Saturday in the Similkameen (part 4)

Posted on 10. Jun, 2009 by Kerry Banks in Travel Blog

The day begins with coffee and a galette, a traditional French pastry that I buy from Joy Road Catering’s booth at the Penticton Farmer’s Market. Abuzz with energy, the market is the place to be on Saturday mornings–fresh produce, jams and preserves, soaps and lotions, handmade quilts, pottery, jewellery and lots of small-portion food that you can eat and walk with at the same time.

courtesy Kerry Banks

Fortified with sugar and caffeine we climb in the car and start driving toward the Similkameen Valley, which lies to the west of the southern Okanagan Valley. The farther south we go, the more desert-like the landscape becomes. The Similkameen has a rich history dating back to the heady gold rush days of the 1800s, but today the scene is mostly orchards, horse and cattle ranches and, increasingly, vineyards.

For years most of the grapes grown in the Similkameen were sold to wineries in the Okanagan, quietly contributing to their awards lists, but now some determined entrepreneurs are attempting to awaken people’s perceptions to the agri-tourism potential of the valley by producing first-rate wine. Grape-growing country begins on the benchland above Keremeos and extends east and to the south to the heart of the region around the tiny hamlet of Cawston.

courtesy Kerry Banks

The Similkameen’s climate is comparable to the south Okanagan, producing similar annual temperatures to Osoyoos and Oliver. The long hours of sunshine and hot summer temperatures make a large range of grape varieties possible, from heavier reds on the bench land to aromatic whites on the cooler parts of the valley floor. However, the absence of a lake to moderate the temperatures means the area is susceptible to summer heat and also to the risk of cold winter freezes similar to what is experienced in Oliver.

The amount of vineyards in the valley has increased from 207 acres in 2004 to 580 acres in 2008. Considering the lack of space and the exorbitant price of land in the Okanagan proper, the Similkameen is certain to continue growing and add to its current inventory of 11 wineries. Eight of the valley’s wineries have joined together to form the Similkameen Wineries Association, in an attempt to emulate the marketing success of the Naramata Bench Wineries Association. The new association is launching its very first event today as part of the Spring Wine Festival, a meet-and-greet wine-tasting party near Cawston.

When we arrive the session is in full swing, complete with a country band. We park beside a huge carved dragon that looks like it just flew in from a Lord of the Rings movie set and head inside. The first person I meet is Rhys Pender, who is also an aspiring Similkameen vinter. He hands me a glass. It’s time to start drinking again.

The event is hosted by Rustic Roots Winery, which recently began producing four types of fruit wines. But while the wine-making may be new, that adjective doesn’t apply to the farm here. The Harker (nee Manery) family settled in the Similkameen Valley in 1888, just 17 years after British Columbia became Canada’s sixth province. The farm that the winery is situated on has been in the family for five generations, and has hosted a variety of different enterprises over the years, including horse rearing during World War I, a dairy business and organic fruit growing. The Rustic Roots label depicts a rare, 110-year-old heritage Snow Apple tree that is still producing apples on the property. The roots below the tree represent the six generations of Harkers to farm in the Similkameen.

courtesy Kerry Banks

Our hosts from the previous evening, John and Virginia Weber of Orofino Vineyards, are on hand, and I take the opportunity to chat and help myself to another glass or two of their addictive Red Bridge Red, a Merlot that their website describes as a “rich, seductive wine that is full of ripe black cherry flavours, sweet vanilla, hints of coffee and a touch of smoke.”

The couple purchased their vineyard in 2001, and moved here from Saskatchewan, where John was a high school teacher and Virginia was a nurse. They have become very passionate about wine. Virginia has a horticulture diploma and has taken wine courses offered by the Okanagan University College, while John has completed courses in viticulture, winemaking, and wine marketing from OUC. He was the first recipient of the Frank Supernak Bursary, sponsored by the Canadian Vintners Association and OUC. The award is given to the student who shows potential in B.C.’s wine industry.

Besides turning out fine vino, the Webers’ operation has another distinction—it is Canada’s only strawbale winery. That’s right, the entire structure is constructed over hay bales–890 of them to be exact. As John notes, “There isn’t a straight line in the place.” The Webers chose this ecofriendly building method after much research and planning. Earthy, 21-inch thick walls provide superior insulation qualities–ideal for manufacturing constant barrel room temperatures and for keeping cool in the summer heat.

On the drive back to Penticton I review the mini-films I have shot on my new camcorder. To my surprise there are 21 in all. Some, however, are little more than fragmented blips, lasting less than 10 seconds. I discover that I recorded four videos at Rustic Roots, all of them noisy and chaotic. One clip, and I’m guessing it may have been the last one, probably best captures the event. Part of it is filmed upside down, while other sections appear to have been shot from somewhere inside my jacket. About the only clear and constant image is of my arm repeatedly raising a glass of red wine. I suppose I was filming without being aware of it. I’d like to think of it as “stream of consciousness video.” If I can ever figure out how to download this stuff on to my computer, I may post it on my blog.

Lead image by Kerry Banks