Whether you’re sipping beguiling bubbles with a view or discovering art through 3-D glasses, wine tasting in the Okanagan isn’t just about what’s in the glass—it’s the full experience.
From a vineyard that feels like a hilltop hideaway to a cidery with alpacas and live music, B.C.'s bountiful wine country offers some special places that go the extra mile to make your visit memorable.
Here are a few of my favourite spots that prove a tasting room can be so much more than just a place to pour.
The Vibrant Vine Winery
"Welcome to the Vibrant Vine! Let's get you some 3-D glasses."
That's right, a pair of paper specs are the norm at this converted family home in Kelowna. How else are you going to experience all the 3-D art?
Vibrant Vine owners Wyn and Marion Lewis transformed a spacious house into a full-blown tasting room, art gallery, and event space, all of which are akin to a sensory explosion. Each wine bottle features colourful eye-catching art, and the interior is set up like an immersive 3-D art gallery. Before or after your wine tasting, tour the rooms (with those glasses on) and be transported thanks to the kaleidescope collection of artwork (done by the Lewis' own son).
The winery, which produces award-winning reds and whites, like the "Woops" Riesling-Chardonnay blend that was named "Best White Wine in the World" in a 2013 Swiss competition, also has a sprawling lawn which doubles as a live performance venue. Hit up their "snack shack" and kick back in a lawn chair, sip your wine, and enjoy this one-of-a-kind Kelowna winery.
Address: 3240 Pooley Rd, Kelowna
Soma Cidery
With a philosophy of "just apples," and an owner who hails from the music industry, Kelowna's own Soma craft cidery makes for a noteable stop in the Central Okanagan.
As you enter the property, take note of the alpaca pen; during your visit be sure to ask in the tasting room and shop for some feed to pay these characters a visit. Look for signs of music all around as you walk down to the front gate area to feed your furry new friends (careful, they are enthusiastic eaters), like a painted piano in the woods.
Back in the Tasting Room, opt for a flight of Soma's small-batch ciders, made with 100% fresh-pressed apples and no artificial flavours or added sugar. In addition to their core apple cider, try special varieties like their Hard Iced Tea cider (brewed with tea) or the fan-favourite Honey Lavender.
If you'd like a lengthier stay, the Lounge is a restaurant with an approachable menu of casual eats, from charcuterie boards to flatbreads. Kick back indoors or on the patio and enjoy the artwork and live music. But you can also stay even longer...Soma also operates a 10-room boutique contemporary farm inn on the property.
Address: 4485 Sallows Rd, Kelowna
Niche
This family-owned West Kelowna winery offers something different thanks to its enviable location, which is perched up in the hills adjacent to Rose Ridge Park. Without many neighbours, Niche offers a view like none other in the Central Okanagan.
From the Hilltop Bar & Patio (an extension of their tasting room) enjoy Niche's small-batch wines, like their Farmhouse Series sparkling or Small Wonder Rosé, both ideal for a sunny afternoon.
The bar faces the valley and offers jaw-dropping views with the Monashee Mountains to the east. Niche has individual Tic-Tac-Toe boards along the bar for something a little fun to do while you drink in the relaxing vistas and your wine.
Niche is also one of the many area wineries that have accommodations on site, too. Their modern "Outside Inn" cabins offer what they call "laid-back luxury" with amenities like deep soaker tubs, rain showers, and fully-stocked wine fridges and coffee bars.
Address: 1895 Bartley Rd, West Kelowna
Kismet Estate Winery
Fate and family are at the heart of the origin story of Oliver's charming Kismet and this special spot has a couple of standout reasons to stop by (or stay awhile).
When the Dhaliwal brothers traded farming in Punjab, India for a new life in B.C.'s South Okanagan, they went all-in on vineyards, ultimately becoming the growers behind many an award-winning bottle of wine from multiple local wineries. But for their next chapter, the family turned to wine-making, opening Kismet and ultimately its charming tasting room and companion restaurant Manzil, all under the care of the family's xnext generation, sisters Neelam and Manpreet.
First, in the tasting room, you can encounter their respected and award-winning wines, where you'll immediately understand how important family is. That's because all the fees for wine tasting are donated to BC Children's Hospital, a place that means a lot to the Dhaliwal family.
Over at Manzil, the Kismet crew and their culinary team are proving B.C. wines and multi-regional Indian food go hand in hand. Book a table and settle in for a memorable feast, with standout dishes like mussels with Masala-dusted fries and Goan sablefish curry.
Address: 316 Rd 20, Oliver
District Wine Village
Why go to one tasting room when Canada's first "wine village" exists?
Right off the highway in Oliver, District is an innovative hospitality hub that brings together several wineries, a distillery and a brewery with shopfronts set up in a circle around a central courtyard with seating. While B.C. liquor laws mean you have to stay within the shop or patio confines of a given winery with your drinks, each winery - predominantly some smaller labels for which this is their only physical outpost - has ample space for guests to taste and buy their wares.
The central courtyard is serviced by Ward's Wine Country Kitchen restaurant. From their own base in the village, with a patio and indoor seating (and at peak times and during events from kiosks within the village) Ward's not only has wine, beer, and cocktails from their neighbours on the menu, they're also doing a fantastic menu of upscale casual fare perfect for leisurely snacking and sharing or for a proper lunch or dinner. They've got appies, a signature burger, flatbreads, and bowls on the menu.
District Wine Village makes for a fun family (and dog-friendly) outing, particularly if you make it out to catch some live music or their other special events.
Address: 100 Enterprise Way, Oliver
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