A proliferation of festivals and local associations are raising the profile of B.C.’s wine industry, enticing consumers to experience the province’s several growing regions for themselves.
Wineries in the South Okanagan, for example, were once a side trip for visitors staying in Penticton or Kelowna. But last year, says Glenn Fawcett, president of Black Hills Estate Winery near Oliver, 80% of visitors to Black Hills’ tasting room were staying in Osoyoos and focusing on South Okanagan wineries.
A significant factor in the shift, he believes, is growing awareness of the region not only on account of a rise in the number of local wineries but attention garnered through events such as the Banee of Oliver – which had its origins as an industry event – and the Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival, which grew out of festivities surrounding the release of Black Hills’ celebrated Nota Bene wine.
When word got out that Black Hills investor Jason Priestley was going to emcee the 2009 release party, the paparazzi leapt and the Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival was born.
“It positioned Osoyoos in a light that it had never been positioned before – as a glamorous place where celebrities enjoy great food, great wine,” Fawcett said.
Celluloid celebrations
The following year, a film festival modelled on the Eddies, a beer-themed film festival organized by Alberta’s Big Rock Brewery, was added to the mix.
Billed the Vinos, the short, often comedic films celebrated B.C. wines and were posted on YouTube with a view to raising the profile of B.C. wines and providing a priceless complement to the $450,000 that Tourism BC spends annually promoting wine and culinary tourism provincewide.
The first festival attracted 19 videos and an audience of 190 people; the following year, 40 submissions and 300 viewers showed up.
“Then this year we had well over 60 submissions and about 375 people in attendance,” Fawcett said.
“We have great support with the hotels in Osoyoos as well as Destination Osoyoos and Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association. They realize it really helps build wine tourism to get room nights during the weekend of the festival, but in the bigger picture it creates better awareness of the Okanagan as a region.”
Destination Osoyoos saw enough value in the celebrity wine festival to acquire rights last year, and will relaunch it this fall as the O! Osoyoos Celebrates wine festival.
The success of such initiatives isn’t a surprise to the Naramata Bench Winery Association, which launched in 2002. One of the province’s first regional wine associations, member wineries made a point of celebrating their wines from the start by hosting a tasting that spring in Vancouver.
The tradition continues to this day, with additional tastings in Victoria, Calgary and Edmonton.
Tailgate tastings
With growing awareness of local wines, and growth in wineries to 22 from just six, Naramata’s popularity among tourists increased. An annual tailgate party has become a staple of the area’s social calendar each fall.
But the success of the efforts recently prompted the association to review its strategy.
“What we had done nine years previously, nobody else had done, in terms of taking a region down to Vancouver,” said Miranda Halladay, president of the association’s board of directors and general manager of Elephant Island Orchard Wines. “[But] that was happening all over the place, so ... we took a year off doing most of what we had done in the past, just to be introspective and look at how we could offer customers and potential customers a very true, authentic and distinctive experience.”
This summer, local wineries worked together to ensure that there’s something going on along the Naramata Bench every weekend – from fashion shows to pulled-pork picnics.
“What we’re trying to return to is something that speaks to us as a group of winemakers from the Naramata Bench,” Halladay said. “Something that’s not just your conventional wine-and-cheese pairings.”
Other regions are picking up on Naramata’s model.
Sara Harker, president of the eight-member Similkameen Wineries Association and winemaker at Rustic Roots Winery in Cawston, said the four year-old organization has become the valley’s key marketing organization for tourism.
The key event drawing in visitors is the Similkameen BBQ King each July. The barbecue serves food grown solely in Cawston, and the farmers themselves show up – good for both the vibe and networking with customers and consumers.
“It’s not strictly to showcase the wines of the Similkameen, but it also showcases the local organic farmers,” Harker said.
`“There’s a lot of spinoff effects for everyone directly associated with tourism and indirectly associated with tourism in the Similkameen.” •
