Kelowna-Area Wineries Unveil 5 Trails (via Tourism Kelowna)

What an exciting new development for wine-lovers in Kelowna! Tourism Kelowna sent out a media release today unveiling 5 new Wine Trails. Happy Touring! For Immediate Release April 29, 2011 Kelowna-Area Wineries Unveil 5 Trails They are the pioneer wineries of the BC wine industry. They trailblazed the Okanagan Valley wine brand, bringing home the valley’s first international awards. They became landmarks for the wine tourism experience in the region, and now they’ve launched a destination wine touring experience along with their neighbours that will redefine why Kelowna is “Ripe with Surprises.” Indeed, the area’s wineries together with Tourism Kelowna are promoting five distinct wine trails between Lake Country and West Kelowna, rich in both history and cutting-edge spirit, each with a big personality to match. “The Kelowna area has always been historically significant to the BC wine industry and to the Okanagan in general as its wineries were among the first to be established and it’s widely recognized as the birthplace of BC Wine,” says Nancy Cameron, President and CEO of Tourism Kelowna. “We knew that we had to repackage the wine experience in our destination in order to raise the awareness around the scope and quality of wine touring and further build tourism revenues for the wineries and hospitality businesses,” she adds. The marketing initiative includes a new Kelowna Wine Trails brochure and upcoming Smart Phone App, both of which group wineries in trails with others in their geographic proximity, and provide a taste of what visitors can learn at each winery, beckoning them to visit. The 18-page “conversation-starting” guide allows visitors to get a glimpse of the people behind each of the 20 participating wineries, creating an instant personal connection and enhancing visitor experiences on each trail.  Gray Monk Estate Winery  in Lake Country  The five trails include the Scenic Sip of Lake Country (Ancient Hills Winery, Arrowleaf Winery, Ex Nihilo, and Gray Monk Estate); the East Kelowna Wine Trail (The View Winery, SpierHead Winery, Vibrant Vines, Camelot Vineyards, and House of Rose); the Lakeshore Wine Route (Tantalus Winery, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, St. Hubertus, and CedarCreek Estate Winery); the Westside Wine Trail (Mission Hill Family Estate, Quails’ Gate Estate Winery, Little Straw, Volcanic Hills, Mount Boucherie, and Kalala Vineyards); and the Heritage Downtown Visit featuring Calona Wines (BC’s oldest commercial winery), and tying in nicely to the Cultural District and Museums. “Each of our wineries offers a unique and appealing experience….no two are alike,” says Jane Hatch, General Manager of Tantalus Winery. “We want to shine the spotlight on the distinct personalities of each winery and engage with visitors on a variety of levels. There are 5 wine trails right at your hotel doorstep, each easily enjoyed in a day with enough room to spare for leisurely winery dining and shopping along the way. It’s a wonderful  surprise to find that within such close proximity to the city, there are vast tracks of vineyard and farm land, lake views, and an earthiness usually reserved for remote places. All these things set wine touring in Kelowna apart from other wine destinations, and we’d like to celebrate that with our visitors.” Wine Trail brochures are available now at the Kelowna Visitor Centre at 544 Harvey Ave and the Airport Info Kiosk, as well as area wineries and select businesses. Stop by to pick up your complimentary copy, and enjoy the trails. As a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), Tourism Kelowna invests in advertising, promotion, and sales strategies that build consumer demand for the destination resulting in increased visitation and spending. It also operates the Visitor Centres of Harvey Avenue at Ellis Street and of the Kelowna International Airport.

-30- For more information, to request a brochure, or for interview arrangements please call: Catherine Frechette, Media Relations Manager, Tourism Kelowna Tel: (250) 861-1515 ext. 203, E-mail: Catherine@tourismkelowna.com

Okanagan Spring Wine Festival

It's an exciting weekend in the Okanagan, the start of the Spring Wine Festival! 

The festival is really the unofficial kick-off to the tourist season, there are over 120 events happening between April 28 and May 8. In my former life, this meant coordinating and working numerous events and not truly taking the time to enjoy the festival. Although I really enjoyed working the events (and truth-be-told, I miss that side of the business), there is something to be said about taking the festival guide and having the freedom to choose any events that catch your eye!

This weekend I will be sampling the latest spring releases at the West Jet Wine Tasting and heading South for some long-overdue winery visits including a stop at Meyer Family Vineyards to see the new tasting room.

If you are in the Okanagan at all over the next couple weeks, be sure to visit http://www.thewinefestivals.com/ to plan your wine route!

Cheers!