quail's gate winery - part ii (west kelowna)

Continuing on from yesterday's post of the Old Vines Restaurant at the Quail's Gate Winery in West Kelowna, here's what my parents ordered for lunch.



This was my dad's West Coast eggs benedict with potatoes, spinach and smoked salmon. There was a small green salad on the side, as well as sliced figs and raspberries. Ever since culinary school, I've been obsessed with hollandaise sauce - it amazes me the full gamut of flavours, tartness, acidity and creaminess it can run - and I'm just talking about the main mother sauce, not its derivatives! I personally love a smooth sauce with just the slightest taste of lemon, it's how I always made it in school (and got full grades for it everytime). Others had very tart hollandaises, which I always thought start detracting from the rest of the plate. Flavours should work harmoniously, not deluge and topple each other. This would also be my first experience with a restaurant hollandaise ever! The verdict? It was as if I had made it myself. Creamy with a smooth lemon aftertaste. Mmmm.


Mom ordered the wild sockeye special which was seared, and put atop a bed of arugula, lightly pickled onions and fresh tomatoes, with 2 pancetta slices on the plate. I honestly thought the sockeye was a tad underseasoned and overcooked - practically a crime against culinary. I thoroughly believe that sockeye should only be prepared grilled over a fire, the way our ancestors used to do it. The lean deep flavour of the meat needs to be treated like a fine piece of steak. Searing it on a pan just adds too much unnecessary oil and outside flavours to a great piece of meat. Coho is a more appropriate fish for the saute pan. Fortunately, the rest of the flavours on the plate melded beautifully together. There was the juicy sweetness of the tomatoes, the bitterness of the arugula, and just a touch of sourness from the onions and the dressing - with the salty crunch of the pancetta bringing it all home.


After our meal, we had signed up for a winery tour which would take us around the grounds, as well as inside the processing plant "where the magic happens." The tour guide brought us around the vines, pointing out how they pruned the plants, how and when they harvest, and how long into the year do they go. This was a particularly long harvest year as the sun kept refusing to fly south - so no one was complaining about that.


Each row of vines had a different type of grape growing on it. I had to take this shot just for the Sideways reference.


They actually trim off a lot of grapes so they can maximize the growth on certain bunches - ensuring they get the food and minerals they need from the ground. Trimming also provides food for the animals around such as deer, racoons and birds so they leave the growing grapes alone.


We were encouraged to sample and sample I did. There's really nothing like eating a fruit straight off the tree. There's so much sweet juice that explodes into your mouth - I can't imagine ever eating grapes from a grocery store ever again. There's just no comparison! Another perk of eating it fresh? Being encouraged to spit the pit to the ground. It's not just the animals who help spread the growth ;-)


Next stop, the climate controlled warehouse where they store the aging barrels. I have a few friends who would probably have done the "Homer's Land of Chocolate dance" if they entered this room.


This here's the actual beastie that does the grape pressing. That's right - no feet and socks in your wine here! It's all done by a giant voracious sabretoothed metal eating machine. I want one for my living room.


And finally, at the end of the room we were able to partake in a private wine tasting. Thankfully I have a pretty active metabolism since I was the designated driver. Kidding, just kidding. I had maybe a total of 3 tastings over 6 hours which probably equaled half a wine glass when all was said and done. Nevertheless, it was an eye-opening experience being allowed into the bowels of the beast.

I liked that Quail's Gate kept the tour group small (there were only 7 of us), and we got plenty of chances to chat with the tour guide and ask questions. Some of the other wineries we went to were certainly larger, but there were close to 20+ people on each tour. They have posted the tour schedules and fees for 2010/2011 - click here to see it.

The food was a hit-or-miss affair, leaning towards hit. At the prices being charged though, I'm not necessarily satisfied by the experience. I will certainly revisit Quail's Gate sometime in the future, if nothing else - to take advantage of that gorgeous patio of theirs. Quail's Gate Winery is located at 3303 Boucherie Road in Kelowna. They are open year-round, but you'd do best to visit during the later summer months.

Done.