By Jenna Hickman
Let Kismet Estate Winery spark your senses. Inhale aromas of exotic Indian spices and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin as you enjoy views of lush vineyards and arid mountains.
Located just off Highway 97 in Oliver, Kismet Estate Winery offers a unique experience combining Indian flavours with spectacular wine. Although wine doesn’t have a strong history or presence in India, Kismet has found a way to meld the flavours perfectly.
“Wine brings people together, and Indian culture is all about bringing people together,” says Kismet’s operations manager Neelam Dhaliwal. “This is our way of connecting with the community.”
From Growing Grapes to Award-Winning Wines
With a name meaning “destiny” or “fate,” Kismet is run by the Dhaliwal family. With decades of farming experience, the Dhaliwal family are premier grape growers in the Okanagan. After their grapes started winning multiple awards, the family decided to take on the challenge of opening their own winery. After only seven years under the Kismet label, they continue to win awards, but now for their wine as well as their grapes.
“Every time we receive an award it’s just like the first time we won – it’s quite humbling,” says Dhaliwal. “We work very hard, and we believe we were at the right place at the right time, surrounded by the right people.”
Kismet carefully selects the finest 10 per cent of their grapes for their own wine production, with the remaining grapes going to other wineries in the Valley and the Lower Mainland.
Tastings at Kismet are available from 10 am to 6 pm every day (booking in advance is highly recommended) and their Masala Bistro is open from noon until 7 pm daily. Tasting fees are by donation, with all proceeds going towards the BC Children’s Hospital.
Virtual Guided Tasting
If you can’t make it out to the winery in person, Kismet makes it easy to bring the wine to you.
Through their virtual wine tasting option, you can order three bottles online, and one of the experts at Kismet will guide you through a 45-minute virtual tasting.
Wine Club
You can also join Kismet’s exclusive wine club, which has two membership options: the Connection Club and the Devotion Club. Connection Club members receive one case of wine per year and 10 per cent off all purchases in the wine shop or online. Devotion Club members receive two cases per year and 15 per cent off all purchases.
“The great thing about our wine club is you are in full control,” says Dhaliwal. “You can select all the bottles yourself, or you can select a few and let us choose the rest based on your previous selections. There really is something for everyone.”