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South Okanagan Photos

11 wineries included in Golden Mile appellation

Grapes from this bench
Photo taken from the Bench

Golden Mile Bench on the label – award winning Okanagan wine in the bottle OLIVER – The B.C. government has approved a request from the BC Wine Authority to establish a new sub-geographical indicator for the Golden Mile Bench in the Okanagan Valley wine region. Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick made the announcement today. The new sub-geographical indicator, or sub-appellation, is a first in British Columbia. It allows 11 wineries that meet the requirements of the Wines of Marked Quality Regulation to label their wines Golden Mile Bench with a commitment to the consumer that at least 95% of the grapes in the bottle come from that specific area.

The boundaries were decided after in-depth analysis by Scott Smith, a soil scientist with the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland
The boundaries were decided after in-depth analysis by Scott Smith, a soil scientist with the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland

Appellations are used to legally identify where grapes for B.C. wines are grown.  The list of wineries in the Golden Mile Bench include: CC Jentsch Cellars, Checkmate Artisanal Winery, Culmina Family Estate Winery, Fairview Cellars, Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery, Hester Creek Estate Winery, Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards, Golden Mile Cellars (Road 13 Vineyards), Rustico Farm and Cellars, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, and Willow Hill Vineyards.

The Golden Mile Bench region is on the prominent terrace escarpment southwest of Oliver that runs south from Fairview Road and near Highway 97.

The photo shoot
The photo shoot

In 2014, the Okanagan Valley was named by USA Today as the world’s second best wine region by the newspaper’s Reader’s Choice Awards. USA Today noted the Okanagan Valley offers excellent opportunities for outdoor recreation in between tastings. MLA Linda Larson says 49% of the grapes produced in BC coming from her riding from Kaleden/OK Falls, Cawston, Osoyoos and Oliver.