When I met feisty helicopter pilot Chinook MacLean at a wine tasting event this week, she was sporting a big grin. Her employer, Valhalla Helicopters, has just launched a great new website that details all the heli-wine tours they offer as well as the vast array of wineries where they can land. Many of the wineries made special arrangements just for Valhalla, offering them helipads to be able to conduct their high end winery tours – a new way to see Kelowna’s five new wine trails, to be sure. Needless to say, Chinook was feeling proud of the new website, and now at the wine tasting she was enjoying the buzz of her many Kelowna-area winery contacts as they offered her compliments on the new site.

Valhalla Helicopters is certainly about more than winery touring, although this is undoubtedly the most fun example of their offerings. The company also does their part in fighting forest fires, providing charters, and working on projects in the forestry business, and Chinook is often flying on assignments such as these. But the beauty of Valhalla’s wine tours is that it makes their helicopters accessible to the general public, and it affords their clients with a birds-eye view of the beautiful valley we live in.

I was astounded to see the many Kelowna-area wineries that have linked up with Valhalla Helicopters. Here are just a few examples, although I urge you to check this link for the full picture.

St. Hubertus Estate Winery – this winery on the Lakeshore Wine Route is owned and run by two Swiss brothers, Andy and Leo Gebert. A self-professed helicopter nut, Andy even has several helicopter models in his office. A stop at St. Hubertus would include tastings of their delicious and unusual varietals – like Chasselas (a classic Swiss grape), Chambourcin, and their new blend called Goddess. 

Ex Nihilo Vineyards – this winery is on the Lake Country’s Scenic Sip wine trail, and is a relative newcomer to our winery offerings in the area. If you watch this video by Shaw Television on Valhalla Helicopters, you’ll see that Ex Nihilo is the vineyard shown in the shoot. Owners Jeff and Decoa Harder are proud of their elegant whites and big reds, as well as their Sympathy for the Devil Icewine which has been endorsed by the Rolling Stones.

SpierHead Winery – a new winery along the East Kelowna Wine Trail, SpierHead specializes in premium red wines and offers a distinctly artsy flare to any visit with their winery gallery.

Mission Hill Family Estate – this stately winery on the Westside Wine Trail is no stranger to guests arriving by helicopter. With a permanent helipad above their cellar, the experience of landing at Mission Hill Family Estate could only classify as a serious “Wow” experience.