Scott in charge, Hester Creek’s Tuscan-inspired Terrafina restaurant is also an excellent place to dine.

Stay: Watermark Beach Resort (rooms from $111) is comfortable and conveniently located in downtown Osoyoos—and the restaurant patio is a terrific place to relax over a snack and a glass of wine.

Day 2

Black Sage Bench, Okanagan Falls, Naramata

Take in the view: Swing by Jojo’s Café for satisfying stacked breakfast sandwiches. Take yours to go and stroll across the street to enjoy breakfast with a view of the breathtaking Osoyoos Lake.

Seek out a tour: Explore the Black Sage Bench, the sunnier, drier east side of the valley. This is big red country, known for its expressive Syrahs and Bordeaux varieties. The buzzy Phantom Creek Estates, with its luxurious, art-filled palace perched on historic vineyards, is worth a visit. If you are looking for a more intimate experience, consider Le Vieux Pin for elegant Syrah, Black Hills Estate Winery for tastings of red blends in poolside cabanas, or Desert Hills for juicy, food-friendly Gamay.

Pack a lunch: Begin your journey back north, but only after stopping at Oliver Eats to assemble a gourmet picnic. An ideal spot to eat is Vaseux Lake, a migratory-bird sanctuary teeming with wildlife.

Seek out single-vineyard wines: Just past the lake, take the Oliver Ranch Road turnoff to the Okanagan Falls wineries. The wine style is cooler and more Burgundian — visit Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, especially the new single-vineyard series. (Reservations are essential.) Continue along the east side of Skaha Lake, popping in to the sophisticated Painted Rock Estate Winery for a taste of its perpetually award-winning Red Icon Bordeaux blend. Eastside Road ends in Penticton, where you will find Time Family of Wines, a must for bubbles and signature Meritage blends.

Goodbye eats: For dinner, head up the hill to Poplar Grove Winery on Munson Mountain, a restaurant with 270-degree views of the valley and a dynamic new culinary team led by chefs Stacy Johnston and Minette Lotz.

Stay: Even if you don’t have time to visit the Naramata Bench wineries, you can enjoy the pretty drive for an overnight at Naramata Inn (rooms from $186), where you’ll also find a wine bar serving hyperlocal bites and sips.

For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Food & Wine.