My sister and I came here last weekend because we were looking for a unique and beautiful lunch spot, and WOW, we found just that. I cannot say enough good things about this winery and bistro. There were a LOT of people who came and were turned away, so make sure you book a reservation in advance. There are only 5/6 tables and most people come for lunch and stay for an hour or two.
My sister and I started with a tasting and the wine was delicious and unique. It has some savoury notes with still a low acidity which I loved because I get heartburn easily from acidic wines! My personal favourites were the sav blanc, which had notes of dill and asparagus, and the rosé which I cant really explain because it was so unique, you just need to try it. The owner (I believed) was a little quirky but you could tell she was very proud of her products and space. She was very knowledgeable and gave incredible descriptions of the wine and their appropriate pairings. She was kind and talkative, but was very strict on covid protocols and did not make any exceptions which made some people visibly frustrated, but I think is great. I can see why some people have made reviews based on her, but those are most likely the people who didn't book a reservation or were snapping their fingers for service... This winery is not a "stop" along your wine tour, but a destination.
So the wines were great, but the most exciting part was the bistro. They served family style sharing dishes, that were all specifically paired with the wines. It was INCREDIBLE. My sister and I decided to order 3 dishes, which were paired with 3 different glasses of wine. The owner suggested getting one glass of wine for each dish and splitting it into two glasses which worked wonderfully.
My favourite dish was the asparagus parmesan risotto which was paired obviously with the Sav Blanc - wow, such a fresh pairing. I couldn't stop eating and drinking. I got a little intoxicated by this pairing alone because it just went down soooo smoooooth. The second dish we got was the pesto and pistachio gnocchi with cherry tomatoes, which was paired with the Viognier. The Viognier was obviously a little more sweet, which brought out the sweet notes in the tomatoes. The last plate we got was the charcuterie board which was paired with a bold red (cant remember the name). The board was great and had a variety of cheese, meat, nuts, vegetables, baguettes, and some type of peach butter? It probably was my favourite spread that I've had in the Okanagan, BUT (if I have to) was a little disappointed by the cheese as it wasn't very adventurous, was small and they gave two of the same type (the sun from Upper Bench).
I would also like to give special kudos to the chef, Tristan Bunkowski. It had a very cute open kitchen format overlooking the tables. Not only was the food incredible, but he made everything to order in the smallest space ever!!! He was so kind and always smiling, you could tell he was very proud of his food and cared about the customers enjoying themselves. The winery was still good, but his food was what elevated the whole experience. I cant wait to come back and try more items, and obviously get the asparagus risotto again :D read more