Winery Spotlight: Rustico Farm and Cellars

Rustico Farm and Cellars is a theme-park winery that devotes itself to remembering the Okanagan Valley's Old West roots. Before the valley became the agricultural marvel that it is today, it was a fur trading out-post and then a Gold Rush-era mining community. Of course, before all of that it was home, and still is, to the Okanagan first-nations people. None of this has anything to do with wine traditionally, but so-what? It's a fun theme and certainly a memorable experience.

Rustico's proprietor, the affable, story-telling Bruce Fuller, plays the role of a wise-cracking and savvy saloon owner to a tee and although some may find the shtick a bit kitschy at times, many will find it charming and undoubtedly unique. He pours his wines into whiskey tumblers which actually doesn't mute the bouquet or palate as much as you might expect. Each wine is served with a story about its name (often cheeky stories - ask about the "Farmer's Daughter") and each visit concludes with multiple photo ops of the tasting room decor or of the man himself. http://www.rusticowinery.com/

Eclectic Credentials
There may be no tasting room in the Okanagan more eclectic than Rustico's which takes its adopted Western theme to nth degree and there is certainly no proprietor more eclectic than Bruce Fuller who is usually seen in full cowboy costume both at and away from the Golden Mile Bench winery. Immerse yourself in the saloon-styled tasting room and take a moment to check-out the many authentic antiques and tongue-in-cheek named wines.

Key wines to try:
Bonanza Zinfandel
Farmer's Daughter Gewurztraminer
Mother Lode Merlot

- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2012 IconWines.ca