There’s a little secret Canada’s been keeping from us, and it’s time I blew their cover. Canadian wine is world class, and the vineyards are prettier than Napa. As far as I can tell, the only thing keeping these easy, breezy wines from tables in Europe is price. The wineries are heavily subsidised by the government, but the small yields can’t begin to compete with equivalent South Africans or Australians. Time to break out the plastic, I suppose!

I recently spent a gloriously sunny weekend taking my parents on a tasting tour for their anniversary, and discovered some gems. The Okanagan region of British Columbia, four hours’ drive east of Vancouver, is home to Canada’s only desert and has the kind of weather you expect in California. The folksy little town of Naramata sits on Okanagan Lake surrounded by the region’s best vineyards.

We started our wine tour at Naramata’s Red Rooster. The unpretentious tasting rooms and $2-per-5-tastings fee set a relaxed tone for the weekend, and it took an hour before we could bring ourselves to leave the cosy patio overlooking the red hills and blue desert lake. There are 136 wineries in the Okanagan, so this was no time to dawdle!

We visited several wineries that day, each independently-run and usually with tastings taken by the wine-growers themselves. Every winery we stopped at – they’re every couple of kilometres so you can’t do them all – had stunning views across the Okanagan valley, and suntrap patios that make you want to stay forever.

That evening, the Hillside Estate winery provided a romantic setting for my parents’ anniversary meal, while the Boyfriend and I barbecued and lounged by the beach by our rented cottage. We agreed we’d come back in 35 years too, but I know it will be sooner.