OUR
MISSION is to provide
visitors to Oliver, the Wine Capital of Canada, with a one-stop
wine, food, and cultural experience in a manner that is informative,
friendly and entertaining.
Opened in
2003, the Wine
Country Welcome Centre is a privately
owned and operated business venture situated in Oliver, BC. Its purpose is
to present destination cuisine & wine hospitality
right here in the heart of British
Columbia's Okanagan Valley.
Featuring
BC wine is our primary focus, matched with local wine
country cuisine at our contemporary Toasted
Oak Wine Bar & Grill. It
is not uncommon to have winemakers drop by for a casual drink, a
light lunch, or a hearty dinner. We also own and manage Oliver’s
only VQA
Wine Store and Gift Shoppe right here at
our facility - a landmark achievement for the South Okanagan. The Wine
Country Welcome Centre
is rounded out with a casual information service orienting visitors
to BC wine country.
Our
site location was carefully chosen to provide visitors with the
greatest convenience that wine country has to offer in one central
location. The site was also selected to provide maximum
business exposure for each of the facility's revenue centers, as
well as for future tenants in the proposed Vintners'
Village to be constructed
at the same site. The historic old firehall located on highway 97 in
Oliver's downtown has proven to be an informed and strategic
acquisition for the project location.
The
facility with its magnificent tower is unquestionably the
most prominent and visible landmark in Oliver's downtown
core. The tasteful refurbishment of Oliver's historic old
firehall to its current grand status as the Wine
Country Welcome Centre can be credited
largely to this project's owner Jim Ruhland, who also owns and
operates Ruhland Design & Construction. Ruhland Design &
Construction has delivered a signature building to the South Okanagan, all the while preserving the
cultural heritage of the building's interior and exterior focal
features.
Respected
architect Robert Mackenzie was hired to develop renderings for
this project's redesign and vision. Robert Mackenzie's work is
visible throughout the Okanagan Valley; most notable is his
design work on many of the recognized wineries in the
area.
The
Wine Capital of Canada features 70% of the province's vineyards
and 22
destination wineries,,
making Oliver the ideal destination to begin your
experience in BC's wine country. To orient yourself with BC
wine country, view our Wine
Map
of the Okanagan Valley.
Our
dedicated and passionate restaurant manager, Joanne Ruhland, is
responsible for all aspects of daily operations. She can
be found day in and day out welcoming guests, organizing events, and
overseeing all facets of restaurant operations with her charismatic
leadership of the restaurant team.
Previous
to Joanne’s leadership, Jay Drysdale held the role of general
manager and sommelier, and can be credited with developing the
Toasted Oak Wine Bar & Grill’s extensive award winning wine
menu. A list of awards
that the Toasted
Oak Wine Bar & Grill has received can be
found on our Awards page. Jay is
now a private wine consultant, which compliments his new position as
a VQA Store Liason for the BC Wine
Institute.
Executive
Chef Charles T. Stover is the newest member of the management team,
and will be utilizing his extensive knowledge and command of the
senses to create a full sensory experience with the marriage of fine
BC wines and bistro-style food. Charles’ new menu
can be expected this spring,
2008.
Through
our commitment, experience, and expertise, the Wine
Country Welcome Centre has established a
relationship with BC's wine industry and our customers that will
last a lifetime!
Cheers,
and thank you for your support!
Jim
and Joanne Ruhland (Owners / Management)
