This is worth arriving at the airport early for.
The stylish new wine bar, Okanagan Vintners Exchange Gastrobar, is now open in the recently completed departures area expansion at Kelowna International Airport.
It's the sophisticated place to grab a glass of wine and a bite to eat before catching your flight.
The wine bar capitalizes on its location right in the middle of the high-ceilinged, huge-windowed departures area.
The Okanagan Vintners Exchange has no walls because its open-air concept -- a square bar surrounded by counters and bar stools.
"The Vintners Exchange is a one-of-a-kind airport wine lounge that represents the local wine region," said Bram Bolwijn, the guest & VIP experience manager at Iconic Wineries of British Columbia, who helped develop the wine list for the wine bar.
"The recognition by UNESCO in awarding Kelowna the title of 'city of gastronomy' perfectly sums up the international recognition this destination now enjoys — a place to travel, dine, and experience exceptional local beverages."
Iconic Wineries include Mission Hill in West Kelowna, CedarCreek in Kelowna, Martin's Lane in Kelowna, Road 13 in Oliver, CheckMate in Oliver, Liquidity in Okanagan Falls and Red Barn in Oliver.
So, obviously, wines from some of those wineries are on the menu.
But, Bolwijn wanted the offerings to be representative of the whole Okanagan, so there are also wines by Sandhill in Kelowna, Red Rooster on the Naramata Bench and Hester Creek in Oliver.
SSP (Select Service Partner) Group is the operator of Okanagan Vintners Exchange.
SSP is a huge London, England-based company with more than 3,000 food and beverage outlets in travel locations like airports and train stations across 38 countries.
While it's a massive conglomerate, it customizes some concepts for specific locations.
SSP calls it bringing "true taste of place to airport environments."
Thus the partnership with Kelowna International Airport and Iconic Wineries to create Okanagan Vintners Exchange to honour the Valley's winemaking prowess and culinary status.
SSP has other wine bar concepts such as VYNE Washington State at Seattle-Tacoma airport and Le Grand Comptoir brasserie and wine bar at the Bordeaux Saint-Jean train station and Houston and JFK New York airports.
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The Okanagan Vintners Exchange menu is designed so you can just order a drink or some food, or you can buy into the wine-and-food pairing suggestions.
For instance, the Road 13 Honest John Rose ($18 for a 6-ounce glass) is the recommended match for the $23 smoked turkey BLT.
The Mission HIll Reserve Brut sparkling ($20) is the suggest pairing for the $30 Okanagan charcuterie board.
The Mission Hill Five Vineyards Pinot Grigio ($15) goes with the $21 Kelowna Double Stack breakfast sandwich.
The $23 chicken kale Cesar salad is a match for the Sandhill Sauvignon Blanc ($13).
The Tinhorn Creek Chardonnay ($17) is the pairing for the $22 Vintners grilled cheese sandwich.
And, the CedarCreek Pinot Noir ($20) would go nicely with the $20 meatball skillet.
The wine bar isn't all wine.
It features craft draught beers such as Copper Local Lager and Copper West Coast IPA from Kelowna and Stanley Park Waypoint Hazy Pale Ale from Vancouver.
There are also mocktails, five different mimosas and 9 cocktails from a Caesar and Aperol Spritz to whisky sour and margarita.
Steve MacNaull is a NowMedia Group reporter, Okanagan wine lover and Canadian Wine Scholar. His wine column appears here every Friday afternoon. Reach him at [email protected].
