Hello December! November in the Okanagan ended like a lamb, so on a Foggy Friday Night, we travelled the Westside Wine Trail in search of Food, Wine and Christmas Goodies.
Grizzli Winery
Our first stop on the Westside Wine Trail was a favourite winery that we have featured previously, to enjoy their Annual Holiday Market. The best news was that Mt Boucherie Road was in the final stages of repair and we could finally drive without detours. The mind just boggles at how long it takes to rebuild roads in Kelowna!
During the first weekend in December, Grizzli hosts an indoor market that features local vendors, with live music. There is a diversity of clothing, crafts and cosmetics on display and pairings for the Holiday Season.
We were both looking for cream to solve our winter dry skin problems and stopped by Cosmetics by Nature to se their Ghee and Tallow Cream products.
Wine Tasting
The complimentary tasting covered three wines so we chose:
Grizzli Muscat 2015 – This Muscat features a lovely floral nose of mandarin orange peel, lemon, jasmine and thyme. On the palate, grapefruit and pear with a hint of lemongrass with well-balanced acidity and residual sugar. The wine was paired with smoked trout and was a delicious taste combination.
Grizzli Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 – A medium-bodied wine with notes of black cherry, dried fig, caramel and spices. On the palate black cherries, cocoa and now that the wine has aged 24 months from our last tasting and the tannins have mellowed substantially. The wine received a Gold Medal at the 2018 BC Best of Varietal Wine Awards.
Grizzli Cabernet Franc Ice Wine – features dark and welcoming aromas of black cherry and spice. The palate is treated to a full and complex mouthful of red fruits, intermingled with sweet toffee. The ice wine was paired with an amazing Saskatoon Berry Cheesecake dessert.
Blu Saffron Bistro
Our next Westside Wine Trail stop was the Blu Saffron restaurant that is located next to the Volcanic Hills Winery. We arrived as planned, just in time to still enjoy their Happy Hour pricing. $5 Wine and Appetizers.
Colin Rayner is the owner and Chef at Blu Saffron. He is ably supported by Mason, his lone sidekick. Colin was born and raised in England, where he began his journey at a small culinary college working in restaurants around England and Scotland.
Arriving in Canada, Colin opened his first restaurant at Bonitas Winery in Summerland, before deciding to move his business to his hometown of West Kelowna.
The wines we selected were Volcanic Hill favourites.
Volcanic Hills Gamay Noir 2017 – Ruby red in colour with aromas and flavours of cherry, plum, hints of soft spice, pepper and a touch of oak. Light bodied with 14 months in French and American oak, soft tannins with medium acidity – the finish is fresh and bright.
Volcanic Hills Lava White 2016 – Pinot Gris, Viognier, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Ehrenfelser. Aromas of peach, pineapple, honey, citrus notes. Off-dry with flavours of peach, honey, tangerine, and green apple along with spice notes. Nicely integrated fruit with acid, the mouthfeel is full, round, fresh and fruity.
The appetizers were phenomenal. Spice Roasted Brussel Sprouts with bacon finished with balsamic and shaved aged goat gouda. Truffle Parm Fries with curried aioli. For the complete menu, please visit the Blu Saffron Bistro website.
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
Our last stop on the Westside Wine trail was Mission Hill Family Estate Winery to support the second annual “Festival of Trees – Kelowna” for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.
There were many elegantly decorated trees, but we voted for the “The Rota Family” and the Disney classics.
Nothing like a roaring fireplace to end an enjoyable evening.
