Golden Mile Cellars Estate Winery is a recommended stop on your South Okanagan wine tour. If they don't win you over with their warmth and passion for their wine (see GMC's mission statement they print up for visitors to read), you'll surely become fans drinking their wines.
The Old Vines Chenin Blanc 2006 (from the Luckhurst Family Vineyards) is dry with a hint of citrus (I thought very mild orange rind), and a crisp Golden Delicious apple. This Chenin Blanc has a lovely light golden colour, and it is very smooth on the palate, and has a very pleasant finish.
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Mike Klassen is a Vancouver city councillor, communications professional, and long-time advocate for British Columbia’s wine industry. He co‑founded BC Wine Lover in 2007 with his wife Stacey, sharing stories from their travels through the province’s wine regions and spotlighting the people and places that make B.C. wine distinctive.
In 2015, Mike led the BC Wine Appellation Task Group, guiding a province‑wide consultation that produced recommendations—later endorsed by industry plebiscite—that strengthened B.C.’s appellation standards and helped establish today’s sub‑GIs.
His writing has appeared in the Vancouver Sun, Huffington Post, and Daily Hive, blending history, policy insight, and personal experience. Alongside his work on Vancouver City Council, Mike continues to explore vineyards across the province, champion local producers, and celebrate the evolving culture of B.C. wine.
