How to Master the Classic Pairing of Wine and Cheese

Creating Wine with Cheese Pairings Like a Pro

It’s a classic pairing - wine and cheese. But, do all wines go with all cheeses? The simple answer is no. Sure, you can enjoy any wine with any cheese but to get the most out of your cheese and your wine, you need to consider several things.

Just like wines, cheeses have complex flavour profiles and compositional nuances. They also come in a variety of textures which will change the mouthfeel and how long the flavour lingers. These all need to be considered when pairing them with a wine.

In a perfect pairing, the combination of the wine and cheese shifts the gastronomic experience from what you would taste and feel with each element individually. There is a craft to discovering these magical combinations.

Luckily, there are a few tricks to the trade and we’re sharing them in our Wine and Cheese ‘The Perfect Pairing’ Experience at the Great Estates Okanagan Wine Experience Centre in Penticton.

In this 60-minute session, you learn the essential skills to put together a truly harmonious wine and cheese pairing. We’ll sample a variety of wines (red, white and dessert-style) along with a selection of fine cheeses. Discover the secret to pulling out the nuttiness of a Gran Padano, complementing the creaminess of a Brie, or softening the power of a Blue cheese.

Join us for the extraordinary experience and prepare to wow your friends and family when you host a next-level wine and cheese party.

Book now as space is limited to 10 guests per session.

Wine and Cheese ‘The Perfect Pairing’

Venue: Great Estates Okanagan Wine Experience Centre
Time: Noonv
Price: $25 per person plus taxes
Dates: Every Saturday and Sunday
Reservations Required

 

How the Right Wine Can Make Your Holiday Dinner

 

Do’s and Don’ts of Festive Meal Wine Pairings

What wine should you serve with a turkey dinner? What about before dinner or with dessert?

There are a lot of questions about wine when it comes to preparing your holiday feast. And, we know you want to get it right.

That’s why we’ve done all the planning for you. But instead of just tell you which wines will work best, we’d rather show you. And by show you, we mean let you taste it for yourself.

The Perfect Union: Holiday Feast is an afternoon of learning and enjoyment. Join us at Nk’Mip Cellars in Osoyoos. Experience the art of food and wine pairing with specially prepared holiday-season inspired food bites and award-winning Nk’Mip Cellars wine.

Whether you’re a wine aficionado or someone completely new to wine pairing, this event will show you how to elevate your holiday meal with the perfect wine selection. Space is limited so book now.

The Perfect Union: Holiday Feast

Venue: Nk'Mip Cellars

Time: 2 pm

Dates:

This event is in the past.

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Home for the Holidays at Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Winery

Kickstart the holiday season with this food and wine pairing event.

Come to the winery and enjoy an afternoon of fantastic wines and delicious food bites. It’s like a family gathering (without any of the work).

Our Home for the Holidays events include a finely curated selection of Inniskillin Okanagan, SunRock Vineyards, and Jackson-Triggs Okanagan wines. We pair these with delectable dishes that will have your taste buds dancing.

These amazing pairings will also help you host exceptional dinners and parties during the holiday season ahead.

For example, we might explore Christmas dinner pairings like turkey with jalapeno-and-tequila-infused bread stuffing in icewine-sage pan-sauce paired with 2017 Jackson-Triggs ‘Grand Reserve’ Riesling.

Or, how about something a little lighter like a 2017 Inniskillin ‘Discovery Series’ Sparkling Tempranillo paired with mixed greens with goat chevre, strawberries, white balsamic & pink peppercorn?

Perhaps, you’ll experience a twist on a classic pairing like the 2015 Sunrock Cabernet Sauvignon with braised beef wellington with a green peppercorn red wine pan sauce.

Is your mouth watering yet?

This is just a sample of the curated and carefully crafted food and wine pairings we've got planned for the Home for the Holidays events this year.

You’ll have to join us to discover what else is on the menu.

And, don’t worry - we won’t forget about Inniskillin Okanagan’s world-famous icewine! Did you know that Inniskillin Okanagan Winery won the Canadian Wine Producer of the Year Trophy at the 2018 International Wine & Spirits Competition in London, England?

So, of course, we’ll be including a pairing featuring Inniskillin icewine!

Let’s make your holidays even better by starting with a celebratory afternoon of food, wine, friends, and family.

Home For The Holidays Food and Wine Pairing

Time: 2:00 PM    
Venue: Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Winery (Oliver, BC)
Dates:

This event is in the past.

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Light up the Vines at Sumac Ridge Winery

 

Winery Bottleneck Drive’s Annual Holiday Event.

Nothing gets you into the spirit of the season quite like enjoying a glass of wine surrounded by the twinkle of holiday lights.
Join us for the annual Light up the Vines event at Sumac Ridge Winery in Summerland, BC.

The always popular event starts at 3 pm and runs until 8 pm on November 24th, and December 1st and 2nd. Experience 5 different food stations throughout the winery with 6 delicious wines and food pairings from our three iconic brands, Steller’s Jay, Black Sage Vineyard, and Sumac Ridge Private Reserve. 

While you enjoy your pairings, you can do a little holiday shopping. The wine shop is full of great gift ideas. We’ve got wine accessories, cookbooks, and of course, bottles of BCVQA wine. If you have a wine-lover on your list, this is the place to find them a perfect gift.  

While you’re here, why not grab a few things for yourself? Stock your cellar with wine for the season and don’t forget a few extra bottles so you always have a hostess gift on hand for those last minute get-togethers. Choose something bold from the Black Sage Vineyard portfolio. Grab a few bottles from Sumac Ridge Private Reserve for spontaneous visits. And, don't forget something bubbly from Steller's Jay so that the celebration of the season is just a cork pop away.
We hope you'll join us in this magical setting as we light up the vines to welcome the holiday season.

This event is in the past.

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Aromatic Wines Spice Inspired Cuisine Event at Great Estates Wine Experience Centre

Unexpected Wine Pairings for Spicy Food

There are a lot of different takes on ‘spicy food’ in global cuisine. For example, we have peppery foods favoured in the Americas, curries in East Asia, and the unmistakable wasabi in Japanese cuisine.

So often, when we’re looking to pair spicy foods with wine, we reach for those aromatic whites. And, it makes sense. You’re looking to balance out the flavours - a bit of acidity to cut through the spice and bit of sweetness to counter the heat.

But, these aren’t your only choices when it comes to wine pairings with spicy foods.

We’ve set out to broaden your horizons. In one of our newest wine pairing experiences, we explore the world of South East Asian cuisine to find unexpected South Okanagan wine pairings. We had to let go of our preconceived ideas and let our palates guide us. We discovered a few surprising wines that work perfectly with complex, spicy foods.

For example, have you ever considered pairing wasabi tuna with a Shiraz? How about butter chicken with some Zinfandel? If you don’t think they work, then you have to try them. We’ll make a believer out of you!

Aromatic Wines with Spice Inspired Cuisine is our latest offering at the Great Estates Okanagan Wine Experience Centre.

Join us for a palate-expanding afternoon where we’ll sample a variety of South Asian delights paired with the perfect wine. You’ll experience the perfection of classic wine pairings like the fragrant Nk’Mip Qwm Qwmt Riesling with 5 spice chicken and the intensely aromatic Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Gewurztraminer with equally intense wasabi-siracha salmon. But, we’ll also explore unexpected pairings like the mind-boggling combination of tandoori with an Inniskillin Discovery Series Tempranillo.

If you love spicy food and you want to expand your wine pairing options, this is an afternoon not to be missed. Soon you’ll be blowing your friends minds when you surprise them with an adventurous yet perfect wine pairing at your next curry or sushi dinner party.

Aromatic Wines Spice Inspired Cuisine Event at Great Estates Wine Experience Centre

This event is in the past.

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Discover How to Pair Wine and Chocolate Perfectly

Wine and Chocolate Pairing Events at Great Estates Okanagan Wine Experience Centre in Penticton

If you love wine and you love chocolate then there’s no doubt that participating in our Wine + Chocolate = Happiness experiences will put you in your happy place.

Join our wine educators for an indulgent experience learning how to pair chocolates with four of our wines from the South Okanagan! Discover how delicate dark chocolates filled with organic Okanagan fruits pair beautifully with red, white, and dessert wines.

We kick the Wine + Chocolate = Happiness experiences off with a glass of sparkling wine. We then explore the world of chocolate, fruit, and South Okanagan wine to discover how these decadent flavours enhance and contrast one another.

We’ve partnered with Maison Mulnati to bring you this amazing pairing experience. New to Penticton, Maison Mulnati is a French artisan chocolatier creating handmade, vegan chocolates without preservatives. Some are even infused with our finest selected vintages of wine.

The experience will satisfy the most discriminating of palates and will give you a new appreciation of two of the worlds best things - wine and chocolate.

Book now as space is limited to 10 guests per session.

Wine + Chocolate = Happiness at Great Estates Okanagan Wine Experience Centre

Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm

Price: $25 plus tax

Dates: Every Saturday and Sunday
RESERVE NOW

 

Annual Winemakers Dinner at Nk'Mip Cellars

Dine with Nk'Mip Cellars' Winemakers

Enjoy the bounty Fall brings in the Okanagan. Join our winemaking team, including Randy Picton & Justin Hall, as we enjoy a five-course dinner prepared by Winery Chef, Orlin Godfrey. 

His local and innovative food is expertly paired with a selection of Nk’Mip Cellars wine. The Annual Winemakers Dinner is one of the wineries most popular events because the food, wine, and overall experience are so incredibly memorable. 

This event is in the past.

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Image by: Culinary Marketing Strategies

Cellar Grazing & Harvest Dinner at Sumac Ridge Estate Winery

Celebrate the Harvest in Style

Looking for a great way to welcome the autumn? The Cellar Grazing & Harvest Dinner is two unique experiences rolled into one magical night. 

Start the evening with a visit to our Sparkling Wine Cave where you'll witness a sabre ceremony. This is a thrilling way to remove the cork from a bottle of sparkling wine using a long knife. Next, nibble on delectable bites paired with some of our private reserve wines in our private vineyard room. 

The party moves to the Black Sage Hall where you can relax and enjoy a sumptuous chef's dinner showcasing our bold Black Sage wines. 

To finish the evening off just right, a decadent chocolate dessert will be served along with a glass of our Black Sage Pipe. 

This event is in the past.

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Celebrating 37 Years at Sumac Ridge

 

 

Sumac Ridge Estate Winery's 37th Anniversary Event!

Sumac Ridge will mark this special occasion by offering complimentary Steller's Jay Sparkling Wine. It will be served with its perfect pairing - mind-blowing truffle and tarragon popcorn.

Inside the wine store, guests can enter to win a surprise giveaway - perfect for wine-lovers. Plus, there will be specially priced gift packs like a bottle of Steller’s Jay Gewurztraminer with 2 Go Vino Glasses and stopper for only $37. It's perfect for a picnic, patio, or party.

Those who want to keep the party going can sign up for Bubbles and Bites at 3:30 pm. This is a spectacular food pairing experience in the sparkling wine cave for only $25. And, anyone who signs up on this special day will get a bonus gift.

37 years is a milestone well worth celebrating. Stop by Sumac Ridge Estate Winery on July 11, 2018, from 11:30 am to 4 pm to be a part of it.

This event is in the past.

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The Bubbles and Bites experience is available daily. Click the RESERVE NOW button below and select the day you'd like to visit. 

 

 RESERVE NOW

 

Elements Dinner at Nk'Mip Cellars

Celebrate National Indigenous People’s Day at North America's First Aboriginal Winery

What better way to welcome the summer than on a patio perch high above Osoyoos Lake celebrating National Indigenous People’s Day with a multi-course meal prepared by Aboriginal chefs paired with wines crafted by Nk'Mip's own Justin Hall, a proud member of the Osoyoos Indian Band? 

This five-course dinner representing the elements Earth, Water, Fire, and Air created by Enoch Cree Chef Shane Chartrand (River Cree Resort Edmonton), Nk’Mip Winery Chef Orlin Godfrey, and Chef Joseph Shawana.

Winemaker, Justin Hall will also personally share his pairings with the dinner. Plus there will be live entertainment and those magnificent vineyard views to add to the magic of the evening. 

This event is in the past.

 SEE CURRENT EVENTS

 

Here are a few from last year's event. As you can see, this is an event not to be missed!