Prospect Winery's Okanagan Blog

Crush 2010 - Fall Harvest Begins

Say hello to Crush 2010!

 Prospect's grape harvest started last night making this the latest harvest on record. Crews started at 10pm and worked until 8am this morning.  

Other vineyards also expect to see selective picking this week, with harvest running behind due to weeks of cooler temperatures and unusually high amounts of rainfall throughout the growing season. The Okanagan experienced an uncommonly cool spring and summer that delayed harvest and now gives rise to fears that autumn frosts may come while grapes are still on the vines.

The fruit delivered this morning was sound, and the flavours in the tanks are expressive. Such observations indicate that the considerable toil and diligence throughout the season has delivered some excellent results against all odds.

Lots more to come, with photos and input direct from the vineyards.

 

 

Canada keeps winning medals...

 With the Paralympic Games coming to a close this weekend, it makes me incredibly proud and sad at the same time. I have loved experiencing the excitment and joy of the last 6 weeks, watching Canadian athletes succeed and struggle, overcoming obstacles and achieving momumental greatness celebrated by Canadians coast to coast. With so many international eyes upon our country, people across the globe have learned how lucky we are to be Canadian, with our natural beauty, our friendly personalities and our local products made right here in our backyard. Canadian athletes weren't the only people receiving winning accolades over the last 6 weeks - Prospect Winery received some great reviews over the Olympic period for our 100% BC wines. Pick one of these award-winning wines tonight and be the judge for yourself...

Larch Tree Hill Riesling 2008

This is a fantastic find among BC Rieslings - a pristine version with aromas of crisp apples and apricot, fragrant citrus blossoms and lime peel. The palate is snappy with flavours that echo the aromas - orchard apples and apricots in honey and a mix of lime and pomelo citrus. A juicy wine, buzzing with vibrant acidity and just a kiss of sweetness to take the edge off... Great value! Daena von Mulligen, Wine Diva

 

Haynes Barn Merlot Cabernet 2007

Ganton & Larsen's Prospect winery is a rising star in the Okanagan. This is a stylish, medium-bodied blend with supple red berry and cherry aromas and a palate full of cassis, blackberries and plums. The finish is rich and long. A food-friendly wine perfect with burgers, pastas, veal and roasted meats. – Nick Lees, Edmonton Journal 

Great Success at W2

For 17 days from February 12 to February 28, the world is watching Vancouver and the thousands of athletes and visitors celebrating sport and culture. W2 Culture + Media House is providing a venue for independent social media and journalists to come together and document this momentous event, sharing stories, photos, blogs, status updates and tweets with the world. There are daily press conferences and a full day media conference was just held on Monday to discuss the success and reflections of the never-before official social media centre. 

An estimated 500-700 people have been visiting the centre daily and while there, guests can enjoy complimentary glasses of Prospect Wines and hors d’oeuvres as well as having access to meeting space, printing services, fully wired computer workstations, and tickets to the Cultural Olympiad. It's a historic event, having social media as an integral part of Olympic reporting and we will continue to see it become a more prominent component of reporting in future Olympics.

If you are able, stop by and enjoy W2 at 112 W Hastings, Vancouver, BC, which will continue to be open long after the games are complete, providing a great space to encourage journalism at its finest. 

 

Olympic Fever Around the World!

The Vancouver 2010 Olympics are here - bringing the province and the country to life as the games take place in our backyard. Prospect has the incredible opportunity to be directly involved in a new initiative at W2 Culture + Media House. This house provides a great space for bloggers and media from around the world covering the Olympic story. Tonight is the opening night celebrating the launch of this new venue and partnership of media, independent journalists and bloggers from around the world. 

If you are a blogger, journalist, wine lover or just caught up in the Olympic fever, join us for a glass of Prospect wine from 4-7pm tonight, Thursday February 11th to celebrate the lauch of W2, at 112 West Hastings, Vancouver.

Directions and more information about W2 can be found at www.creativetechnology.org.

Caught the Fire?

Does anyone else love the RBC torch commercial that shows a fire being lit across the country? It makes me feel so incredibly proud of our athletes and our nation as we bring the world to our great province in just over 2 weeks. It brings me to tears with a feeling of pride as I have been watching the Olympic torch videos which show the torch bearers running through their local streets and sharing personal moments of sheer joy with strangers on the street. On Monday, the torch came through the Okanagan, bonding us to the rest of the nation who have already watched the torch pass by and uniting us with the spirit and hype of the next month as the games take place. Check out the video of the torch being in the Okanagan on day 88 of the torch - I hope it makes you proud of our great country and our great Okanagan region.  The video encapsulates the of joy felt throughout our great cities and also includes a tour of another beautiful Okanagan winery.  

Goodbye Christmas, Hello Valentine's Day!

Did anyone else notice how quickly Christmas turned into Valentine's Day in retail stores this year? I was in the mall between Christmas and New Years and watched the Hallmark card shop pulling out all of its left-over Christmas cards and dropping in "I Love You Valentine" cards! Alas, I guess when one holiday is over it is time to begin preparing and celebrating the next! With that thinking, if you have already starting to plan how you would like to share time with a valentine in your life, mark you calendar for Thursday January 21st. Prospect Winery and The Smoking Dog Bistro are hosting a 4 course Valentine's Day dinner with 4 wines for $49 per person.

Join Ashlyn Walsh from Prospect Winery as she discusses the wines and the delicious pairings. The menu includes: 

• Grilled Endive with Pear and Hazelnut paired with Townsend Jack Unoaked Chardonnay
• Seared Albacore Tuna, Balsamic Reduction and Rock Wren Pinot Noir
• Wine Marinated Chuck Steak, Apple Mash Potato served with Red Willow Shiraz
• Mixed Cheese Plate paired with Larch Tree Hill Riesling

 
To enjoy this yummy meal with a sweetie in your life, reserve your seat with The Smoking Dog Bistro at 604-732-8811. Directions available on their website.

Happy Early Valentine's Day!

January... back to basics!

I'm not sure about you, but December was such a wonderful month full with parties and festivities and a gorging of desserts, snacks, cheese, mamosas and oh so much delicious wine. Devouring everything in site during the holidays means it is back to the basics in January. Here at the winery, we are all dedicating ourselves to eating better, going to the gym and even contemplating the wine we enjoy!

 However... I must admit it is difficult to cut out (or down) on that glass or two of wine, especially when we work in this spectacular location overlooking the vineyards. The talk about wine and getting healthy started a discussion about "Is Wine Healthy for You?". There are so many studies out there that talk about the affects of wine and alcohol and how it is bad for you. But after some digging on google, we decided to side with the experts that a glass of wine a day has great benefits for your body like protecting your heart and lowering cholestrol and also for your mind - you just need to be conscious of that glass and truly enjoy it. The average 4oz glass of wine has about 100 calories, which even while on a diet, a glass a great BC wine can be included! So watch out January - I am hitting the gym, eating my veggies and also having a well deserved glass of Prospect wine along the way. Let me know how your dieting and lifestyle choices are going and I will keep you updated as well. A well-deserved December, leads to a basic January (plus that enjoyable glass or two of wine!)

The holidays... a time for celebration!

I can hardly believe that the holidays are already upon us, with less than 10 days until Christmas! I seem to have a handle on most of my gifts, now I just need to begin wrapping and planning for the many holiday parties that also take place over the next couple weeks. Yay parties... boo wrapping. Lucky I have a large wine glass and once filled with some 2007 Haynes Barn Merlot Cabernet along with a great movie like Love Actually, I seem to be able to get through the piles of gifts and make them look presentable (predominantly in gift bags with some wrapped elements)! 

Parties seem to be more my thing! I was flipping through the new Taste Magazine last week and found some delicious recipes that will be included in my social gatherings at my house and also at friends! There are lots of great appetizer ideas like Hot Seared Scallops with Ponzu Sauce, Orange and Chives that I suggest would be delightful with some Council's Punch Bowl Sauvignon Blanc, main dishes including Roast Venison, Red Wine Lentils, Pancetta and Quince perhaps perhaps served with some Red Willow Shiraz or dessert ideas (my fav!) including Chocolate Meringue Crackles, Apple Jelly Rugelachs and Florentine Bars. Recipes can be found here. Yummy!

And just incase you need some pre-dinner drink inspiration, let me suggest my favourite holiday (or any celebratory) drink. Pick up a bottle of Lost Bars Vidal Icewine and a bottle of Sparkling Wine - add an ounce of Icewine in each glass and top it off with some sparkling. So delish and I promise you will be coming back for more.

Have a great holiday - I hope you enjoy great meals and holiday cheer together with great friends and family.

The wait is over... here come the New Fall Releases!

In the fall, I always excitedly anticipate harvest and also eagerily await the release of the new vintages of Prospect wines... This fall, Winemaker Wade Stark released both whites and reds - all of which are delicious I am sure! However don't take it from me, or even Wade - pick up a bottle and try them yourself. What wines are they you ask?!? Well, I thought you may be wondering, so take a listen to Wade and hear for yourself on his very own youtube video!

Fats Johnson Pinot Noir... a winner every time!

   Today I opened my new Vines magazine with anticipation as the new Intervin competition "Best Buys" results were revealed. Intervin was just established this year as a international wine competition with prominent Canadian Wine Writers, Winemakers, and Sommeliers as the judging panel. With trepidation I opened my magazine to find a picture of a bottle of Fats Johnson Pinot Noir 2007! Quickly I searched for the review and was thrilled to read:

2007 Fats Johnson Pinot Noir Okanagan Valley

Ripe cherry/raspberry fruit mixes with vanilla, smoke and earthy notes in this surprising Okanagan Valley Pinot Noir. Judges were quick to praise its Pinot-like character, which isn't something you'll often hear about sub-$20 Pinot Noir.

This wine continues to win an outstanding awards and receive great reviews as a phenomenal quality yet value-priced wine. To celebrate this win, I think I will need to open up a bottle tonight to celebrate. Congratulations to our Winemaker Wade Stark.