OSOYOOS, B.C. — It's hard to imagine a more perfect place on earth to sip an ice-cold glass of wine than right here on the deck of the Okanagan Valley's Nk'Mip Winery and Golf Resort over-looking the bright, azure waters of Osoyoos Lake.

It's even harder to imagine that not so long ago this wine-golf paradise was nothing more than part of the Great Basin Desert, not fit for man nor beast. Today, Nk'Mip (pronounced Inkameep) is one of the Okanagan Valley's most spectacular wineries with some of the finest Canadian wines produced here. The winery, carved out of desert lands, is a partnership between the Osoyoos Indian Band and Vincor Canada. Also on the property is a four-star resort with self-contained villas complete with breath-taking views, golf course, spa, and Native interpretive centre.

The 9-hole Sonora Dunes golf course, a par-35, 2508-yard layout, is built around the desert hills and the lush vineyards of Osoyoos. It's a short track that requires precision shot making or you'll find yourself face to face with a rattlesnake or any other manner of creature that craves some of the hottest, driest weather in Canada.

Inkameep's wines, crafted by Randy Picton, are lovely examples of what grows best in the Okanagan — Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot. A premium tier, called "Qwam Qwmt" represents many of the top wines in B.C., but are made in small quantities and hard to find anywhere but at the winery.

A few must-try wines from Inkameep include the Nk'Mip Pinot Blanc, a crisp, tropical fruit bomb and the Nk'Mip Qwam Qwmt Chardonnay, a buttery, spicy, nutty, elegant chard that's a perfect match with lemon drizzled crab claws or whatever the lake catch of the day is. Also delicious is the Nk'Mip Qwam Qwmt Pinot Noir with aromas of cedar and cherry that turn to toasty spice and cherry fruit in the mouth. And for a real treat, ask for a taste of the limited Nk'Mip Qwam Qwmt 2005 Syrah. It's a Rhone-style red in structure and flavour with big beefy notes to go with coffee bean, and bold, dark fruits.

Even further north, in the Penticton-Naramata area at the south-end of Okanagan Lake, start your wine tour at the Red Rooster Winery where you'll be warmly welcomed by Frank the Baggage Handler. He caused such a stir in Penticton that the bronze statue, buck naked to the world with all his, um, baggage, hanging loose, was subject to ridicule and vandalism from the townsfolk. The centre of the storm was all below the waist and one angry hater of fine art had the audacity to lop off said member prompting an outcry from artist Michael Hermesh and his, er, supporters.
Along came Red Rooster, a funky, artsy winery, which offered the broken Frank shelter from the storm.

Oddly (or perhaps not), Frank now stands proudly inside the winery (there is also a replica on the front lawn), where the most touched part of his form is what is left of his (take a guess here).
Art and wine have collided at Red Rooster, a beautiful accident of style and wackiness where funky wines meet cheeky art. As for the wines, try the Red Rooster Bantam white blend and the wonderful, over-the-top Syrah. Both are a reflection of the casual and fun nature of this winery.
Also in the area, check out Laughing Stock Vineyards, Therapy Vineyards and the excellent Joie Wines.

From Naramata north to Kelowna many of the Okanagan's most famous wineries reside. And none is more symbolic of the entire B.C. wine industry than the towering landmark of Mission Hill Family Estate Winery. Located in Westbank, a short drive across the bridge from Kelowna, Mission Hill sits atop Mount Boucherie and has been a hallmark of all that is great about the Okanagan wine industry since being purchased by Anthony von Mandl in 1981. Von Mandl's goal is to become one of the top 10 wineries in the world. He's off to a grand start with Canada's most visually spectacular winery.

Mission Hill is ideally located close to the Okanagan's top golf courses and offers "chip and sip" packages that include three-hour tours of the winery, transportation to Gallagher's Canyon Golf and Country Club, Quail Ridge Golf and Country Club, Harvest Ridge Golf and Country Club or Predator Ridge Golf and Country Club (home of the 2008 Telus World Skins Game) with an optional lunch or dinner feature.

Mission Hill offers the full spectrum of great Canadian wines. Its Bordeaux style Oculus is one of the top 10 wines in Canada. The top tier Select Lot Collection wines, are incredibly well crafted and worth every penny of the $30-$40 they command. The Syrah is a majestic wine with dark, dense black fruit, made in the muscular style of those big Napa Valley Syrahs. The Merlot, as well, is dazzling with jammy cherry and currant fruits all soaked in a bath of elegant oak.

Some of the other top wineries to visit at the north end of Okanagan Lake include Sumac Ridge (home to Canada's top Champagne-style bubbly called Steller's Jay Brut), Dirty Laundry Vineyard, Quail's Gate Estate Winery, Summerhill Pyramid Winery (all the wines are aged under an Egyptian-style pyramid and the grapes for the wines are grown organically), and, Calona Vineyards with its excellent Artist Series of wine under the careful guidance of Peller Estates' master winemaker Howard Soon.

Soon also makes one of the finest single-vineyard series of wines in Canada with his Sandhill label. It's worth the trip to the Calona Vineyard just to purchase one of these extraordinary wines. If you go, try the Sandhill Small Lots Program Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah. It's a beauty with a spicy, minty, layered nose to go with sweet oak spice. It's dark, dense and multi-faceted in the mouth with an array of dark fruits and creamy spice. This is a hedonistic wine at the upper echelons of Canadian wine royalty.