Osoyoos Wine tour with BMW Club of Southern Alberta

Early in 2024 the BMW Car Club of BC contacted the BMW Car Club of Southern Alberta about arranging a joint meet-up and drive to and through the Southern Okanagan valley of BC. Weather through BC’s Allison pass and the Rocky Mountains to BC’s east was pivotal in deciding dates. Later in the year and we battle wildfires – too early and we can’t get many of our cars through the snow. The end of May was the earliest we could consider the drive.

Our friends from Alberta started their drive on Thursday May 23rd and in BC we started a day later May 24th. The week before the Allison pass got hit with snow. Did we start too soon? Thankfully, the snow melted and held off, but as we know in BC, it likes to rain, and rain it did. On our way from BC, we stopped at Manning Park where temperatures were hovering around 5 degrees.

From Manning Park we drove to the Cascade lookout for a photo op and drone footage of the spectacular Valley. Snow along the roadside was still visible. From the Lookout we continued to Princeton for a gas top-up and quick bite to eat, and then on the Osoyoos and the Holiday Inn and Suites situated on an isthmus separating Okanagan Lake in two. That evening club members from BMWCCBC including from Kamloops; BMWCSA; and a special guest and his wife from BeeCee Beemers joined the dinner party at Diamond Steak House, where an entire room was set aside for the 40 guests.

The following day was our busiest. We set out on a magnificent drive through the winding roads of the southern Okanagan past many wineries; wild horses running on the streets; and revelers part of the “Half Corked Marathon” jogging from winery to winery often in costumes. A tour of the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory was a hit with all the guests, and then we were off to lunch in Oliver at Pappas’ Firehall Bistro.

After that we headed to Area 27 Motorsports Park, home of the Jacques Villeneuve designed motorsport circuit for photos and viewing. About half the group headed back to Osoyoos to get ready for our private wine tour on our chauffeur driven bus to Burrowing Owl, Rust Wine Co., and Silver Sage Winery where we were treated exceedingly well with many glasses of wine in hand throughout.

We felt especially well treated when we arrived at Rust Wine Co. and the staff came out to meet the bus with wine in hand as we each got of the vehicle. Siver Sage’s owner, Anna, had us rolling over with laughter with her stories and no less than 13 samples of her wine alone.

From there we headed to Tinhorn Creek’s Miradoro Restaurant where we met up with the other half of the members for a final group Dinner.
We are hopeful that our newfound relationships with other clubs will lead to future events together.

While a lot of work went into arranging the drive and all the events, it is the Club’s pleasure to celebrate the best of our passions with BMW and our members (family).

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