Off the Beaten Path

JoAnn and Gary Armstrong selected the area near Cache Creek for their ranch. One day while on holiday in Hawaii JoAnn declared "when I get home I am going to do a business with fruit wines" and the adventure began.

Since they were off the beaten path there was was no help from local winemakers. They had to learn the business themselves from the ground up. The adventure began in May 1999, today they produce 1,4000 liters of apricot, apple, blueberry, black current, cranberry, honey, and other fruit wines.

The first winery located in Kootenays opened in the fall of 2001. The winery is owned and operated by the Bryden and Wallace families. Currently there are 7 acres of vines. The winery selectively produces few wines seeking quality over quantity. Pinot Noir, Marechal Foch, Gewürztraminer and unoaked Chardonnay are the wines produced.

The tasting room along with a gift shop are located in a log cabin. Author John Schreiner writes; the charm of the Columbia wine shop surprises first time visitors who do not expect a tasting room with sophisticated decor this far off the beaten path. Signature wine – Garden Gold blended white wine

  Winemaker: Lawrence Wallace
  Philosophy: Produce VQA quality wines and to remain a family winery producing limited quantities of fine wines

 

After 20 years of successfully running a family orchard, Al and Marleen Hoag  took the plunge and opened a winery. The winery is named after the Skimmerhorn Mountains, part of the Purcell Mountain Range, which borders the eastern edge of the Creston Valley.*

Their 14 acres produces a varietal range which includes Pinot Gris, Ortega, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir and Marechal Foch. For a relaxing, intimate lunch or small group gathering the Bistro at the Vineyards provides an idyllic setting; it is open from mid May until mid October, reservations are recommended.

Since the New Zealand South Island and Creston have similar climates the Hoags visited in 2006 and while there found and hired winemaker Mark Rattray to help get them get started in their new adventure.

Winemaker: Mark Rattray
Philosophy:  Our wines reflect our terroir

A small family owned and operated winery, located in the beautiful Kootenay River Valley of south-central British Columbia. Paul Koodrin runs the blueberry farm and winery. The rich, unique flavours of Heron Ridge wines are achieved through careful, measured blending of two varieties of blueberry - the sweet Northland and the small ultra-sweet Stanley

Winemaker: Paul Koodrin

Located in the heart of the British Columbia Coastal Mountains (near Whistler) the geographical location gives the valley a summer climate that is typically hot and dry during the day, coolerin the evenings, producing grapes with good varietal character and crisp acidity

The winery is owned by Patrick and Heather Bradner. Patrick had been making wine as an amature for ten years before realizing his first commercial vintage in 1999. The seven-acre property has about 3,500 vines of Chardonnay and Pinot Gris with vines obtained from the Okanagan and about 500 Maréchal Foch vines.

Winemaker: Patrick Brader

One hundred and fifty years ago the Hudson Bay Company began construction of Fort Berens on the east side of the Fraser River, at Lillooet, British Columbia . The trading fort was never completed and the fertile river bench was used instead for the growing of melons, tomatoes and alfalfa.

Now the historic site is home to Lillooet's first commercial winery and vineyard. Is Fort Berens Estate Winery the harbinger of BC's newest wine region? The winery is owned by Pannekoek and Rolf de Bruin

In the Spring of 2009 they put 20 acres of river bench under vine with 36,000 plants, consisting of six varietals; Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Three years from now, the vineyard will hang ripe with grapes, ready to be turned into carefully crafted wines.

Fort Berens Estate Winery is located at the junction of Highway 99 North and the Gold Nugget Arterial, just east of the Bridge of the 23 Camels, across the Fraser River from downtown Lillooet.

Fort Berens Estate Winery is less than two hours north of Whistler, three and a half hours from Vancouver and two hours south-west of Kamloops, on the scenic Highway 99 route from the west coast to the interior and is included in the the circle tour from Vancouver

Winemaker : Bill Pierson

Harper's Trail will the first winery to open in the Kamloops Area ( summer 2012). The winery is owned by Ed and Vicki Collett . Their Thadd Springs Vineyard is located on Shuswap Road just NE of Kamloops BC

Thousands of years ago, when the South Thompson River ran a different course, the land that now holds the Thadd Springs Vineyard was the nomadic riverside home to 30 bands of Secwepemc (or Shuswap people) whose people camped along the river. Fast forward to what in contrast are more recent times, and the rolling hills that now proudly host vinifera vines were once echoing with the sound of hoofs and braying cattle. Renowned BC pioneer and rancher Thaddeus Harper used the grounds as a camp and staging area, as cattle were driven from the US to the Chilcotin to Harper's Gang Ranch.

Today, the 18-acre vineyard is a presentation for the Thompson Valley, demonstrating what is possible for wine growing in BC. With careful attention to the land, the Colletts are committed to showing the world that Kamloops can become known as a place in BC known for crafting fresh, fruit-driven, quality wines.

Tasting room: no public tasting room.

Winemaker: Michael Bartier

Established in the heart BC's interior, Left Field Cider Co. is a family owned business, making traditional cider in small batches. Proprietors are Gordon and Debbie Garthwaite, Kate Garthwaite, Theresa Pedersen two sister and their parents. Production 1,500 cases

The idea of producing Cider came to Kate out of no where thus the name Left Field from the expression Out of Left Field. Kate spent a year in Herefordshire, England apprenticing with a well-known cider maker and is the most knowledgeable in apple varieties and blends. All the owners have a role in producing their cider.

The ciderhous is open from May Long Weekend to Labour Day on Fridays from 3pm-7pm and Saturdays and Sundays from noon-6pm. We are happy to give customers a tour of our facility.  All of our products are full juice. They do not use concentrated or artificial flavouring. They blend English and French cider apple varieties with dessert apples that are typical to BC.

Winner of Best Beverage at the 2012 Okanagan Fest of Ale

Signature Ciders: Big Dry and Little Dry

Cidermaker: Kate Garthwaite
Philosophy: Real cider is made from apples. We don't chapitalize and pride ourselves on making a full-juice cider