The large part of the vineyards from British Columbia lies within the Okanagan Valley although a small wine culture is also spread in the Cowichan Valley inside the Vancouver Island. The wine cellars of British Columbia offer a large assortment of excellent wines many of them carrying names awarded in international competitions.
When you plan a trip to this area make sure that the trip coincides with the local wine festivals. In Okanagan there is a January festival, a spring festival in May and a fall one in October.
Make sure you research the events and find out which wine cellar offers tours and tastings. A lot of wine cellars in Okanagan are opened for visiting between May and October but many of them require reservation for the extra season period.
You must make a note in your agenda to visit the British Columbia Wine Information Center from Penticton on 888 Westminster Avenue. This is the right place to start for any trip referring to wines. Here you can find available tours, tastings and tickets to the local wine events.
You will have to organize your time here so you will not cover more than 3-4 wine cellars/day. This way you will enjoy just the right amount of tours and wine tastings. There are many wine cellars in Okanagan, most of them in the towns of Kelowna, Penticton and Summerland and it is impossible to visit all of them in a day or two.
Consider a summer visit if you like aquatic sports and other warm season activities. The vineyards from the British Columbia are spread near the shores of the famous lake Okanagan and many visitors combine the visit to the vineyards with a family vacation near the lake.
If you plan a fall visit and you are mainly interested in the wine related activities you should know that the wine cellars will be packed with tourists from early September and all through the festival time.
If you buy wine make sure you deposit it in cool and dry places and place the bottles so the cork will not dry. In order to take the wine across the border make sure you consult the regulations about how much alcohol you can transport.
Choose a dependable driver, because even if you just taste and spit, you can never say for sure exactly how much wine you ingested.
Make sure you wear a hat and use UV protection if your visit is during summer. In this area the weather is really warm, one of the reasons for which the grapes are so perfect for wine.
