It’s our annual Okanagan hot sheet!

Taste
As if it weren’t enough that Church and State has built an architecturally spectacular tasting room (witness the glassed-in barrel room), it is soon to open a patio with an ice bar to keep you (and your glass of Cuvée) cool this summer. www.churchandstatewines.com

Stay
At Spirit Ridge, perched in the hills just above Lake Osoyoos, it’s not unusual to see people on their balconies for hours, gazing out at the stunning mountain, lake and vineyard views. Even better with glass of N’Kmip Pinot Noir in hand. Oh, is it only 10 a.m.? www.spiritridge.ca

Dine
The new Mica restaurant at Spirit Ridge brought in a stellar team to create “wine country comfort food” using high quality local ingredients: a round of Butcher’s Burgers on the patio sounds good to us. www.spiritridge.ca

Do
The family-owned organic Covert Farms has just launched a new wine label featuring the dramatic McIntire Bluff and the Nighthawk – both features of the bucolic property. With an on-site casual restaurant with patio, organic fruit and veggies, plus kids activities and organic farming camps, it’s the perfect answer to wine tasting with wee ones. www.covertfarms.ca

I Do
The remodeled Silvery Sage winery is a popular spot for weddings and it is easy to see why: beautiful landscaping, rose-lined walkways, and weeping willows. We do! www.silversagewinery.com —Sarah Bancroft

For more highlights from our 48 hours in Oliver/Osoyoos Wine Country, visit our Editors' Diary.

Summer may be over, but BC’s gentle climate allows for exciting road trips in the early fall.

Our road trip of choice? The Fall Okanagan Wine Tour, where we can be immersed in gorgeous surroundings with dreamy views and taste some of the best wines on the continent. So much to see, so much to taste…Here are top five Okanagan stops:

Tantalus
Tantalus is situated in the eastern slopes, overlooking Kelowna. Known for its remarkable whites, the winery is also part gallery, with a tasting room filled with works of art.

Editor’s pick: Riesling 2010

Nichol
This little gem of a winery is located at the tail end of Naramata Bench, overlooking Summerland. Nichol creates a wonderful array of wines cultivated on their unique soils made of glacial till, granite shards, bedrock and silt.

Editor’s pick: Cabernet Franc Syrah 2007

La Frenz
Also in Naramata Bench this charming little winery has swept up lots of awards in the last couple of years. Using biodynamic practices, its wines are sustainable and as tasty as it gets.

Editor’s pick: Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Blue Mountain
Blue Mountain overlooks the spectacular Vaseaux Lake, near the Okanagan Falls. As one of the oldest family-operated wineries in the valley, it has championed many new grape varieties in the region, making delicious…well, everything.

Editor’s pick: Gamay Noir 2010

Orofino
Located near Cawston in the Similkameen Valley, Orofino is Canada’s only strawbale constructed winery, keeping the wines naturally cool in the hot desert summer and maintaining constant barrel room temperature in winter. Known for exceptional reds, Orofino is a must visit.

Editor’s pick: Pinot Noir 2009 —Anya Georgijevic

The Fall Okanagan Wine Festival runs from September 29 to October 9, 2011, www.thewinefestivals.com

Wine tasting along Oliver’s Golden Mile in B.C.’s Okanagan just got even more lustrous.

Miradoro (golden view) the new restaurant perched above the vines at Tinhorn Creek Winery is definitely going for gold.

Extremely talented chef Jeff Van Geest (you may remember his late great Aurora Bistro in Vancouver) has created a Mediterranean menu that touches down in Portugal, Italy, and Spain with side trips to Morocco, all the while using locally sourced or house-made ingredients.

A chef who makes his own ricotta? That’s him. Inventive and healthy sides like whey polenta, cannelini beans, kale and parsnips keep things light, while a grilled squid salad with red fife wheat berries and grapefruit is the perfect match for Tinhorn’s delicious 2009 Gewurztraminer.

Inexpensive tapas (bowls of lemon-harissa roasted almonds, charred chorizo and octopus) are perfect to accompany a glass or two of Syrah, while the forno oven turns out hot and chewy pizza in seconds (try the shrimp/ricotta/pea shoot).

And if the food, wine and views aren’t enough for you, there’s a grassy amphitheatre below, where you can catch a live concert (like k-os) this summer.

Now that’s golden.

To see pictures of our day-trip to the winery, please visit our Editors’ Diary.

With the leaves turning gold and the crush in full swing, there’s no better time to hit wine country (with plenty of trunk space).

wine
Neighboring wineries in the Similkameen Valley may get a wee bit of Pinot envy when they get their hands on the 2008 Pinot Noir from Orofino. The husband and wife team have struck gold with this delicious specimen—so scoop it up now before the sommeliers do. Orofino Vineyards, 2152 Barcelo Rd., Cawston, B.C., 250-499-0068, www.orofinovineyards.com

wine
One of the Okanagan’s original cult wines, Black Hills just turned 10. At a recent vertical tasting of 1999-2008 Nota Bene vintages we pegged the 2008 as the real deal (as was the 2003, but we finished the last remaining bottle—oops). Open it now or lay away for your next notable occasion, like no car day, or the start of a new month. 30880 Black Sage Rd., Oliver, B.C., 250-498-0666, www.blackhillswinery.com

wine
Named for the towering pine rising from the vineyard (pictured), Le Vieux Pin is a must on the wine route. The tropical flavours and crisp acidity are promised and delivered in the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and the elegant and simple label (no sunsets or dogs with umbrellas here) is almost as pleasing as what’s inside. Le Vieux Pin, 34070 73rd and Black Sage Rd., Oliver, B.C., 250-498-8388, www.levieuxpin.ca

dine
Pack your own picnic and take in the stellar views from the communal table on the patio behind La Stella and order a bottle of the delicious “Super Tuscan”-inspired 2007 Fortissimo. So tall, dark and handsome you may want to take one home. 8123 148 Ave., Osoyoos, B.C., 250-495-8180, www.lastella.ca

recline
Well appointed and surrounded by wineries, where better to uncork some of your recently acquired cargo than Watermark Beach Resort. Look out over Lake Osoyoos from your balcony, or place your order at the wine bar downstairs. And for the morning after, a continental breakfast of yogurt, fruit and granola or the create-your-own eggs benedict may be just what the doctor ordered. Watermark Beach Resort, 15 Park Pl., Osoyoos, B.C., 250-495-5500, www.watermarkbeachresort.com

For a stunning Okanagan photo gallery by Darren Jacknisky of Edmonton's www.bluefishstudios.ca, please visit our Editors' Diary.
For more new Okanagan itineraries, click here.

Cruise the Crowsnest Highway while the pine tree hillsides are peppered with autumn gold on your way to wine country for a weekend where life imitates a luxury car commercial.

stay
With shades of maize and sienna both inside and out, a fully outfitted suite at Spirit Ridge in Osoyoos lends itself well to hunkering down with a bottle of a new fall release. For the best vineyard view, book one of their private, spacious one bedroom villas close to the adult-only pool area and invite a couple of gal pals along. Villas from $199, www.spiritridge.ca

spa
Treat yourself to the new Young & Wyse organic treatment at the Sonora Desert Spa. The anti-aging body polish/facial/massage all-in-one treatment uses certified organic products by Italian line Comfort Zone. Named for the new Osoyoos winery, it includes a glass of their shiraz to warm you up for the rest of your October wine tastings. $149, 75 minutes, www.sonoradesertspa.com

stop
Get pesticide-free squash at Harker’s Organics in Cawston and a pint of pumpkin pie gelato at Osoyoos Gelato on Main Street. On your way home, take a pie stop in Hope at Home Restaurant for diner-style apple à la mode.

dine
Ask for the plush blue velvet corner booth betwixt two walls of white frames at Passa Tempo and order the Ocean Wise ahi tuna with a glass of local chard or pinot noir. For a cocktail cleanser, take a Bison Grass Caesar at the bar. www.passatemporestaurant.com

do
If you’re new to wine touring, start your journey with an in-depth tour and tasting ($7.50) led on-site by a wine educator at NK’MIP Cellars. With this year’s late harvest, you could get a glimpse of grape action (we saw pinot being pressed). After Oliver’s bounty, be sure to head due north to Okanagan Falls for the 2009 gewürz and pinot gris releases from Meyer Family Vineyards and Wild Goose.

See photos from our trip on today's Editors' Diary.

Like wine with desert temps? Part Napa Valley, part Palm Springs, Osoyoos is the hottest holiday you’ll find in B.C.

stay
Situated right on Lake Osoyoos, the Watermark Beach Resort is casual coziness kicked up a couple notches. Amenities include a lakeside pool and hot tub, outdoor wine bar, yoga and Pilates studio and spacious private balconies. Waterfront suites and townhomes are outfitted with kitchens and in-suite laundry to accommodate longer stays, and as a family-friendly spot they offer kids camps so parents can pretend they’re once again footloose and fancy-free (by way of poolside pedi, perhaps). From $245 a night, www.watermarkbeachresort.com

eat
Learn where Watermark chef Natasha Schooten gets her organic produce from by booking yourself on one of her once-a-month “Down and Dirty” field trips to local Harker’s Organics or Covert Farms. You meet the farmer, harvest some bounty and finish the day with an al fresco meal made on-site. Next one July 29, book through Watermark Beach Resort.

drink
Focus your South Okanagan wine tour on the three S’s: Seven Stones, LaStella and Stoneboat. Although very different from one another, they all have their special charms and we suspect that, like us, you’ll find a bottle or three you like at each.

do
Squeeze in one more wine tasting and then some. At the newly refurbished Hester Creek Estate Winery, take your 2008 pinot blanc on the patio and picnic with a view of the valley and vineyards. Still have room for more grapes? Classic Canadian folk rockers The Grapes of Wrath play the estate’s outdoor amphitheatre July 30 ($35-$50, call 1-866-498-4435 to reserve tickets).

We spent a week on the Naramata Bench, sipping, sunning and siesta-ing. Here's the scoop.

eat
Go for breakfast at The Bench Artisan Food Market (and pick up happy hour snacks for later). The scones, cinnamon buns and coffee are all better than what you'd find in the big city. 368 Vancouver Ave., Penticton, B.C., 250-492-2222, www.thebenchmarket.com

sip
Possibly the best value on the Bench is the new Monster diffusion line from Poplar Grove. Take home a mixed case of their strawberry-scented rosé ($18), ManMade red blend ($18) and Merlot ($20): don't be scared now. 1060 Poplar Grove Rd., Penticton, B.C., www.monstervineyards.com

do
Venture up through the hills to Dirty Laundry, whose best-selling Woo Woo Gewurz pairs perfectly with picnic basket lunches on the terrace overlooking Summerland. 7311 Fiske St., Summerland, B.C., 250-494-8815, www.dirtylaundry.ca

sleep
The rustic cabins are wait-listed all summer, but try the central lodge, with the same fantastic beachfront view, plus canoes and rowboats for relaxing morning paddles. www.sandybeachresort.com

For upcoming wine events, see www.naramatabench.com

We explored the Okanagan Valley vintners by vehicle and found beaches, nibbles and bottles of blush.

stay
Nix the motor inns: Osoyoos is now home to the lap of luxury at Walnut Beach Resort. In between your winery crawls, soak in the lakeside hot tubs, or curl up under a Palapa umbrella on the private beach for instant exoticness. In addition to the fully-equipped suites, poolside BBQs allow you to grill Golden Mile goodies while taking in the desert sunset. Walnut Beach Resort, 4200 Lakeshore Dr., Osoyoos, www.walnutbeachosoyoos.com

eat
Before tackling the Naramata Bench, fuel up at Summerland’s Victoria Road Deli & Bistro with scrumptious updates on the ol’ panini press. Its signature sandwich features house cured duck, ham and portobello mushrooms, while its mixed frites boast potato, yam and parsnip with smoked tomato and cherry ketchup. On your way out pick up Poplar Grove’s Double Cream Camembert from the adjoining deli for a perfect picnic pairing. Victoria Road Deli & Bistro, 108-13615 Victoria Rd. N, Summerland, www.victoriard.com

shop
Leave Ogopogo souvenirs to the kiddies—on trend this season is the Okanagan rosé. Unlike most syrupy pink Zinfandels, these subtle sippers invoke herbs and stewed strawberries. Our top choices to pick up on your travels are Le Vieux Pin’s 2008 VaΪla Pinot Noir Rosé, See Ya Later Ranch’s 2008 Nelly and Therapy’s 2008 Pink Freud. The only buyer’s remorse you may have depends on whether your trunk is big enough to fit them all. www.sylranch.com

Okanagan aromatic whites that will make your summer worth the wait.

The Blue Mountain 2006 Chardonnay ($20.90) recently had a group of California wine geeks toasting their glasses for its bright citrus and noticeable lack of oak.

Join our mile high club with Golden Mile Cellars 2006 Sauvignon Blanc ($18.90). Think tropical flavours like grapefruit, lemon and pineapple.

Laughing Stock LFNG 2007 Pinot Pinot ($21.90) marries the fruit forward honey of a Pinot Gris with the crisp apricot of a Pinot Blanc. Sounds like a match made in heaven…who’s laughing now?

Better think fast to get your hands on the award-winning Tantalus 2006 Old Vine Riesling ($24.90) as there are just a few cases left (minus one recently purchased by us).

If it’s therapy you need, it’s Therapy Vineyard's Pinot Gris ($23.99) you shall get from this crisp, well-structured gem. After all, life’s all about balance.

Some wines available at Liberty Wine Merchants or by contacting the wineries directly.

If you’re privy to the K-Town rinser (a white wine spritzer), you’re already a local at heart. If not, here’s our guide.

eat
The new Cabana Grille brings local nosh to a whole new level with super-star Chef Ned Bell back to his old summer stomping grounds after tours in Toronto and Calgary. The patio has misters to keep you cool (they’re mechanical ladies) but the scene is sure to be smokin’ nonetheless. Cabana Grille, 3799 Lakeshore Rd., Kelowna, B.C., 250-763-1955, www.cabanagrille.com

sleep
If you love quirky abodes, you’ll be charmed by Tree Tops, a private, two-bedroom retreat at the top of an apple orchard. There are river rocks embedded in the hallway and a dining room table like no other—but the views are expansive, the gardens lovely, and it’s right next door to Tantalus Vineyard (and eventually, its Bing Thom-designed winery). www.treetopskelowna.com

listen
Terry David Mulligan and Jason Priestly broadcast their wine-themed radio show, The Tasting Room, on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Dial in to AM1050 in Kelowna to hear their latest oenological adventures, or get caught up online. www.tastingroomradio.com