Whether you are a seasoned visitor of beautiful Okanagan wineries, or you are simply road-trip itchin’ and need some wine-focused guidance, here is a list of must-see wineries that boast BC’s top sips, nibbles, views, and tasting rooms.
These tips are perfect not only for lone-wolf travellers, couples on the run, nature lovers, and luxury seekers, but also location scouts looking for the perfect destination for weddings, celebrations, or stagettes.
JoieFarm, Naramata
Joie Farm offers what they call an “authentic experience” and they deliver on that promise. The tasting room is beautiful, but the winery experience comes alive when you lay in the grass with a bottle of wine in their ‘Picnique’ area, eating thin-crust pizza from their wood-burning oven, playing bocce ball, and overlooking the remarkable views of Lake Okanagan. Sip, and sigh...
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, Oliver
The social epicenter of the South Okanagan, Tinhorn puts their spectacular winery to use year round, including self-guided tours, private tours and tastings, a renowned restaurant (Miradoro) that hosts pairing seminars and communal dinners, an open-door policy during harvest to come see their hard winemaking work in action, and most sensationally, their Canadian Concert Series, a summer-long lineup of Canadian musicians who play in the rolling hills of the winery backyard. Also, wedding destination fantasy!
La Stella, Osoyoos & Le Vieux Pin, Oliver
These two wineries are owned by a wife/husband duo, the former who prefers Italian wines and the latter who prefers French. This cheeky competition, if you will, makes for a cool opportunity to taste through French and Italian styles of wine from Okanagan terroir. Each winery offers a top-notch personal tour, Symphony for the Senses at La Stella, and Cellar Chaperone Tour at Le Vieux Pin, at $50 per person. I suggest making the quick drive to try both; alternatively, it screams the perfect occasion for a stagette/stag party standoff.
Bella Wines, Naramata
Bella only makes sparkling wine. If this isn’t reason enough to visit their tasting room (which is small, adorable, and filled with assorted/vintage stemware), you will be properly enticed by their Sabering School, an opportunity to learn from the master on the ceremonial method of opening bubs with a sword!
