Nk'Mip Cellars' Randy Picton

Nk'Mip Cellars, Osoyoos, Okanagan

"Qwam Qwmt means the best of our Reserve Tier wines. QQ Chardonnay, for example, is one of our upper tier wines. It starts with the grapes in the vineyard," says Randy. "I know going into it that this crop of grapes will be giving us our Reserve Tier wines. These wines we put into French oak," he explains, noting their toasty vanilla and butterscotch essences.

Randy Picton, Nk'Mip Cellars, Winemaker

Picton was the pioneer in the Okanagan who began the method of picking the grapes at different times in the harvesting season. "Even three weeks later, so there's an evenness in the wine/grapes," he explains. He began at Nk'Mip Cellars, the celebrated first winery in North America to be aboriginal owned, in 2002.

Nk'Mip is known for their Pinots and Chardonnays. Picton is the first to admit that pinot, at least in the Okanagan, can be a "fussy" grape to grow well.  Their $20 bottles of Merlot are very popular choices however the winery is shifting their portfolio focus to upper tier wines. They are capped at about 18,000 cases per year production so they are looking to focus on, for example, a Q2 Riesling and a higher end Meritage that will retail for approximately $50-$60 a bottle.

The pairing of Nk'Mip's outstanding wines with Kanata Cuisine's tasting menu is the making of a perfect culinary evening. If you are one of the lucky ones to opt in for this culinary adventure, your tastebuds and senses await delight.

Aboriginal Feast and Wine Pairings. Doesn't just the sound of that say it all?  The evening of fine dining and entertainment is the brainchild of a partnership between Theresa Contois and chef Ben Genaille, owners of Kanata Cuisine.

Kanata Cuisine was formed in the last six months when Theresa was noted for her exquisite "front of house" hospitality skills while putting the finishing touches on her training at Vancouver Community College's Aboriginal Culinary program. Chef Ben Genaille, an expert in Aboriginal Cuisine, and Theresa got to talking and Kanata Cuisine is the result of their pairing strength with strength.

Nk'Mip Cellars winemaker, Randy Picton, has chosen versatile pairings for the cuisine, including selections from their critically acclaimed Qwam Qwmt, known in the vernacular as their Q2 selections.

Kanata Cuisine, Chef Ben Genaille and Theresa Contois

Nk'Mip Cellars

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Okanagan Wineries' WineTripper App for the iPhone

by Jeff Pennal

Every year my wife and I take a tour through the Okanagan hitting many of our favourite wineries, tasting and purchasing many bottles of wine, and basking in the glory of the majestic interior, with its breath-taking scenery and lovely lakes. 

Last Spring, we decided to take an early trip through the Okanagan to pick up some more wine and enjoy the beautiful spring blossoms in the orchards – we had stopped at the local tourist info centre and grabbed a handful of winery brochures and maps of the wineries and we were off.  We discovered that there were some downfalls to using the maps – the hours were not listed nor their open season.  We were there early in the spring and some of our favourite wineries were not open!  This is when we decided to create an iPhone App that would eliminate the need to stop for maps and brochures altogether.

Wine Tripper has a great map of the wineries in BC, a comprehensive list of those wineries including their address and hours of operation, and a place where you can make notes on the wines you have tasted and your opinions.  My wife’s favourite aspect of the Wine Tripper app is that when you pull up the map of the area the red dots indicate wineries that are closed and the green ones are open – this eliminates the extra time and disappointment of driving by a winery that is closed for the off-season.  I like that you can easily get a listing of the wineries that are closest to you based on proximity.  You will like that the Wine Tripper BC iPhone app costs only $2.99 to buy and will save you time and make your wine touring much more enjoyable!
Check it out at http://www.bennalsoft.com/winetripper

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Okanagan Greens A Conduit For Local Food

Okanagan Greens A Conduit For Local Food

Okanagan Greens hosted this weekend their Conduit Festival.  It was a celebration of live music, local farms, art, emerging artists and all things Okanagan.There were over 100 local poets, musicians, crafters and artists contributing.  Story tellers from En’Owkin shared ancient stories of the land and generations past.

Okanagan Greens’ Conduit Festival Event 2010

Conduit is all about the Global Green Movement. It is a Zero Waste all Organic and Local faire, self-sufficiency Festival that dealt with the issue of Climate change with proactive creative solutions from the Okanagan community. It is for everyone to be inspired and involved in our societal evolution, understanding and wellbeing.


The 5th Annual Organic Okanagan Festival will be held at Summerhill Pyramid Winery September 26th, 2010.
For  more Information please go to:  Okanagan Greens

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Okanagan's Pirouette 2010

Okanagan’s Pirouette 2010

Chefs for 2010's Pirouette at The Grand Delta Okanagan

Photo & Design: Tarynn Parker

Pirouette 2010 will be held at the Delta Grand Okanagan on Saturday, February 6^th. The ticket price includes the reception, a brief ballet performance, four-course dinner with accompanying wines, and After Party.
Tickets are $250 and available from BalletKelowna.ca

Pirouette’s Okanagan Chefs
l to r: Bernard Casavant (Manteo Resort), Stephanie Schnepf (Chaine Jeune Commis Award Winner), Stuart Klassen (Delta Grand Okanagan), Roger Sleiman (Quails’ Gate), Olivia Harding (Delta Grand Okanagan), Mark Filatow (Waterfront Wine Bar), Matt Batey (Mission Hill Family Estate).
Pirouette will also feature an extraordinary range of Okanagan wines, each paired with food courses. Contributing wineries include Aces Okanagan,  Laughing Stock, Le Vieux Pin, Mission Hill, Noble Ridge, Quails’ Gate and Seven Stones.

In addition to their chefs and best bottles, the wineries and restaurants will also be sending their sommeliers this year. They’ll be visiting each table to explain the food and wine pairing, and to answer questions.
The chefs are all described as Okanagan culinary stars. They are:  Mark Filatow, proprietor and executive chef of The Waterfront Restaurant and Wine Bar; Roger Sleiman, executive chef of Quails’ Gate Estate Winery; Matt Batey, winery chef of Mission Hill Family Estate; Bernard Casavant, executive chef of Manteo Resort, and host chef Stuart Klassen of the Delta Grand, Okanagan.

“We have also invited two very talented young chefs to the collaboration,” said Jamie Maw, Honourary Co-Chair of Pirouette 2010. “Our rising stars are Olivia Harding, the pastry chef for the Delta Grand and Stephanie Schnepf, who recently won the national Chaine de Rotisseurs Jeune Commis competition, and will be representing Canada at the international final in Helsinki this September.”
See More on…

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Also** Dine with Savour Magazine Jan. 30, 2010   Read More...

Okanagan Wine And Dine Out Annual Event

Showcasing the best of local cuisine, the 7th annual WINE & DINE OKANAGAN Campaign features member restaurants offering their choice of three-course dinner menus at $35, $25 and/or $15 per person.

Showcasing the best of  The Okanagan Local Food And Wine

Participating Restaurants Include:

Central Okanagan – Kelowna
Bouchons:  $35	250-763-6595
Bina Bejing Cooking House:   $15   |   $25 |   $35	250-762-7000
Bunkhouse Bar & Grill:  $25 | $35	250-868-3844
Cabana Bar & Grille:  $15 |   $25 |   $35	250-763-1955
Christopher’s Steak and Seafood:  $25 |   $35	250-861-3464
DJ’s Downtown Cantina:  $15 |   $25	250-762-0172
Fi Bistro:  $35	250-868-3389
Genjie Japanese Restaurant	250-869-0852
Grand Bay Café $35	250-763-4500
Hanna’s Lounge & Grill:  $35	250-860-1266
Hotel Eldorado:$15 |  $35	250-763-7500
Industry Room:  $15 | $25	250-860-4639
Infusions @ Okanagan College:  $15 |   $25	250.762.5445 x4426
Kettle Valley Tapas Bar & Grill: $15 | $25| $35	250-764-0833
Mabui:  $25	250-868-8852
Memphis Blues BBQ House:  $15	250-868-3699
Moxies Classic Grill:  $25 | $35	250-861-6110
Olympia Greek Taverna:  $15   |   $25 |   $35	250-765 0484
Poppadoms – Taste India:   $35	250.899.0316
RauDZ Regional Table:   $25 |   $35	250-868-8805
Red Robin: $15 | $35	250-762-9700
Ricardo’s Mediterranean Kitchen:  $25 |  $35	250-766-6810
Ric’s Grill:   $25	250-869-1586
Sal’s Prime:   $35	250-862-2909
The Keg Kelowna:  $35	250-763-5435
The Vintage Room	250-860-6060
The Yellow House Restaurant:  $25 |   $35	250-763-5136
Vintner’s Poolside Grill	250-860-6060
Wasabi Izakaya:  $25	250-762-7788
Waterfront Restaurant and Wine Bar:  $35	250-979-1222
Wild Apple Restaurant & Lounge: $15 |  $35	250-860-1031
Yamas Greek Restaurant:$25 |   $35	250-763-5823
Central Okanagan – West Kelowna
Bonfire Restaurant & Bar:   $15 |   $25	250-707-1810
La Cucina:  $25	250-707-0123
Chateau Dining Room – LOR:  $35	250-769-3511
Nineteen Steakhouse and Lounge: $25 | $35	250-768-3133
Old Vines Restaurant (will reopen Jan 20th for lunch & dinner)	250-769-4451
South Okanagan
Black Iron Grill: $25 |   $35	250-276-2447
Bogners of Penticton: $15 |  $25 |  $35	250-493-2711
Gasthaus on the Lake:   $25  |  $35	250-767-6625
Hooded Merganser:   $25	250-487-4663
Local Lounge – Grille:  $25   |  $35	250-494-8855
Passa Tempo Restaurant (N’kimip): $35	250-495-8007
Pasta Factory: $15	250-492-6088
Sage and Vines Bistro:   $25 |   $35	250-492-7243
Salty’s Beach House: $15 | $25 | $35	250.493.5001
The Cellar Door Bistro:  $25	250-494-0451
Theo’s Restaurant: $25 |  $35	250-492-4019
Villa Rosa Ristorante Iitaliano: $25 |  $35	250-490-9595
Watermark:  $15 |   $25
Zias Stonehouse Restaurant:  $25	250-494-1105
North Okanagan
Eclectic Med: $25 |  $35	250-558-4646
K.T.’s Restaurant	250-545-3228
Ora:   $25	250-275-8020
Range @ Predator Ridge	250-503-3405
The Phoenix Steakhouse	250-260-1189

And More…

Bistro 326:  $25 |   $35	250-374-2913
Brownstone Restaurant	250-851-9939
Bourbons–on the river@South Thomp Inn & Conf Centre. :  $25	250-573-3777
Chapters Viewpoint Restaurant & Catering	250-374-3224
Commodore Grand Café and Lounge	250-851-3100
Hoodoos at Sun Rivers:   $35	250-828-9404
Ora: $25	250-372-5312
Red Robin: $15   |   $35	250-374-3313
Ric’s Grill Aberdeen	250-377-3113
Rics Mediterannean Grill	250-372-7771
Rocksalt Restaurant and Bar	250-377-8075
Storms Restaurant:  $15 |   $25	250-372-1522
Tangos Tapas Bar and Bistro	250-374-3960

Ice Wine Is The Heart Of The Okanagan's Winter Festival Of Wine

The Okanagan is often described as the "California of Canada," however, it does get a little cooler up here than in most parts of California, and blessedly so, hence the fabulous regional Ice Wine Festival, now known as the Winter Festival of Wine.


Dates are Jan 16-24, 2010


Have you never tasted an Ice Wine? then we advise you to do so and straightaway.  This god-like elixir is a perfect blend of sweetness and acidity and can only be described as the wine nectar of the Okanagan.

Frozen grapes for making Ice Wine, an Okanagan specialty.

Re-christened in 2010 as the Winter Wine Festival, this annual event is kicking off as we speak, with a week's worth of tastings, seminars, lectures and more tastings!

For example, on Jan. 22nd, enjoy  Cadbury Chocolate & Heavenly Wine $40
"From light chocolate to rich dark chocolate, there is always a perfect match for chocolate and wine to satisfy your palate."

Sun Peaks Resort is hosting this year and event is generously being promoted by Okanagan Wine Festivals.

Enjoy a wonderful marriage of culinary events, wine tastings, educational seminars, and some of the best skiing and snowboarding anywhere in the world.

For more information click on Okanagan Food And Wine .

Grapes for delicious Okanagan Ice Wine.

Harvesting for ice wine in the Okanagan.

Read more about this year's ice wine harvest in British Columbia on Wines and Vines.

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Chef Rod Butters Is An Okanagan Shooting Star

"Rod Butters is the consummate Canadian-born, Canadian-trained, Canadian chef, the kind that will eventually- and not all that far down the road - create what we'll come to call Canadian cuisine." 

-   Jurgen Gothe, Food and Arts Critic

What's your specialty?

The Okanagan Valley is bursting with culinary talent.

Just nibbling on the local cuisine reveals this to be self-evident. And because the valley is fast becoming known as the nation's breadbasket, it's easy to indulge in locally sourced and fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Rod Butters

RauDZ Restaurant

Butters has shared the kitchen with such admired chefs as Kerry Sear at Four Seasons and Bernard Casavant of Château Whistler, whose similar philosophies of using local farm-fresh products and their own home-grown herbs and vegetables influenced him greatly. 

Rod then went on to open the world famous Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino as Chef de Cuisine in 1996. His innovative cuisine and high service standards quickly helped the Inn's Pointe Restaurant attain the internationally recognized Relais & Chateaux designation. 

After a year long journey around the world in 2000, he returned home to BC to share his culinary experiences and open Fresco Restaurant & Lounge in Kelowna. As Chef /Proprietor, and the current President of the Okanagan Chefs Association, Rod has been instrumental in promoting the growth of culinary tourism in the Okanagan. 

Since opening its doors in June 2001, Fresco Restaurant & Lounge is proud to have been awarded the following prestigious achievements among others:

Four Diamond Award 2002 - 2007: awarded by AAA North America. 

Provincial Restaurateur of the Year: Fine Dining 2002/2003 awarded by the BC Restaurant & Food Services Association 

EAT BC Restaurant of the year Award 2008 

The importance of Rod's commitment to establishing regional BC cuisine has earned him international respect. Long before it became "trendy" to serve regional food, Rod has always been committed to this effort. He has always maintained the importance of "giving back" to the industry, and this is attested to by the long list of current successful culinarians that he has mentored and inspired. 

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