I was getting a little tipsy, if not completely ho...

I was getting a little tipsy, if not completely horizontal, by late afternoon. Blame a tour and lunch at Mission Hill for that. We had planned to remain there until the evening. Oddly, it was an employee at Mission Hill that recommended a break to visit Quails Gate down the road. As such, we only had a couple hours, a severely limited ration, and a choice I seriously regret. Like Mission Hill, Quails Gate deserves an afternoon. As we plan our next journey to explore the many wineries of the Okanagan, both Quails Gate and Mission Hill remain on that list.

Unlike Mission Hill, a very glossy and sharpened tourist destination, resembling a monastery with its walled estate and stone structures, Quails Gate is rustic, unpretentious. Exposed natural wood is proudly displayed in a construction style blending modern Canadian architecture with Asian influences. This theme carries into the main shop, with only a few selections of wrought iron accentuating stained wood. A smaller shop than Mission Hill, but more intimate, Quails Gate encourages more dialogue with the staff. Samples are free if you purchase at least two bottles so I bought four. I had planned on only two, but you know wine. And I was drinking (girlfriend was driving). By the end, I sampled six, and got sold on The Bench 2013 Pinot Gris, Richard s Block 2012 Pinot Noir, the 2014 Rose, and the star player, one which Mission Hill didn t offer, the 2012 Fortified Vintage Foch. Like Mission Hill, a crate was boxed and shipped home. Quails Gate also offers an enticing supplementary selection of books, glasses, and condiments, including chocolate cups in which to serve said Fortified Vintage Foch. The attendant that served me, Daphne, was fantastic, with generous samples and on-cue product knowledge.

This summarizing review doesn t properly encompass the value of visiting Quail s Gate. If I was traveling along Boucherie Road, I would enter through the northern entrance from the Okanagan highway and hit a half dozen wineries along that road. This would result in Quails Gate being second to last and then culminating in the picturesque Mission Hill. Knowing what we know now, we should have had lunch at Quails Gate, and then dinner at Mission Hill. Oh well, I guess that means we're coming back.