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Make CedarCreek a summer destination

Are you starting to think about where you'll go on vacation this summer? Consider heading north to British Columbia's Okanagan Valley. And if you go, put CedarCreek Estate Winery on your to-do list.

This Kelowna-area winery is celebrating its 20th year and is making some of the province's finest wines. American ex-pat Tom DiBello (formerly of Claar Cellars and Washington Hills) is the winemaker, and his stuff is consistently great, from Chardonnay to Pinot Noir to Merlot to Cab to ice wines.

CedarCreek is south of Kelowna. To get there, cross the floating bridge into town, then look for signs that direct you to the right. It's about 10 minutes south of the downtown area.

Kelowna is the largest city in the Okanagan Valley, so there is no shortage of hotels, motels, B&Bs, etc. My favorite place to stay is Otella's, which is near downtown. Hands down, it is one of the finest breakfasts I've ever had.

For meals, Kelowna has a lot of restaurants. One of the best is Fresco, where I had one of the greatest meals in my life.

From Seattle, the drive to the Okanagan is probably six or seven hours. You can head north to Vancouver then head over the mountains, or go to Wenatchee then north to cross the border at Osoyoos. Given the choice, I'd avoid the Blaine crossing at all costs.

U.S. citizens can bring back as much wine as they want. You'll need to pay a 21 cents-per-liter tax to the IRS (collected at the border), and Washington residents might need to pay a state liquor board tax, but I haven't been asked to pay that in the past two years.

By aperdue at Apr 6 2007 - 1:48pm | British Columbia | aperdue's blog | 1222 reads

Yin and Yang of CedarCreek

I have had two very different experiences at CedarCreek winery. Was up in Kelowna in 2005 and stopped in to check it out. There was a $5 tasting fee to try the "regular" level of wine (think there were five pours for the $5) or you could pay $10 for three pours of the "Platinum" reserve level wine. My wife did the $5 and I did the $10 and we shared all of the wines. Bought some of the 2002 Meritage Platinum Reserve because it was a great wine.

I was in Kelowna again in the fall of 2006 and wanted to stop by and pick up a few bottles of the 2003 Meritage. When I arrived at the winery it took me ten minutes to get someones attention (it was just me and one other couple in the tasting room). They had taken off the Platinum tasting option from the menu. I let the person behind the counter know that I was looking for the 2003 as I had purchased the 2002 a year before. The response I got was "That wine is not released yet. It is very small production and we try and sell it to our most loyal customers. If you were one of our regulars than you would have known that it wasn't released yet. So, are you going to do a tasting of the rest of our wines?" At that point I let her know that I wasn't planning on tasting and I had specifically come in for the Meritage. She turned and walked away.

Unfortunately, the good experience with the wine does not trump the bad experience with the staff. If I happen to find the wine in a shop in Washington (not likely) I will pick some up. But I will not make the effort to stop by the winery again.

By magnumgourmet at Mon, 04/09/2007 - 8:22am | login or register to post comments

Yin/Yang

Wow, what an experience! It goes to show the importance of treating every customer well because you never know who it is.

Many years ago, I stopped anonymously at a winery in British Columbia (which will go unnamed), and I was treated rather shabbily. I went back two years later with an appointment (they knew who I was and that I was there doing research for a book), and I was given the grand tour, a tasting of all the wines, etc. Two years after that, two friends and I again stopped by anonymously. We were yelled at as we walked toward the winery door and told to leave because a football game was on. Let's just say that winery will never, ever be featured in Wine Press Northwest.

By aperdue at Mon, 04/09/2007 - 8:31am | login or register to post comments

Cedar Creek isn't the best

I have a problem with the Cedar Creek tasting room. They charge for all tastings, and the premium bottlings aren't available for tasting at all!

If the regular was free and the premium available for a price, I'd go there more often, and may even buy some. I'm never going to spend $30+ on a wine I've never tasted, when there is so much other fine wine in the area.

Further along that same road is the Carmelis Goat Cheese operation, this is not to be missed if you love cheese, with lots of free tastes.

By tomfakes at Sun, 04/08/2007 - 1:51pm | login or register to post comments

CedarCreek

If true, this is unfortunate. Tasting fees are a bummer regardless, and if the top wines are unavailable for tasting at any price, then it seems they are missing out on opportunities.

By aperdue at Sun, 04/08/2007 - 10:17pm | login or register to post comments

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