When Deborah Wilde purchased the site of Oliver’s Hidden Chapel Winery its previous owner said to her that “God told her Deborah was supposed to have this property”. Today, this vision has been vindicated as Deborah, guided by the spirit of Bacchus, has turned her property into a winery of such quality that it should be regarded as a mandatory pilgrimage for every wine lover.
Hidden in the hills off Highway 97 along Oliver’s northern fringe, the winery takes its name from a small chapel that’s veiled from sight when on the highway by a garden worthy of Saint Francis. Composed of luscious flora, the gardens line a dried creek bed and give shelter to just about every species of songbird found in the Okanagan.
However, the real spiritual experience is in the tasting room where ‘the faithful’ come to restock their cellars. It’s here that the truly devout can sample all 13 wines. Everything from off-dry whites to ruby-coloured rosés and enough reds to stock your own cellar through the winter.
Complete your experience here by trying the holy trilogy, better known as the “Wedding Trio”:
2014 White Wedding
A citrus-rich and fruitful white blend, whose highly detailed recipe is closely guarded in the subterranean cellar. Drink happily ever after!
2014 Blushing Bride
A magenta coloured rosé with prominent hints of strawberries and raspberries, capable of quenching even the hottest of Okanagan days.
2012 Shotgun Wedding
A marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot that greets the palate with chocolate and espresso notes. Like most marriages, it only gets better with age.
~ Blake Allen