Civic Hotel Celebrates BC Wines

Civic Hotel’s exterior and interior design evoke the stunning landscapes, natural materials and luminosity that characterize British Columbia. These touches are visible in the sweeping staircase between the lobby and the conference floor, the richly patterned custom millwork, and the stunning floor-to-ceiling views through the glass-case grand lobby and every guest room.

The nods to our amazing province also extend to the flavours and aromas guests will savour in every glass of wine on our in-house beverage menu. These exclusive selections from BC VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) — a regulatory and appellation system which guarantees the high quality and authenticity of origin for Canadian wines — reflect the unique growing conditions found in the renowned Okanagan Valley, 350 kilometres east of Civic Hotel.

According to Kristin Bishop, Director of Sales for Civic Hotel and self-proclaimed wine lover, the distinct and varied styles of grapes produced in the 160-km long Okanagan Valley reflect the shifting terrain and soil composition. “North Okanagan, around Kelowna, does a great job with the crisp, refreshing whites, like pinot gris and sauvignon blanc. Whereas in South Okanagan they’re doing amazing things with the big reds, such as cabernets, merlots and syrahs.”

Bishop spent many years exploring BC’s wine country and has curated a creative, approachable menu of whites, reds, sparkling wine and rosé that balances unique, award-winning vintages with crowd-pleasing blends. With decades of experience in food and beverage, one of her central considerations is to choose a portfolio of wine that brings out the best in the dishes on Civic Hotel’s BC-focused catering menu. “There is a perfect wine for every dish we prepare, and we’ll make sure you find it.”

“If you’re looking at the slow butter-braised salmon, served with a spinach-kale salad with lemon, sunflower seeds and an apple cider vinaigrette, I suggest CedarCreek’s Pinot Gris. And I recommend a gorgeous Private Reserve Merlot by Sumac Ridge to drink with the striploin steak with cognac and pepper jus. Its flavours of dark fruit pair so well with grilled meat.”

Given the quality and consistency of all BC’s VQA wines, she’s also pleased to recommend Civic Hotel’s house wines, Conviction Wines produced by Calona Vineyards. The red blend is their Dreamers & Schemers, while the white blend is Movers and Shakers. These are an ideal solution for buffets or menus with diverse and varied flavours and guests. “We’ve intentionally selected blends as our house wines as they lend themselves well to pairing with a variety of dishes and palettes.”

While events and menus vary enormously, Bishop is quick to put her finger on the most important aspect of in-house wines at the Civic Hotel. “Whether it’s a bottle shared between colleagues following a meeting, or a tasting event that’s part of a larger group event, wine is best shared in good company. It adds so much to the experience of getting together.” What’s clear is that each and every glass offers a taste of beautiful BC.