One of my favorite wineries that I discovered in 2006 is Stag's Hollow. I am ashamed that I had never been there before, especially considering that I used to live in Okanagan Falls. I was fortunate enough to visit in the middle of summer in between large groups and had the staff mostly to myself. I sampled all of the reds and enjoyed them all. However, the 2004 Merlot (not the Renaissance Merlot) was my favorite. While I usually prefer a cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir, I was blown away by the complex, yet extremely smooth Merlot. Go figure. Shortly after the Festival of the Grape I returned and purchased a case. Despite the general consensus that white wines are to be had with poultry, no fewer than three bottles were consumed at both Thanksgiving and Christmas between five to six people each time. It was a hit, even amongst the usual white wine drinkers. Clearly this winery is something special!