Thursday, August 1, 2013

Okanogan Valley Wine Region












Located in the British Columbia region of the Okanagan, the Okanagan Valley is the second largest Canadian wine region.
The approximately 4,000 hectares (9,900 acres) of vineyards planted in the Okanagan account for more than 90% of all wine produced in British Columbia and are second in economic importance for wine production to the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario. Nearly every style of wine is produced across the whole spectrum of sweetness levels that include still, sparkling, fortified and dessert wines—most notably ice wines. There are more than 60 grape varieties grown in the Okanagan including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Chardonnay, Auxerrois blanc, Marechal Foch and Cabernet Franc.
The average temperatures during the growing season months of July and August are warm with daytime temperatures that may reach 40 °C (104 °F), often staying above 30 °C (86 °F) for several days.