It's difficult to qualify and quantify the scope, grandeur, function and potential of O'Rourke Family Estate.
The winery at in Lake Country is undoubtedly the largest and most-expensive-to-build winery in the Okanagan.
There are 220,000 square feet of buildings atop a 140-million-year-old granite knoll overlooking Okanagan Lake.
The site is 300 acres with 110 acres of that in vineyard.
And while the construction cost has never been revealed publicly it is indubitably multi-multi-multi-millions.
My wife, Kerry, and I got a sense of the size and opulence during a tour and wine tasting with O'Rourke Family Estate general manager Ian Scromeda.
"It is hard to describe," he admitted with a laugh.
"O'Rourke Family Estate is so much more than a winery. It's an art and music venue, it's a cultural centre, it's a global destination."
Yet, for the most part, O'Rourke Family Estate is essentially a secret.
A 20-year vision and 10-year development project of Edmonton construction tycoon Dennis O'Rourke, the winery isn't yet open to the public.
Yes, there have been some special ticketed parties, corporate events and weddings.
And the stunning Row 188 restaurant has been open for a couple of by-reservation-only dinner series.
But, you can't just roll up and have a tour and tasting at O'Rourke.
"We'll be opening slowly this summer," said Scromeda.
"It's all building to a July 2026 grand opening and big-name concert."
So, while the public is teased with that, Scromeda explained for the time being people are being directed to O'Rourke's landing page at https://ofestate.com/ where the curious can get on the mailing list for project updates, wine access and special event details.
One of those special events is already sold out -- a concert called 97 South Song Sessions on April 12 featuring singers and songwriters Kim Mitchell (Go For Soda and Patio Lanterns), Marc Jordan (Marina Del Rey), Lee Thomas Miller (You're Gonna Miss This and Whiskey and You) and Wendell Mobley (How Country Feels and There Goes My Life).
For now, O'Rourke wines can only be purchased onsite when you arrange a tour and tasting.
Wines are expected to be available online sometime in June.
However, here's a hot tip.
It didn't take much sleuthing online to find that through the website of O'Rourke's sister winery -- Peak Cellars, also in Lake Country -- you can buy a 'Winner's Pack' of three O'Rourke wines for $250.
Here's the link: https://www.peakcellars.com/
Meantime, a wine club is in the works.
It's expected it will only accept 2,500 members with a further 200 invited into a private club that will operate like a social club with exclusive access and tastings and special events.
Meanwhile, let's continue with the tour.
A grand triple-height reception hall leads to all the winery's other spaces -- downstairs to special event spaces, a 550-seat indoor amphitheatre and wine production facilities.
Keep going to Row 188 restaurant -- an elegant room with 74 seats inside and 74 seats on the patio overlooking the 1,200-seat outdoor amphitheatre and Okanagan Lake.
The more casual Granite Cafe also has indoor and outdoor seating and there are more indoor lounges and outdoor terraces for members and visitors.
"The tasting room will be like nothing in Canada," pointed out Scromeda.
"It will be like a series of living rooms and outdoor living spaces where only seated tastings will be done."
The winery also has hotel rooms scattered around the property in The Log Home, The Gatehouse and Cottage Inn, private dining rooms, bakery, boardrooms and not one but two helipads.
As a 'Burgundy' house -- O'Rourke makes only Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the signature white and red varietals of France's renowned Burgundy region.
So, when Kerry and I end up at one of the curved tasting bars it's for sips of the 2020 Waiting For You Pinot Noir, 2020 Pinot Noir, 2020 Clone 96 Chardonnay and the 2020 Chardonnay, which was the only Canadian entry to place in the top 10 at 2023's Chardonnay de Monde contest in Burgundy.
April is BC Wine Month
It's easy to celebrate April's BC Wine Month.
Simply drink BC wine -- whether its made of 100% BC grapes or made-in-BC of grapes from Washington state, Oregon or California because of the cold snap in January 2024 that lead to virtually no grape harvest in the fall of 2024.
Many Okanagan wineries open their seasonal tasting rooms in April, new vintage wines get released and more events are planned.
See a list here: winebc.com
Wine attracts 2 million visitors a year to BC who contribute to wine's $3.75 billion a year economic impact.
Steve MacNaull is a NowMedia Group reporter, Okanagan wine lover and Canadian Wine Scholar. Reach him at [email protected]. His wine column appears every Friday afternoon in this space.
