Leading the charge since 1993, Tinhorn Creek has been making its mark on the Canadian wine scene for almost three decades. Located on the Golden Mile Bench in Oliver, BC, a designated Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) sub-geographic indicator, Tinhorn Creek offers panoramic valley views that span all the way to Osoyoos Lake. From inside the tasting room or outside on the covered patio, visitors can gaze upon the picturesque landscape that makes the southern Okanagan region truly unique.
Whether you’re sipping your wine on their covered sunlit patio overlooking the valley, seated in the demonstration vineyard, or picnicking in the amphitheatre, there’s something for everyone to experience at Tinhorn Creek.
Tinhorn’s Wine Experiences
One of the most exciting new programs at Tinhorn Creek is the Library Lounge Experience, which was introduced in May. Held in an intimate setting above the winery’s cellar, surrounded by Tinhorn’s collection of cellared library bottles, guests will be immersed in the nearly 30-year-old history of Tinhorn Creek. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a flight of wines focusing on a particular vintage or wine varietal while learning about the aging potential of wine.
During Tinhorn Creek’s Guided Vineyard Tour, guests embark on a scenic and educational walk around the beautiful estate property. After touring the vineyards, barrel cellar and winery grounds, guests will be treated to a carefully selected wine flight, applying the knowledge they learned on the tour to the wines. This fully immersive experience is the best way to learn about the entire winemaking process, from growing vines to barreling grapes. You’ll want to bring your thirst and your questions for this experience. This unique and comprehensive experience will be available until the end of October.
Visitors can now elevate their wine experience further by opting to add food pairings to their wine flight. A delectable charcuterie board or perhaps a sampling of savoury cheeses make for phenomenal choices.
Awards
While visiting the winery, make sure to either try a glass or pick up a bottle of Tinhorn Creek’s most recent award winners. This year, at the 2022 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada, Tinhorn Creek took home three gold medals, for their 2018 Blanc de Blanc, 2021 Pinot Gris and 2019 Oldfield Reserve Syrah.
New Release
Soon to be released is Tinhorn Creek’s Barrel Lot No. 3, a Chardonnay made in an oxidative style.
“The Barrel Lot collection of wines is grown in our Hidden Terrace Vineyard. They are small-batch wines that showcase the artistic expression of our winemaking team,” said Tinhorn’s head winemaker Leandro Nosal. “The Barrel Lot No. 3 is made with natural yeast and aged 24 months in neutral French oak, giving it a more nutty—almost walnut—flavour.”
With less than 100 cases made, you’ll want to pick yours up sooner rather than later. To stay posted on its anticipated release date, be sure to subscribe to Tinhorn Creek’s e-newsletter.
Save the Dates
Additionally, and perhaps most exciting of all, is Tinhorn Creek’s first wine club event in over two years. On September 10, the winery will be hosting their Paella Picnic. With live music, wines to taste, and a few different paella stations, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to Spain. This is an exclusive wine club member event.
Miradoro will be starting their Fall Short Table Dinners starting mid-October. The short table dinners will be every Tuesday at 6:30 pm and will run until December. Call Miradoro to reserve your seats.
In the Vineyard
The vineyard team at Tinhorn Creek is thrilled to be diving into this year’s harvest.
“The 2022 season should be quite exceptional,” says Andrew Moon, vineyard manager and viticulturist for Tinhorn Creek. “In the next couple of weeks, we should see flavour formation well before brix, which will always lead to an outstanding vintage.”
The team will be pulling vines out of their Diamondback Vineyard this fall to replace some white varieties with more climate-suited red varietals. Moon says the new plantings will include Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The groundwork and trellising will be completed after harvest, with the new vines being planted in the spring. The team is very excited to optimize this vineyard site for these best-suited varietals.
The Tinhorn Creek Tasting Room is open seven days a week from 10 am until 7 pm in September and 10 am until 5 pm in October. Miradoro is open daily for lunch and dinner. The winery strongly encourages reservations; however, they will do their best to accommodate walk-ins.
For more information about Tinhorn Creek, the wine club, and upcoming events, or to book a wine flight experience, please contact 888-505-5537 or visit tinhorn.com.