Nestled between the Cascade Mountains to the west and the Monashee Mountains to the east, the beautiful Okanagan Valley stretches a total of 124 miles north from the town of Vernon to Osoyoos in the south. A chain of clear, blue lakes -- created, connected and fed by rivers -- runs the north/south course of the long valley, stirring the searing summer air masses in the south and frigid winter air in the north. Clusters of wineries and vineyards throughout the Okanagan depend on these water-stirred air currents to moderate local and varying climate extremes.
	Okanagan Lake is the largest body of water in the Okanagan Valley. To its immediate south lie three smaller lakes -- the Skaha, Vaseux, and Osoyoos. Running west to east in the southern part of the region is the Similkameen River, giving rise to the corresponding valley name and its wine region. An awe-inspiring landscape is completed by gently rolling hills that frame the valleys filled with picturesque orchards and vineyards. Sunshine dominates the scene, even in Winter.
	The Okanagan Valley is British Columbia's oldest and main grape-growing region. Although it lies on the same latitude as the northern German and French vineyards, the Okanagan Valley is not all classified as a "cool-climate" growing region. Distinct microclimates occur throughout the Valley, from the hot, sandy, desert soils in the southern valley to the cooler vineyard sites in the north, with their deep topsoil and clay. Chardonnay, Merlot,
		Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Gris and Pinot noir grow in the south, while Pinot blanc, Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer are grown in the mid and northern regions, some left to freeze on the vine for the region's famed icewines.
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