Prospect Winery's Okanagan Blog

Okanagan Spring Wine Festival

I'm not quite sure how the year goes so quickly but alas it does and Okanagan Spring Wine Festival is again upon us. Over the first 10 days of May, during bud break, there are over 100 wine and cuisine events to tantalize your senses. This year however, bud break has yet to occur, but no reason not to celebrate spring! Our Winemaker Wade Stark will be participating in events and Prospect will be poured all over town. Be sure to come sip the new Ogopogo's Lair Pinot Grigio 2008 at the West Jet Tasting or the Bacchanalia Gala. We are also very excited for the revealing of the Spring Wine Competition winners, we all are anticipating the results! You definitely won't want to miss these events - sampling pheonmenal wines from the many Okanagan wineries. Be sure to stop by and say hello at the evening tastings on both Friday and Saturday. See you there!

Becoming a Localvore

It may be because the flowers are pushing through the ground around me or since the trees are in full blossom, but whatever it is, my internal senses are craving spring and the fresh produce that comes with the season. As I bite another piece of apple, my mind is yelling "where is the crisp asparagus, the fresh mixed greens and the juicy bites of warm spring fruits!" Soon our grocery stores will be overflowing with strawberries, cherries, peaches and lots of fresh vegetables.

Living in BC, so many people have adopted the 'localvore' lifestyle, purchasing local foods to support our own economy but more importantly, the local farmers who care and harvest our crops. As I was wandering the market on Saturday, searching for some fresh asparagus, I began to think about how I can become a localvore in more aspects of my life. There are a ton of great resources to help begin the transformation to local living, including Farm Folk, City Folk and Granville Magazine. And, if you want to go "all the way" and be a sustainable localvore, The David Suzuki Foundation has great recipes on how to make your products using locally made ingredients.

An easy first step is to go local with the wines you purchase. The Okanagan Valley creates award-winning wines from grapes that are produced in our own backyard. Farmers, viticulturalists and winemakers work together to yield an outstanding harvest and great wines. Supporting our own people, industry and economy easily happens by making the decision to purchase wines harvested and produced in BC. Lucky there are lots of great wines to taste! Pick up one tonight and enjoy the fresh tastes of the Okanagan.

Spring has Sprung!

  Easter is quickly approaching and the debate over what to have for Easter dinner has definitely been rising in my house. This is the first year that I am not going to be with my family for dinner, so the pressure is on to make a great meal that celebrates the freshness of spring. I have always had a delicious spiral ham for Easter dinner, whereas my flatmate usually has turkey. The debate has caused many nights of menu planning, which also encourages dreaming of the dinner wine pairings...

There are so many debates when it comes to wine pairing with your favourite foods - even Wikipedia has an entire section on pairings and complementing or contrasting your wine with the food being served. Some are of the education that when pairing, they should contain the same essences and others believe a creamy sauce is paired well with an acidic wine that cuts through the heavy mouth-feel.

 

What wines will be poured at your table over the Easter weekend? Will they be Rieslings or Pinot Noirs to pair with your ham or a delicious buttery Chardonnay to enjoy with your turkey? Let me know! I can't decide if I should be pairing with the complementary or contrasting wine theory. Perhaps your suggestions will help me to win the debate with my flatmate over our Easter dinner foods and wines...