From Tourism BC

Revered as an outdoor adventure playground, BC’s Kootenay Rockies seems an unlikely destination for lovers of the grape. Carving their own niche within this famed mountain backdrop, two wineries aim to change all that. Skimmerhorn Winery & Vineyard in Creston, situated southwest of Cranbrook, has been home to fruit and berry farms for more than a century. A scenic setting, no doubt, and one perfectly situated to the production of premium cool-climate wines; Pinot Gris, Ortega, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir and Marechal Foch all fill glasses at this small, family-run winery. Here, guests can swirl and sip the winemaker’s latest productions in the 1940s inspired wineshop, take a guided vineyard stroll or pull up a chair at the winery’s Bistro for a sampling of Chef Geoff Little’s tantalizing creations. Following your first taste of the region, head west to Columbia Gardens Vineyard & Winery. Noted as the first commercial sized vineyard and winery within the region, this 50-acre spread situated near Trail may be small on production, but taste is anything but. Jointly owned and operated by the Bryden and Wallace families and linked to family members as far back as the 1930s, the farm has a storied history: vegetable and hay farming and even land designated for cattle grazing are but a few of the area’s incarnations. Today, Columbia Gardens’s tasting bar pours vintage offerings including Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir and Marechal Foch plus popular blends including an inspired mix of Auxerrois, Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay. Time for a taste of the Kootenay Rockies. www.skimmerhorn.ca; www.cgwinery.com