Miradoro at Tinhorn Creek

What do you get when you combine a standout south Okanagan winery with an established Vancouver restaurateur? You get Miradoro at Tinhorn Creek, opened on April 1st, a joint venture between Tinhorn Creek and Manuel Ferreira (of Vancouver’s long-established Le Gavroche).

Jeff Van Geest will head up the kitchen as Executive Chef. Remember Jeff? Although the restaurant has been closed for several years, his name still makes us think of Aurora Bistro, a much-loved little room on Main Street, with a farm-to-table menu, a BC-intensive wine list, and jars of housemade preserves such as balsamic cherries.

The south Okanagan location will put a bounty of produce and tree fruit at Jeff’s fingertips, and he has already nurtured relationships with Covert Farms, Harker’s Organics, Wolfgang’s Grain and Flour, and Okanagan’s Finest Angus Beef. The menu is Mediterranean-inspired, with sophisticated offerings like gazpacho ajo blanco (chilled almond and bread soup with pickled apple) and beef heart carpaccio. However we’re happy to report that it also includes comforting mainstays like wood-fired pizza (there’s one topped with potato, caramelized onion, and mascarpone).

Of course the food is created for BC wine, and the winelist includes hard-to-get library wines as well as current releases from Tinhorn Creek. At a launch event held at Le Gavroche, we happily sipped some of the wines and tasted a few of Jeff’s creations. First up was the delightful 2009 Gewürztraminer, bursting with tropical and orchard fruit flavours. And if you like Chardonnay, their 2009 is a beautifully balanced version of the varietal. But Sommelier Justin McAuliffe isn’t limiting his list to Tinhorn Creek’s own products; instead he has included a few handpicked favourites from wineries throughout the Okanagan Valley.

If you’re thinking of a wine tour this summer, the south Okanagan is not to be missed. Wineries of the Golden Mile between Oliver and Osoyoos are consistently the most applauded and awarded in the province, and Tinhorn Creek stands proudly among them.

If you’re interested in Tinhorn Creek you might also like this article about the wildlife conservation aspects of the vineyard, and the ratttlesnake relocation program.