Wineries of the Shuswap

Baccata Ridge Winery

66-68 McManus Road
Grindrod, BC V0E 1Y0

A new winery located north of Okanagan Lake near Salmon Arm. On his farm owner Sheldon Moore found numerous Yew trees, whose botanical name is taxus baccata, this prompted the winery's name.

Sheldon spent many years travelling in Asia as part of his job. He returned to Canada in 2001 and, with a winery in mind, bought a 65-hectare (160-acre) farm on a slope overlooking the Shuswap River, just north of Enderby. he has planted 3.2 hectares (8 acres) of vineyard, only a fraction of the potential vineyard land available to him. Believing that northern vineyards should focus on cool-climate
varieties, Moore selected Ortega, Siegerrebe, Gewürztraminer, Gamay, Zweigelt and Maréchal Foch, along with Vidal for icewine

Organic farming methods are practiced

Winemaker: Sheldon Moore’s

This Vernon orchard was extablished in 1949 by the grandfather of current owner David Dobernigg. The orchard is located in Vernon's Vernon’s BX district. There are 12 hectares.

The district is named for the former 2,428-hectare (6,000-acre) ranch once operated by the owner of Barnard’s Express & Stage Line. Once the largest stage line in North America, it closed after 50 years in 1920 when trucks and railroads took over. The name lives on in the district and now in a cidery. (1)

David and Melissa realize that Apple production in the Okanagan is now a difficult business and they need to turn to Cider production to ensure a profit. They did the resaerch before constuction their facilities were built. Ttheir initial ciders 10,000 litres were made in 2013.

They recieved training from Washington states Peter Mitchell.

Cidermasters: Davis and Melissa Dobernigg
Philosophy: Our cider is pressed only in the fall when select varieties of apples are ripe. We then ferment it over the winter, releasing it only when it's had a long, slow maturation to mellow and develop it's complex flavours. 

Celista Vineyards

2319 Beguelin Road
Celista, BC V0E 1L0

Located on the north shore of Shuswap Lake Jake and Margaret Ootes named their winery after the community where they live. They first planted vines in 2002 and now have two hectares (five acres) of grapes on their 65-hectare (160-acre) farm. They grow Maréchal Foch, Ortega, Madeleine Sylvaner, Madeleine Angevine, Gewürztraminer and a small quantity of St. Laurent. Hans Nevrkla award winning winemaker and founder of Larch Hills Winery was hired as consultant and winemaker

Winemaker: Lee Holland

Edge of Earth Vineyards

4758 Gluch Road
Spallumcheen, BC V0E 1B4

Due to the windy country road one has to reach the winery owners Russ and Marnie Niles renamed the winery Edge of the Earth Vineyard. It was formally called Hunting Hawk Vineyards. The vineyard is small at 3 acres ( 1.2 hectares) here he grows his favourite grape. Maréchal Foch.

Russ recent made his first icewine a Pinot Noir

Visits by appointment.

Winemaker: Russ Niles

Larch Hills Winery

110 Timms Road
Salmon Arm, BC 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 and Hazel Manse.

All wines are proudly made from 100% British Columbia grapes, either from the main vineyard just south of Salmon Arm (also the location of the winery and home), or from contracted vineyards farther south in the Okanagan Valley. All our wines are made and bottled on the premises at Salmon Arm. They 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

Larch Hills sits on top of the hill over looking the entire valley. It's 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."

Marionette Winery

2540 40th Street NE,
Salmon Arm, BC

The winery is owned by two very experienced winemakers Amanda Eastwood and Jamie Smith. Jamie is originally from Salmon Arm.  He spent 11 years working and living in Europe.  Most of those years were spent in Spain where he met Amanada. After meeting in Spain both Jamie and Amanda moved to Brighton, England to study degrees in Viticulture and Oenology.  They both completed a BSc. Hons in the subject and began working in both in England and in Europe.

Why the name Marionette.  Many years ago a family of artists and performers lived on the property where their wineryis located. They traveled in beautifully painted, horse drawn caravans to perform shows which featured handmade marionettes. 

Signature Blend: ENTWINED

The name Marionette.  It’s because many years ago a family of artists and performers lived on the property where we built our winery. They traveled in beautifully painted, horse drawn caravans to perform shows which featured handmade marionettes

Winemaker: Amanda Eastwood and Jamie Smith

Philosophy: for us wine is a lifestyle, a passion and the result of a year round creative process that never ceases to amaze us as winemakers and grape growers.  Wine for us is an object of beauty and sophistication which has been central to the cultivation of joy and inspiration in people’s lives for millennia.  We also see it as something very regional, very local and very much part of a sense of place.

In 1992 John and Catherine Koopmans purchased a small dairy farm on a 31 acre property in Silver Creek. They worked as dairy farmers and also raised sheep. In 2006 they decided to sell the cows and in 2007 a 4 acre vineyard was planted with four varieties of grapes; Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier, Gewürztraminer and the old cold hardy standby Marachél Foch. The name of the winery arrives from sheep--ovine in latin, ovino in italian and spanish and of course vino is latin for wine.

The winery is located on a Bench overlooking the valley between Salmon Arm and Vernon, this glacier carved landscape offers mostly sandy loam soils, marbled with infrequent layers of clay. The vines are located on a sun drenched knoll to maximize photosynthesis and air flow, supported by a drip irrigation system.

Ovino is a true family project, with John and Catherine's daughter Jessica and her husband Don Gawley helping out with many of the day to day operations with other family members helping at harvest time. Estate grown grapes are supplemented with some purchased grapes, mostly the same varieties, from nearby vineyards. An arrangement that is likely to continue in the future.

Winemaker: John Koopmans Consulting winemaker: Hans Nevrkla
Philosophy:work on producing the best grapes the season allows for and guide that into lovely wines of the style that people will enjoy.

Signature wine is estate Foch-Pinot Meunier blend

Recline Ridge Vineyard and Winery Ltd.

2640 Skimikin Road
Tappen, B.C.
V0E 2X3

Recline Ridge Vineyards extends over 7.5 acres and hosts nine different varieties of grapes. Their 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 was purchased in 2010 by Graydon and Maureen Ratzlaff

The winery's direction is to promote the wines of the Shuswap as unique and as an alternative to “mainstream” wines, exhibiting their very fruit-forward characteristics, and to grow the business and the winery's volume as a result. They offer a full-line of wines, including whites, reds, rose, and dessert products. The wines are award-winners at a variety of competitions in Canada and the U.S.

They have a production of 2000 cases Their signature wines: Siegerrebe (white) and Marechal Foch (red) Recline Ridge produce a fortified, port-style red (Ridgeport), and a late-harvest style dessert white (Hummingbird's Kiss).

Winemaker: Jesse Steinley
Philosophy: to focus on making wines from locally-grown grapes here in the Shuswap, make them very well, and also to introduce these cool-climate varietals to as many people as possible, to demonstrate their unique properties

Sunnybrae Vineyards & Winery

3849 Sunnybrae Canoe Point Rd
Tappen, BC.

the winery was sold to Tania and Ian Hamilton

One of BC's newest wineries in the Shuswap Sunnybrae Vineyards and Winery owned by Barry and Nancy Turner. They run a true family winery receiving help from their daughters and grandchildren.
The winery has a beautiful location. From the tasting room's balcony you see Shuswap lake . From the front door you see the vineyards and Bastion Mountain

 

They grow Kerner, Ortega, Siegerrebe, Schönburger and Marechal Foch grapes

Winemaker:

The Perch Winery

7272 L and A Road
Vernon, British Columbia

The Perch Winery is a small, family-run, family-friendly 10 acre farm including 5.5 acres of estate vineyards, a cozy tasting room, a winery manufacturing space and two casual outdoor picnic areas with panoramic lake views.

They grow L'Acadie Blanc, La Crescent and Itasca

Waterside Vineyard & Winery

70 Waterside Road
Enderby, British Columbia
V0E1V3

Located on the banks of the picturesque Shuswap River, in Enderby 86KM north of Kelowna and 22km south of Salmon Arms.

John and Debbie Juric bought the land. In 2010, with a long family history behind him of growing a vineyard and making wine in Croatia, John cleared some land on the waterside property and planted his very own Vineyard.  The Vineyard flourished, feeding on hydration from the river, and soaking in the Okanagan sun.  It grew fast and abundant, producing six varietals of grapes, until 2014 when the grapes were mature and full of flavors perfect for wine making.  John’s favorite times were working in the Vineyard, and watching the new Winery grow.  He built a tasting room, and invited the community through its doors to share his accomplishment and continue his family’s legacy of beautiful wines.

John retired in 2018; Kevin and Jennifer Verschoor, took over Waterside Vineyard and Winery, and the home that stands along the riverbank.  We packed up our fast-paced, Alberta-born lives, held on tight to our hopes & dreams, filled our head with ideas, and our souls with ambition, and jumped headfirst into all of it.

Winemaker: