British Columbia's Okanagan Valley     L-Z

 


Larch Hills Winery


110 Timms Road,
Salmon Arm, British Columbia
V1E 2P8


Larch Hills Winery is a land-based, family run vineyard and winery, originally owned by Hans and Hazel Nevrkla. They sold the winery in 2005 to Jack & Hazel Manser

All wines are proudly made from 100% British Columbia grapes, either from our main vineyard just south of Salmon Arm (also the location of the winery and our home), or from contracted vineyards farther south in the Okanagan Valley. All our wines are made and bottled on our premises at Salmon Arm. We specialize in cool climate grape growing, and have varieties that are generally not available in other parts of BC. Canada's most Northern Winery, featuring the warmth and friendliness of a real small winery with quality wines. Vintner,Wine Grower Hans Nevrkla.

This farm Winery opened April 1, 1997 with their signature wine Ortega and a recent release Grandview Bench

The winery sits on top of the hill over looking the entire valley. Its an amazing picture post card view

Winemaker: Jack Manse
Philosophy: We specialize in cool climate grape growing, and have varieties that are generally not available in other parts of BC. We think this makes our wines unique.




Little Straw Vineyards Winery


2815 Ourtoland Road
Kelowna, B.C. V1Z 2H7

Little Straw

Little Straw Vineyards is a family-operated winery which opened under the name Slamka Cellars in 1996. By 2004, the winery had changed its name to Little Straw and undertaken plans to build a new facility. Since opening the new wine shop to the public in the fall of 2006, the winery has experienced increased sales and production.
Their 23 acres of vines include plantings of Seyval Blanc and Auxerrois. Wine Shop is open daily for tastings and sales from April 1st to October 31st. Tours are available if booked in advance.

Winemaker: Peter Slamka
Winemaking Philosophy: Good wines start in the vineyard.

Signature wines include OLd Vines Auxerrois



Mission Hill Family Estate Winery


1730 Mission Hill Road
West Kelowna, BC
V4T 2E4


One of the largest and fastest growing wineries in Canada, the winery was founded in 1980 by Anthony von Mandl. Today it produces over 200,000 cases of wine, with a world wide reputation.
The Winery was recently rebuilt and features an underground cellar. It sits at the top of Boucherie Mountain with a magnificent view of the lake. It was named winery of the year in BC by Wine Press Northwest
The winery has numerous vineyards throughout the Okanagan.

Proprietor Anthony von Mandl and winemaker John Simes are very proud to announce that their 1999 Estate Chardonnay won the only gold medal awarded to a Canadian winery as part of the year's Chardonnay du Monde competition in France.

The tour guides at Mission Hill tell an interesting story: In an international wine competition Mission Hill was awarded the GOLD but when the judges saw that the winner was a Canadian wine they redid the contest.. Guess who won again?

Mission Hill export to the US, Europe, the UK and Asia.
Mission Hill owns the Artisan Wine Company Rigmarole wines and Wild Horse Canyon wines, are made by Artisan

Winemaker: John Simes

Winemaking Philosophy:
We focus on quality and innovation, inspired by the vision Robert Mondavi brought to the Napa Valley. Our focus is principally on dry wines, both white and red. Our primary objective is to produce wines that show true varietal character and have excellent aging potential.

Their signature wine is a Bordeaux  inspired blend, called Oculus.  It is crafted from only the highest quality grape clusters from designated blocks that are set aside and nurtured to maturity.  The fruit undergoes extended fermentation and maceration and the wine is then aged in new and old French Barrels for a minimum of 14+ months.  A rich and deeply concentrated and powerful artisanal wine.  It will develop additional complexity over three to five years.  It is so named Oculus, as it encapsulates the vision Anthony von Mandl has for Canadian wines. 



Mt. Boucherie Estate

 

829 Douglas Road
West Kelowna, British Columbia
Canada
V1Z 1N9 



Mt. Boucherie Estate


Located on the western slope over looking Okanagan Lake. The Gidda family has grown wine grapes in the Okanagan since 1968. Vineyard sites now include 80 acres near Cawston in the Similkameen Valley, 40 acres in Okanagan Falls and 55 acres in the Westbank area.



winemaking team is made up of Head Winemaker Robert Thielicke and Winemaker David Frederick




Painted Rock Estate Winery

4850 Lakeshore Road,
Penticton, BC
V2A 846

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The vineyard, growing about 50,000 vines, has been developed on property south of Penticton and east of Skaha Lake that old-timers still call Braeside Farms. 60-acre Blackhawk property is owned by John Skinner. They decided to plant the primary red components of the classic Bordeaux blends, including a small planting each of Malbec and Petite Verdot to provide spice for our blend and to broaden blending options for our winemaker

 

Winemaker: Gavin Miller



Paradise Ranch Wines Corp.

901 - 525 Seymour Street,
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada   V6B 3H7

Paradise Ranch

Paradise Ranch Wines Corp. is one of the world's few wineries exclusively producing Icewines and Late Harvest wines. Our first vintage was in 1998, when we produced 8 varietals of Icewine using over 300 tons of frozen Icewine grapes from the Paradise Ranch vineyards. This represented approximately 75% of the entire British Columbia Icewine grape harvest.

Vineyards are located in the Okanagan next to the Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park
The Property covers 620 acres, with over two kilometers of waterfront in the Okanagan Valley, near Naramata, British Columbia. Paradise Ranch is the most visually stunning and spectacular property in the Okanagan Valley. The Ranch has a very modern and productive vineyard which produces the largest amount of Icewine grapes in all of B.C. and is the largest privately owned waterfront property on the ninety mile long Lake Okanagan.

Paradise is bordered by over one mile of Okanagan Lake shoreline to the South and West and by the 25,000 acre Okanagan Mountain Wilderness Provincial Park to the North and East. Koosi and Frederick Creeks run through the property and are fed by two mountain lakes sitting high on Okanagan Mountain.

Paradise Ranch has exported wine to over 20 countries and currently offers the following wines: Chardonnay Icewine, Riesling Icewine, Pinot Noir Icewine, Chardonnay/Riesling Late Harvest, Pinot Noir Late Harvest, Merlot Late Harvest.

Winemaker: Jeff Martin



Peller Estates

1125 Richter Street
Kelowna, British Columbia
V1Y 2K6

Peller Estaes

One hot summer day in 1958, a Hungarian immigrant named Andrew Peller arrived in the Okanagan Valley. Having owned a series of successful businesses, he was here to finally pursue his dream. He envisioned a day when Canadians, like Europeans, would come to appreciate premium-quality wines and enjoy sharing them with family and friends.

Peller Estates has grown to own numerous wineries  both in BC and Ontario . In the Okanagan their winemaker is Kelowna native Stephanie Leinemann winner of the 2002 President's Medal.

Winemaker: Stephanie Leinemann



Quails' Gate Vineyards Estate Winery

3303 Boucherie Rd
West Kelowna BC
V1Z 2H3


Dick Stewart and his son Ben opened Quails' Gate Estate Winery in Kelowna, in 1989. Their passion was Pinot Noir and the desire to prove red wines could flourish on the south-facing slope of Mount Boucherie, the soil been a mixture of volcanic rock and clay.

In 1990 they produced 4,000 cases - today they are producing 60,000 cases of fine wine under the direction of winemaker Ashley Hooper.

In 1997 they rebuilt their winery incorporating modern technology with its heritage theme.
The Wine shop is situated in a carefully restored log cabin which was the original home of Okanagan Valley pioneers John and Susan Allison who arrived in the area circa 1873. The shop is open daily from 10 am until 5 pm and carries a full range of wine related products and accessories.

Quails' Gate is known as an industry leader in the area of viticulture and places a huge emphasis on the development of exceptional wines through the research of new experimental varietal clones and canopy management techniques with high-density plantings. Since 1996 more than 60 acres have been planted with 75,000 new vines.

The Old Vines Patio Restaurant is now opened year-round under executive Chef Judith Knight.

Winemaker: Grant Stanley
Philosophy: Through careful management of our vineyard and the use of both old and new world techniques, we aim to make varietal wines distinctly different to each other with the emphasis on producing world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.




Recline Ridge Vineyard and Winery Ltd.

RR1 S12 C16
Tappen, BC V0E 2X0


Recline Ridge Vineyards extends over five acres and hosts nine different varieties of grapes. In the spring of 1998, Recline Ridge Vineyards began construction of an expanded winery. This unique post and beam log building is 3,300 total square feet on three levels and will house both the winemaking facility and a wine shop and tasting area. The winery overlooks the vineyard framed by Tappen Mountain and the Tappen and Similkameen Valleys.
The winery is owned and operated by Mike and Sue Smith.

Winemaker: Mike Smith
Philosophy: Germanic style whites, crisp, fruity not too dry - cool ferment Reds , full body, malolactic, oaked.




Rollingdale Winery


2306 Hayman Road,
Kelowna, British Columbia,
V1Z 1Z5, Canada


A small farm gate winery located in Lakeview Heights, on Kelowna's Westside. Owned and operated by Steve and Kirsty Dale. They select the property for it's proximity to Kelowna, stunning view, great site for icewine production. The wineries name comes from the rolling hills and the name Dale.
The winery plans on specializing in Icewines and to become a day resort for visitors and residents of Kelowna.

signature wines : Pinot Blanc Sweet Tooth Series Icewine & Pinot Gris Sweet Tooth Series Icewine.

Winemaker: Steve Dale
Winemaking Philosophy: Organic grapes taste best!  Preserve the fruit.



Sandhill Winery

 

1125 Richter Street
Kelowna, British Columbia
V1Y 2K6



sandhillwinery

The winery is owned by Peller Estates Ltd. Sandhill makes only single vineyard wines. Each and every bottle of Sandhill wine comes exclusively from a single vineyard. Each vineyard Sandhill works with was carefully selected for its distinctive traits - unique properties of soil and climate that consistently produce wines of exceptional quality and character.

The grapes come from four outstanding Okanagan Valley, BC vineyards - Sandhill Estate , Phantom Creek , King Family and Osprey Ridge - that are tended with a sensitive touch by grape growers Rob Goltz, Richard Cleave, Rod King and Don King.

Master Winemaker: Howard Soon
Philosophy:




Silkscarf

4917 Gartrell Rd.
Summerland BC
Canada


After a long and successful career in the high-tech industry Roie Manoff his wife Ruth and their son Idan decided to follow their passion and devote their time and efforts to produce excellent wine.
They purchased 8.5 acreas near Summerland and began their dream.The winery has a panoramic view of the blue Okanagan Lake and the spectacular Giant's Head Mountain

The wineries name is a special salute to the first pioneer pilots who used to fly in open cockpits with their 'colorful silk-scarves flowing in the wind'. The culture of both wine and silk are admired through countless generations. The vibrant Silk Scarf and its unique texture reflect the Manoff's goals in the art of winemaking - to have a signature style that is easy to recognize and to enjoy

Signature wines: Viognier, Riesling -Muscat, Late Harvest Kerner

Winemakers: Roie and Idan Manoff
Philosophy: Our winery is dedicated to making the highest quality wines of limited production while emphasizing personal relationships with our customers.




St Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery

5225 Lakeshore Rd
Kelowna, BC
Canada V1W 4J1


The St Hubertus and Oak Bay Vineyards where originally planted in 1928 by J.W. Hughes during a time when good agricultural land was plentiful. Since 1984, the Gebert Family use sustainable farming practices on their 76 acre vineyard, to produce wines that reflect the terroir of the  north Okanagan valley under the St Hubertus & Oak Bay label.

The Okanagan has an excellent and unique micro-climate for growing grapes. We don't have to compete with other wine regions; we simply have to promote our own distinct wine."

All wines with the exception of the "bubbly" uses screw caps

Winemaker: Homan Haftbaradaran




Sonoran Estate Winery

5716 Gartrell Road
Summerland. BC


Sonoran Estate owned by Arjan and Ada Smits, is named after the Sonoran Desert , a wide stretch of land that runs the length of North America from Mexico thru to British Columbia.

Smits family moved to Canada from their native Holland in 1982. They spent several years in the florist and greenhouse business in Ontario prior to moving to the Fraser Valley , where they expanded to include the farming of hazelnuts. In 1999, they purchased a gorgeous lakefront property just a couple short kilometres north of the community of Summerland, near Sumac Ridge

The family tore out the old apple orchards to make room for plantings of the first of their grapes, soon sending their youngest son Adrian, to winemaking school. Grapes include Merlot , Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Ehrenfelser, Oraniensteiner, Riesling, Malbec and Syrah.


signature wines : Oraniensteiner table wine, a fabulous dry white, Riesling, Gewürztraminer,Desert Morning (a Riesling/Oraniensteiner blend)

Wine consultants Christine Laroux, with some additional assistance from Gary Strachan

winemaker Adrian Smits
Philosophy: we value quality over quantity. It all starts in the vineyards, where the vines are meticulously maintained.




Sumac Ridge Estate Winery


17403 Highway 97
P.O. Box 307
Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0


Established in 1979 by Harry McWalters ( founder of the BC Wine Institute ) and Lloyd Schmidt. The winery was sold in 2000 to Vincor International. Production runs about 50,000 cases and is a popular winery to visit. Winemaker is Mark Wendenberg. Sumac Ridge Estate Winery was the first Okanagan winery to produce premium sparkling wines, as well as a Port-style wine, from premium vinifera grapes.

The winery is located on Sumac Ridge which was naturally covered in Sumac bushes.
Prior to establishing the winery there was a golf course called Sumac Ridge. Thus the name of the winery.

At the Summerland winery site, Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Noir grapes are grown. Further south, on a 115-acre vineyard in Oliver (in the south Okanagan) grown are such noble red varieties as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, in addition to a number of white varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc

The winery has British Columbia 's only Sparkling wine cave and produced Canada 's first traditionally made sparkling wine and Canada 's first Sparkling Shiraz. As well as being British Columbia's oldest operating estate winery, the winery was one of the first to embrace the VQA program, the first to create premium Canadian sparkling wine, the first to extensively plant classic Bordeaux grape varieties, and the first to launch Meritage wines. The winery also was the first in Canada to operate a restaurant and promote regional cuisine.

Their award Winning Cellar Door Bistro open 10 months of the year, March through December 7 days a week lunch and dinner.


Winemakers: Senior Mark Wendenburg, Jason James
Winemaking Philosophy:Mark's winemaking philosophy is to harvest at optimal ripeness for each varietal according to the wine it is destined for. Mark's style allows the ripeness of each grape to be fully expressed. Sumac Ridge is dedicated to producing premium wines that celebrate the essence of the Okanagan Valley E EFFORTS HAVE MADE

Signature Wines: Gewürztraminer, Steller's Jay Brut, Meritage red, Meritage (white), Pinnacle.

Ice Wine: Gewürztraminer Icewine ~ Pinot Blanc Icewine

 



Summerhill Pyramid Winery


4870 Chute Lake Road
Kelowna BC V1W 4M3
1-800-667-3538 summerhill@summerhill.bc.ca


This organic winery was opened in 1987. The proprietor is Stephen Cipes. Their philosophy: "Our vision is to provide the very best from pure nature for those who appreciate all natural foods and wines."
Summerhill is home of the Pyramid. After 3 years of tests in a small pyramid, consumer taste proved to the owner that pyramid aged wine was better. A 4 story pyramid was then constructed. Their award winning wines seem to prove they are right.
Makers of Cipes methode traditionelle sparkling wines Winner of the Richard Scheer Trophy for Best Canadian Riesling. Free wine tasting, includes champagne.

Summerhill is a Certified Organic Vineyard using no herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers in the soil. Glacier rock dust is added to provide trace minerals. Remineralized soils are proving to produce more flavourful and healthier foods wherever they are used

Summerhill was awarded a gold medal for their2006 Peace Chardonnay Icewine -at The 2008 Chardonnay duMonde. One of the largest and most prestigious wine competitions


Winemaker: Eric vonKrosigk
Winemaking Philosophy:
Wines made from 100 % BC grown grapes. Sparkling wines are produced with the méthode traditionally process and aged in a recently completed replica of the Cheops pyramid.




Tantalus Vineyards

 

1670 Dehart Rd
Kelowna BC V1W-4N6



tantalus vineyard

Located in the hills overlooking Kelowna and Lake Okanagan , Tantalus Vineyards was established in 2004. Originally known as Pinot Reach Cellars the site was first planted to grapes in 1927 and is one of the oldest continuously producing vineyards in BC.

Tantalus plans to remain a small lot producer of estate grown premium quality wines with the eventual addition of a new winery and wine shop. The name Tantalus is derived from Greek mythology - it is the origin of the word tantalize.

The Vineyards has 28 acres of vines. 14 Riesling, 11 Pinot Noir, and 3 Chardonnay.

Wines you must taste are Riesling and Pinot Noir produced from vines planted in 1978.

Winemaker: Matt Holmes
Philosophy: Traditional. Allow the wines to reflect the terroir of the vineyard.



The Cellar at the Rise


364 Cordon Lane,
Vernon, BC
V1H 1Z9




Located at the top (north) of the LAke Okanagan The Cellar at the rise is still under construction.  The micro climate of the lake and the high high-elevation vineyard at the Rise, almost 400 metres (1,300 feet) above the lake will produce high quality grapes. The steep south faces slopes of the  vinyards will allow for plenty of good sunshine

Planting began in 2005 with 2.4 hectares (six acres) of Pinot Noir and Riesling vines in 2008 they added another five hectares
(12½ acres) with more Pinot Noir and Riesling as well as almost two hectares (five acres) of Gewürztraminer. Addtitional plantings will include Pinot Gris, Kerner, and Muscat. Vineyard mangaer is Jason Ranelli

Tilman Hainle was the Rises first winemaker he left to open Working Horse winery. Under Tilman the winery had 4,600 cases of wine in its inventory in 2008, including Pinot Noir, Merlot, Riesling, and two vintages of icewine

The project develope is r Leona Snider. Her firm, Okanagan Hills Development Corporation,


winemaker: 


Information proved by author John Schreiner


Thornhaven Estate Winery

 

RR#2 S68 C15
6816 Andrew Ave Summerland BC, VOH 1Z2



A family owned and operated winery. Spring 2002 marks the Fraser Family's second year. The Frasers are Dennis and Pam, son Alex and his wife Shawny.

Selected for the southern slope and location the eight and a half acre site was purchased in 1994. The Fraser Family planted the first of two sections of vineyard in 1996. The first section consists of two and a half acres of Pinot Noir, one acre of Chardonnay, and half an acre each of Pinot Meunier and Sauvignon Blanc. The second section was planted in 1998 comprising of two acres each of Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. In the fall of 1999 viticulturist Valerie Tait was added to the team as a vineyard consultant to improve plant efficiency and fruit quality.

Construction of a 4000 square foot building started August 1999 and was completed in March 2001. featuring a panorama of Okanagan Lake, distant mountains, and the many orchards and vineyards of the valley floor. Here you can relax and enjoy a wine tasting.

Consulting winemaker: Christine Leroux





Turtle Mountain Vineyards


3111 Agnew Road
Vernon BC V1H 1A1



Located near the northern end of Okanagan Lake This winery previously called Bella Vista has under gone some changes and is now owned by Sid Sidhu. Sidhu a market gardener owner of Bella Vista Farm Market .

Sid has pulled most of the old vines from the vineyards and is replacing them with Gewürztraminer,Pinot Gris,and Auxerrois. There is also a section of older Marechal Foche.The plan is to hire a new winemaker and open the winery in 2007



Working Horse Winery

 

5266 Coldham Road
Peachland BC V0H 1X2



working horse

Opened in 2008 by  experience winemaker Tilman Hainle who formerly owned Hainle Winery and his partner Sara Norman. Working Horse Winery is located where the 1st Icewine in North America was made by Tilman Hainle & his father Walter Hainle in 1978. The vineyards & winery are certified organic and the farm features rare heritage grape varietals nurtured with traditional farming techniques, including the use of draft horses.

Working Horse Winery is named as a tribute to the spirit of the draft horse especially the beautiful, rare draft horses called Suffolks, also a tribute to the heritage of both the vines and early farm settlers. The winery is part of a diverse farm operation dedicated to: sustainable farming using draft horses, organics and the preservation of rare vines as well as heritage varietals of fruits and vegetables.

Winemaking at Working Horse continues to honor the organic principles that master winemaker Tilman Hainle was the first to establish in Canada in 1993. Sustainable winemaking to us means the production of small lots of premium wines made from the vinifera grown on the farm.

The winery itself is still in the planning stages. There will be a Icewine Interpretation Centre. The centre will include historic artifacts and information documenting the birth of Icewine in North America, as well as displays that demonstrate how Canadian Icewine is.

Winemaker: Tilman Hainle
Philosophy: Tilman makes the WHW wines to bring out the very best qualities in the grapes based the individuality of the vines and their terroir.

 

 


8th Generation Vineyard

6807 Highways 97, V0H 1Z9
Summerland, BC Canada

8th generation winery

With a passion for winemaking the Bernd and Stefanie Schales came to Canada. The Schales family started in the grape business in 1783 back in Germany. Bernd & Stefanie Schales are the 8th Generation
While Stefanie pursued a career in architectural design, Bernd carried on with his family's craft, and studied viticulture, oenology, and business management at the University of Weinsberg . He worked in New Zealand and South Africa before making the bold decision to move to Canada and the Okanagan Valley to begin their own winery .

They have 15 acres 11 in Okanagan Falls and 4 in Summerland producing Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Rose', Merlot, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir & Syrah. The winery received 10 medals in only its first year.

Winemaker: Bernd Schales
Philosophy: Clean, crisp wines which shows the character/ flavours of the grapes. No blends - 100% variety - in a simple and expressive way.  Good wine begins in the vineyard where proper attention to the vines produces good wines.

 

 


Wineries in the Southern Okanagan Valley


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