I recently enjoyed a few days of downtime in the Okanagan. Of course, when I find myself in the area, I’m destined to mix business with pleasure—since it’s only proper to do a little wine touring while otherwise enjoying the sun and the odd swim in the lake.

The smoke and haze from local wildfires was rather intense for the first couple of days, but it wasn’t any more concentrated than what we saw in Vancouver during that same stretch of time. Just as we went a good couple of weeks without being able to see the North Shore mountains from most local vantage points, it was similarly odd to be in Naramata and barely see Summerland, less than four kilometres across the lake.

While things have cleared up lately, as long as there are still wildfires burning around the region we’re not quite at the “all clear” stage. For now, according to winemakers I’ve talked to, there isn’t too much concern about smoke taint affecting vineyards. Much of the valley is just beginning to go through veraison, which is the onset of ripening when grapes begin changing colour on the vine. Grapes are more susceptible to taint once they begin to hit optimal ripeness, when their skins aren’t as sturdy and protective as they are earlier in the season. Since we’re not there yet, we simply wait and see, while crossing our fingers that things won’t flare up much more, or in too close proximity.

Should that happen, there are ways of dealing with it, whether through reverse osmosis techniques in the winery, or even by limiting the amount of time there is skin contact in the winemaking process (particularly for reds). Otherwise, vintage 2017 is rolling along fairly well, so we should see many gems coming out of it down the road.

On that first clear day once much of the smoke had dissipated, I visited JoieFarm Winery in Naramata to check out proprietor-winemaker Heidi Noble’s new tasting room and outdoor picnic area. The tasting room is bright and breezy and likely to be buzzing anytime you visit. It’s quite a fun scene, with good tunes playing in the background and many staff pouring samples throughout the room. For those wanting to do things alfresco, there’s even a tasting bar outside.

It’s on the sunny lawn, where you’ll be surrounded by a few dozen picnickers enjoying wood-fired pizza and snacks from the outdoor kitchen, and sipping Noble’s crisp and refreshing wines while lounging in Adirondack chairs, or perhaps playing a little bocce. I’d be lying if I said JoieFarm’s 2016 Brut Quotidien ($25) hadn’t hit the spot while we tucked into our pizza and schnitzel. Quotidien translates to “your daily ration”, and the name is meant to express the pleasure of enjoying cheery, accessible sparkling wine any time of the week. A blend of Chardonnay and Riesling, the wine has peach, pear, and lemonade notes that wonderfully echoed an Okanagan summer.

A short ride north along Naramata Road sits Nichol Vineyard, which has long been one of my favourite Syrah producers, perched right above Naramata Village. My go-to for years has been its Old Vines Syrah ($40), which is made from the first vines of the variety planted in Canada, way back in 1990. The wine is always laden with ripe, dark berry fruit, violets, and white pepper, and able to age for well over five years. Knowing its profile well, I wondered whether the winery’s newer Nate’s Vineyard Syrah (vintage 2014 is $28), with vines planted in 2006, could hold a candle to it. After giving it a whirl, I’m now torn as to which one’s my preference. The Nate’s Vineyard version is a little more savoury, and while there are touches of dark berries and violets here too, there are also nice meaty notes, a little fresh sage, and just a hint of sun-dried tomato. All in all, a fantastic duo.

A five-minute walk up the hill from Nichol is Daydreamer Wines, where owner-winemaker Marcus Ansems is also crafting some wonderful Syrah, but it was his Daydreamer 2016 Riesling ($25) that stole the show for me this time out. Zippy pink grapefruit and ripe, juicy apricots are finely concentrated, with a few sprigs of jasmine blooming. A touch of Granny Smith apple skin brings some fine texture.

Finally, down in the south Okanagan, I enjoyed a sneak preview of Tinhorn Creek’s 2014 edition of the Creek—its new flagship red wine, due for release on September 1 ($55). A blend of 53 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 19 percent Merlot, 17 percent Cabernet Franc, 9 percent Malbec, and 2 percent Petit Verdot, the Creek is the culmination of the 23 years of Tinhorn Creek’s history and experience getting to know its vineyard land and its potential with these varieties. While the multilayered blueberry compote, raspberry, date, and mocha notes are quite pleasing at the moment, I’m looking forward to seeing how they’ll integrate with age over the next few years.