Road 13 Vineyards — Attraction in Area C (Inkaneep/Willowbrook)

Road 13 My girlfriend and I were on vacation through Okanagan wine country. Over six days, we visited sixty wineries. You can follow our various locations with this disclaimer. That’s sixty wineries, not an exaggeration. We ended the trip with 120 bottles acquired.

And this is why you travel to this region—this is why you make the effort. Road 13 is a @#$%^& castle, and I hope the censors allow that single expletive (even covered, they have a tendency of blocking it).

Okay, it’s not technically a castle. I mean it doesn’t have a moat or defensive structures. It’s certainly unable to handle a siege, though if trapped within, it would provide the most delightful time until the cellar ran out of fermentations. I can think fewer places I’d rather be when the Mongols charged across the land. A truly astounding site, Road 13 is one of the best-looking wineries in the region, and proof positive that one is not required to travel to Tuscany or Napa Valley to partake a wine tour.

I fixated on the castle motif for some time, though in honesty, it’s more a façade, and filled with half-cut barrel displays and curved walls filled with crimson-topped bottles, the tasting room is the only aspect medieval inspired. If you secure a more extensive wine tasting, your instance in the dated theme ends and you are escorted outside, across the grounds, to a modern glass-draped modern bistro overlooking the rolling vineyards, crossing centuries in seconds. Not jarring in any way.

It was in the lounge where we started our EXTREMILY all-encompassing wine sampling. There were several offered, and before the sun reached its zenith, we had enjoyed twelve glasses of wine. Twelve. The samples were miniscule to be sure, but even with the charcuterie pairing to help fill our stomachs, it was far too much alcohol so early in the day. Who do you think I am, Nicholas Cage baiting for Oscar glory?

I was okay by the hour’s end; the girlfriend not so much, and she had to bow out of the next two wineries. Road 13 was also the visit that changed our approach to each location. If Road 13 is your only choice or one of only a handful, then by my guess, enjoy the lounge and partake in the long tour. You may even get a pleasant German host like we did. We ended up taking home three bottles, though decided afterward we couldn’t survive the trip taking such extensive wine samplings at each location.

I didn’t mention my opinion on the actual wines yet, but they are…fine. They’re all right. This is one of those occurrences where the location and the experience of the visit greatly outweighed the quality of the wine. I mean it’s not bad wine—we got three bottles, but the location is amazing. If you visit only one winery in the region…well…you’d be an idiot, but if so, I think this would be the one the most aesthetically pleasing. one of the best in the region. Don’t...

Road 13 Vineyards is not your typical winery. It's a family-owned operation that focuses on expressing the terroir of the Okanagan Valley, a region that has been producing wine for over a century. The winery is located on a strip of land that runs along the western slope of the valley and has a unique microclimate and soil composition. The winery grows mostly Rhone varieties, such as Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne and Marsanne, as well as some old-vine Chenin Blanc that dates back to the 1960s.

I have visited Road 13 Vineyards on several occasions in the last 7 years. On a sunny and extremely hot afternoon in August, and was greeted by the friendly staff. We were offered a tasting of four wines, each representing a different aspect of the winery's philosophy and style. ($22 per tasting fyi) There are deals for groups.

The first wine was the 2019 Honest John's White, a blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay and Viognier. It was a refreshing and aromatic wine, with notes of citrus, peach, lychee and ginger. It had a crisp acidity and a slight sweetness that balanced well with the spicy and floral flavors. It was a perfect wine for a hot day, or to pair with Asian cuisine and that is saying a lot for me since I mainly dislike Chardonnay and Riesling due to the fruit forward aspects.

The second wine was the 2018 I forgot the name, a blend of two white Rhone grapes that are rarely seen in Canada. It was a rich and complex wine, with aromas of honey, apricot, almond, and white flowers. It had a full body and a creamy texture, with flavors of ripe stone fruits, nuts, and herbs. It had a long and elegant finish, with hints of minerality and spice. It was a wine that could age well or be enjoyed now with roasted chicken or creamy cheeses like cambozola.

The third wine was the 2019 Syrah Malbec, a blend of two red grapes that are known for their intensity and color. It was a dark and powerful wine, with aromas of blackberry, plum, pepper, and smoke. It had a full body and firm tannins, with flavors of dark fruits, licorice, and tobacco. It had a long and rich finish, with notes of leather and earth. It was a wine that could stand up to any meat dish, or be savored on its own.

The fourth and final wine was Seventy-Four I believe. It was a dry and elegant red wine, with notes of cassis, and mint woven through a matrix of soft, silky tannins in a medium frame. The overall impression is of a seductive wine that is carefully crafted to drink well now and for the next few years.

I have and continue to be impressed by the quality and diversity of the wines at Road 13 Vineyards. I would recommend anyone who wants to taste the very best that Canadian wines have to offer. Of course, your tastes may differ, but I always visit Road 13 when I tour the vineyard in Ossossys, and...

Four (4) years ago I was at the BC Wine Appreciation Society for a wine tasting dinner presentation. I was so impressed with the winemaker, the time he took answering all of our questions etc that I made a special trip up to Nick’s winery two (2) years later. That is when the owner, Nick took me to his newly opened semi-private tasting room. Again, I was impressed with the time he spent with me. This past winter, I called and booked the tasting room. I even followed up a few weeks away as I was deep in planning my big half century birthday visit with my closest friends. I wanted to show off the gem location and wine I have been following for some time.

Coconut Express picked up my party in Osoyoos and we heading directly to Road 13. From the moment we walked into the main tasting room, there seemed to be a problem. They took my money as I was paying for my group, then directed us to the semi-private tasting room. Instantly it was apparent we were not appreciated and respected. I have to tell you, this was a group of business professionals from Vancouver and the youngest was 39, the oldest, well let’s just say she has been there and done that and knows horrific service the moment it is shown. We were all treated like hooligans. To give an example, my eldest friend asked what was she tasting and the person pouring pointed to the tasting sheet and said “it’s right there”.

Within 30 minutes my party was out in the parking lot and calling Coconut Express to come back and pick us up. Thankfully he was close by, he gladly came back and we continued on to a new location, were treated like the professionals we are. I thank my friends for being the amazing people each and every one of them are as we salvaged our birthday celebration elsewhere.

I called today and they cancelled my membership – the feeling is mutual. Road 13 has lost a supporter but I gather they do not care. Brutal customer service, people skills and with no ability to try to accommodate or salvage the opportunity to sell cases of wine to my group....