At the south end of the Okanagan Valley you will find the majestic Burrowing Owl Estate Winery on Black Sage Road, Oliver. This 130 acre winery sits on top of a hill overlooking the valley. The Southern Okanagan Valley wine region is described by Northwest Palate as "Canada's most alluring wine region". The Burrowing Owl Winery takes it name from the endangered Burrowing Owls found in the area. The winery has a commitment to good environmental practices throughout all of its operations. Consistent with its environmental philosophy, the winery asks patrons to donate a tasting fee to support the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of BC.
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
The Burrowing Owl Winery was founded in 1998 by Jim Wyse. It is a full service winery with a hotel (The Guest House) and restaurant (Sonora Room). Its stunning South Western style architecture connects with the desert ecology of the Southern Okanagan landscape. The winery was designed to minimize impact on the environment.
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
On a sunny Wednesday during the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival Spaswinefood visited the award winning Sonora Room for lunch. The Sonora Room was named Okanagan Valley Life 2010 Readers' Choice Award for Best Winery Restaurant in the Southern Okanagan.
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
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| Sonora Room at the Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
This casual but elegant restaurant has a very relaxed atmosphere.
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
For lunch we selected the following wines:
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
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Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 2007 Pinot Noir © Spaswinefood
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Burrowing Owl Estate Winery 2006 Merlot © Spaswinefood
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For lunch we ordered Carrot Soup as an appetizer.
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Spiced Carrot Soup © Spaswinefood
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Our entrées were:
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Seared Albacore © Spaswinefood
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Vegetarian Pappardelle Pasta © Spaswinefood
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The Sonora Room has a great dessert list but, we passed this once.
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
The culinary staff at the Sonora Room is lead by Executive Chef Chris Van Hooydonk. The restaurant's overall focus is on supporting local organic produce. For more insights into Chef Van Hooydonk and the Sonora Room's culinary vision see Wine Trails. The Sonora Room gets great reviews on OpenTable and Tripadvisor. You might also want to read a review of the Sonora Room by Winederlust.
The award winning winery has a great online presence, as evidenced by providing tasting notes on its wines and links to wine resources (British Columbia, Canada, U.S.A. and the world). Bertus Albertyn , senior winemaker joined the Burrowing Owl Estate Winery in 2010. You can check reviews of Burrowing Owl's wines on Snooth and WineDiva. Also, see Natalie Maclean's reviews of 2006 Syrah and 2007 Chardonnay.
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
This winery has an absolutely beautiful setting. I t is a must visit in the South Okanagan. Do not forget to check out the great view of the valley from its observation deck.
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
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| Burrowing Owl Estate Winery © Spaswinefood |
Dining at the Okanagan Valley's winery restaurants is a must do. No visit to the Southern Okanagan Valley is complete without dining at least once at the Sonora Room. You will experience excellent cuisine with a local flavor.
Sharon
May 2011
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
© Spaswinefood
© Spaswinefood
Other Spaswinefood posts on the Okanagan Valley include:
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