| The oldest wine-producing region in BC is
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| | features a rare tapestry by the renowned
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| the Okanagan Valley. The first winery
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| | painter, Marc Chagall. Then there's the
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| was established in the 1930s and today,
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| | wine: Mission Hill is an established
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| more wines pour forth from this part of
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| | winery that has won many awards over the
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| the province than any other. Of course,
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| | years, including "Best Chardonnay" at
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| grapes aren't the only fruit that grow in
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| | London's prestigious International Wine
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| abundance in the Okanagan Valley: tree
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| | and Spirit Competition. These are
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| fruits such as apples, peaches, pears and
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| | serious wine makers, are obviously very
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| cherries, were cultivated in the region
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| | good at it and love to talk about what
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| long before grapes and orchards still
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| | they do. The Mission Hill Family Estate
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| account for more hectares (acres) of
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| | is a 15-20-minute drive west from
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| agricultural land than do grapes. But
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| | downtown Kelowna.A perfect marriage of
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| the wine industry is growing fast, with
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| | wine and culinary tourism is the Okanagan
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| some vineyards producing award-winning
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| | Spring Wine Festival. For the first four
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| wines, both in Europe and in the USA.
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| | days in May each year, it offers a
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| Museums of various sizes present a wealth
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| | tantalizing experience for anyone who
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| of information on the people, places and
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| | loves fabulous wine accompanied by fine
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| technologies that shaped the current
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| | cuisine. And what better way to announce
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| agricultural landscape and there are
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| | the grape-growing season than to hold a
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| event-filled wine festivals throughout
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| | Festival during bud break! Guests can
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| the year.The Okanagan Wine Route snakes
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| | choose an incredible 100 plus events
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| through the Okanagan Valley from Osoyoos
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| | throughout Okanagan Wine Country at a
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| in the south beside the US border to
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| | time of year when it is absolutely
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| Salmon Arm in the north on Shuswap Lake.
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| | delightful to savour Spring in the warm
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| Distinctive burgundy and white wine route
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| | sunshine. The Okanagan Spring Wine
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| signs with a grape-cluster logo mark the
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| | Festival has been described as "one of
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| way. The Wine Route includes some 60
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| | Canada's best small festivals" and it is
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| wineries, each with its own unique
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| | no wonder that its success continues to
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| ambience and style. Some tasting rooms
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| | grow. The dates are: 2006 May 4-7; 2007
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| are large and rather grand, while others
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| | May 3-6; 2008 May 1-4The Okanagan Summer
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| are small and intimate; one operates out
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| | Wine Festival is held every second
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| of an elegant stone mansion, another out
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| | weekend in August at Silver Star Mountain
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| of a pioneer-era log house; some are
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| | Resort in Vernon. Come and treat
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| large commercial enterprises, while
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| | yourself to an intimate weekend of wine
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| others are small, family-run affairs.
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| | education, arts, music and mile high
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| Most wineries are situated in
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| | outdoor recreation. This is a very
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| picturesque, natural surroundings, with a
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| | popular ski resort in the winter with
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| great number of them clustered around
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| | excellent snow conditions.The summer wine
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| Okanagan Lake. Many welcome drop-in
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| | festival offers unique wine seminars,
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| visitors for tours and tastings and of
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| | great evening entertainment, a foot
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| course, sales.In the Okanagan Valley,
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| | stomping musical outdoor wine tasting and
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| there's a wine -and wine festival- for
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| | wonderful presentations by local artists.
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| every season. In January, ring in the
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| | Enjoy gourmet meals, wine education
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| New Year at the Icewine Festival, where
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| | seminars, a unique consumer wine tasting
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| between icewine seminars, tastings and
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| | and a wide variety of on-mountain
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| Winemasters' dinners, you can enjoy
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| | activities. The beauty of mountain
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| world-class skiing and snowboarding. In
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| | wildflowers in a Victorian-inspired
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| May, the Spring Wine Festival focuses on
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| | mountain resort setting may be your most
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| the culinary arts, with wine-pairing
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| | enjoyable and relaxing experience this
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| luncheons and dinners by renowned chefs
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| | summer. Dates: 2006 Aug 10-12; 2007 Aug
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| in addition to tastings and wine
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| | 9-11; 2008 Aug 7-9If you love fabulous
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| education events in Vernon, Kelowna,
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| | wine accompanied by great food and unique
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| Summerland, Penticton, Naramata, Okanagan
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| | events, then the Annual Okanagan Fall
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| Falls, Oliver and Osoyoos. The Summer
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| | Wine Festival is for you. Autumn in
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| Wine Festival at Vernon's Silver Star
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| | Okanagan Wine Country is the perfect time
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| Resort in August marries fine wine with
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| | to watch the grapes ripen in the sun and
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| art, music and outdoor recreation. When
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| | indulge yourself in the harvest
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| it's time to harvest and crush the
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| | celebrations. This is the only wine
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| grapes, it's time for the Fall Wine
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| | festival in North America that takes
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| Festival, the Okanagan Valley's largest
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| | place during the heart of grape harvest.
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| wine festival of the year and one of the
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| | During this festival, experience vineyard
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| leading festivals of its kind in North
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| | tours, lunches, dinners, events and the
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| America. Wines and activities to satisfy
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| | fall wine harvest - there is no better
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| all tastes are on offer all over the
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| | way to visit Okanagan wine country. For
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| region during this October
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| | ten days in early October enjoy over 165
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| celebration.Two wineries you might be
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| | events throughout the valley, which are
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| interested in visiting are the Summerhill
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| | focused on wine, food, education and the
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| and Mission Hill wineries, both a short
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| | arts in one of North America's most
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| 15-20 minutes drive from downtown
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| | spectacular settings - the Okanagan
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| Kelowna. The city of Kelowna is a good
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| | Valley. This festival continues to be
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| place to establish as your base as it is
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| | ranked in the top 100 events by the
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| centrally located in the Valley and has a
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| | American Bus Association. Dates: 2006
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| large selection of hotels and
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| | Sept 29-Oct 8; 2007 Sept 28-Oct 7; 2008
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| restaurants.The Summerhill Pyramid Winery
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| | Oct 2-12The Annual Okanagan Icewine
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| is truly unique. Summerhill ages its
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| | Festival in January at Sun Peaks Resort
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| wines in a four-storey, concrete replica
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| | is the most unique of all the wine
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| of the Great Pyramid and maintains that
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| | festivals. Spectacular wines and an
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| this "sacred geometry" improves the
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| | award winning alpine resort create an
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| quality of its wines. On a sunny day,
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| | unbelievable weekend of education and
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| the pyramid is a brilliant white
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| | recreation. From wine masters dinners,
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| apparition on a hillside overlooking
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| | to educational seminars and a unique
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| Okanagan Lake. A Certified Organic
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| | progressive tasting, this is a memorable
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| Vineyard, Summerhill eschews all
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| | weekend in the making. Sun Peaks Resort
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| herbicides, pesticides and chemical
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| | is renowned for its dedication to quality
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| fertilizers. The vineyard uses glacier
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| | and amazing winter recreation. These
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| rock dust to add trace minerals to its
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| | outdoor adventures in the crisp mountain
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| soil with good results: Summerhill
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| | air, combined with the acclaimed wines
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| regularly wins awards for its intensely
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| | and world famous Icewines of the
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| flavoured and aromatic wines. The
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| | Okanagan, make this a Canadian winter
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| Summerhill Pyramid Winery is a 10-minute
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| | escape to be remembered. Dates: 2006 Jan
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| drive south from Kelowna via Highway
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| | 19-22; 2007 Jan 18-21; 2008 Jan 17-20The
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| 97.The Mission Hill Family Estate is a
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| | Okanagan Valley has everything for
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| little world unto itself and one entirely
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| | winemaking. Especially good weather for
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| dedicated to wine. Unusual architectural
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| | growing grapes, lots of sunshine with
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| elements -the massive contemporary entry
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| | just enough rain; the topography that
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| arches, outdoor grass amphitheater and
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| | features sloping hillsides drenched in
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| 12-storey bell tower- create an ambience
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| | the summer sunshine and the proper soil
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| that is modern and California mission
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| | conditions needed for the vines. It also
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| style at once. From May to October, you
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| | has attracted some of the best winemakers
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| can dine al fresco on the terrace,
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| | from all the wine making regions in the
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| enjoying panoramic views of the
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| | world, each bringing his or her own
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| vineyards, Lake Okanagan and the
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| | personal touch and knowledge, resulting
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| mountains beyond. The estate's Wine
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| | in some truly unique award winning wines.
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| Education Centre holds a theatre and
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