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The Life Of The Landscape Essay

Decent Essays

The landscape changed quite drastically as we left the lush rainforest behind and entered the semi-arid region in the South of Okanagan in British Columbia, Canada. Green fir trees made way for golden rolling hills and scrubby terrain. Adding a splash of colour to the otherwise dry looking terrain were the green vineyards perched against the gentle sloping hills. This might come as a surprise, but Canada’s only desert is home to a growing wine community with many award winning wines being produced here. Welcome to Osoyoos.

As we approached the town, a large lake came into view. Osoyoos Lake is the warmest freshwater lake in Canada and is surrounded by pristine vineyards along its perimeter. 37 wineries are now a member of The Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association, a non-profit organization with a goal to develop the wine industry in Oliver and Osoyoos through education and promotion. While driving through the region, we decided to visit a few well known and lesser known wineries and learn about their history.

Stoneboat Vineyards
We passed many picturesque wineries as we drove through the valley, each offering wine tasting to anyone who is keen to sample their BC wine. We stopped at Stoneboat Vineyards, a family owned winery only 20 minutes from downtown Osoyoos. The lovely Julie Martiniuk greeted us, who together with her husband Lanny, purchased a 15 acre-orchard in 1979 and planted their first vines in 1983. 40 Years later, they now have over 48 acres and are producing award

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