A Love Letter to the Winterfell of the Okanagan Valley
Are you guilty of never making it further north than Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley? Or maybe, Lake Country is your northernmost limit? I'm know I'm guilty of it.
Well I've finally made it to the Winterfell of the Okanagan.... Vernon!
There is an amazing cidery in Vernon that's been around for almost a decade and if you love cider, then you must visit BX Cidery & Orchard.
I had a very fun and informative cider tasting right in the orchards with a full cider sensory analysis which I've never done before. With wine yes, but I really loved how they guided us to approach their ciders with the same questions many of us often think about when we taste wine. What does it look, smell, taste, feel like? And lastly and most importantly, how does it make YOU feel?
With 40 acres and 30 types of apples, they're happy to share the news that they are halfway through their organic certification (it takes 3 years) and the orchards have been in the family since 1946.
The very information tasting is great, especially for visual learners, and has some great historical photos as well as infographics about the process of making cider.
With a very extensive portfolio of ciders from dry to semisweet in style and a cider maker who makes thoughtful combinations of other fruits, hops, teas and spices is making ciders that are going to put gleeful grins on anyone's faces that come by and visit.
They're also going to be opening a new farm to table restaurant and though the place was under construction when I visited, you can tell it's going to be something magical.
So go and break your northern wall, and take that beautiful, picturesque drive (it really is magical!) and visit BX Press Cidery and if you want to make a full day of it I also recommend visiting:
Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery (also check out their Insta for amazing cocktail recipes)
Ratio Coffee, Pastry & Juice Wall (that's right, amazing café by day, hip natural wine bar and nomnoms by night)
I see you Vernon... and I like you mucho mucho.
My brain is stirring to combine a Lake Country/Vernon Wine and Cider tour... what do you think? Would you be interested? Let me know your thoughts.
And as always,
Be Kind. Drink Wine.
xoxo Jess (Owner & Guide and Fun Person)