Larch Hills Winery put eight wines in this year’s SavorNW competition in Oregon and the judges liked everything.
“They all brought medals home,” says owner Jack Manser. “I was a little bit surprised. Sometimes you expect too much.”
The SavorNW Wine Awards has hundreds of entries from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and BC.
Jack adds that their Lemberger isn’t always “well enough understood by the judges.”
But this time they understood it very well, as it brought home top honours, as did several of their other wines:
Best of Class: Siegerrbe; Gold: Tamarack Rose; Gold: Ortega;Gold: Lemberger; Silver: Riesling; Bronze: Marechal Foch Reserve; Bronze: Merlot; Bronze: Malbec.
Locally the Lemberger, Tamarack Rose, and Ortega are very popular, says Jack. He says the secret of their success is simple: attention to detail every step of the way.
“It’s all the work we do in the summer and the whole season, the pruning, the way you grow grapes, and making the wine of course.”
Podollan now Hilltop Inn
The signs aren’t changed yet but the Podollan Inn is now Hilltop Inn. General manager Lianne Jansen says the new owners, four business partners from Vancouver, are making all kinds of positive changes.
“There are updating and upgrading in the motel, in the back, and they’re using local businesses for the renovations. I really appreciate that. In everything they do they’re being very considerate. They’ve rehired the staff and they really want to treat everyone well.”
Help clean downtown
Downtown Salmon Arm is hosting the 3rd Annual Askews Community Clean Up Day, Saturday April 28th. Join us at the Ross Street Plaza at 9 a.m. for orientation and work plan, then reconvene back at 11:30am for lunch. Show your civic pride and bring your friends and family members along for this fun, collaborative day! For more information and to sign up, visit salmonarmdowntown.com.