Five Must-See Wineries in the Okanagan Valley
| Best Wineries to Visit in the Okanagan Valley |
If you are planning a trip to BC’s Wine Country, it may be a little overwhelming to pick which winery to visit. The latest numbers suggest that there are over 185 wineries in the Okanagan (2022 numbers from the Wine Growers of BC).
If you are not familiar with the Okanagan Valley, as an appellation, it is long in terms of distance. Wineries in the South Okanagan are about 2.5-3 hours drive away from the wineries in the northern part of the Okanagan. To give you an idea of the difference in size, Napa Valley is approximately 30 miles/48 km long by 5 miles/8 km wide (source Napa Valley Vintners) while the Okanagan Valley is approximately 124 miles/200 km long and 12 miles/20 km wide.
The valley has several subregions as well as recognized sub-appellations, also known as Geographical Indications (GIs). Many of these areas have associations with social media accounts. We love following their accounts for inspiration on which winery to visit! Some associations include the Westside Wine Trail in West Kelowna, Bottleneck Drive in Summerland, Naramata Bench near Penticton, Okanagan Falls, Scenic Sip, Similkameen Valley and Oliver/Osoyoos and have social media accounts to follow for inspiration. TIP: If wine touring in the Okanagan focus on a subregion each day. This makes visiting wineries much more manageable.
We have some favourite wineries in the Penticton/West Kelowna corridor that are situated along the Naramata Bench, Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive, and the Westside Wine Trail in West Kelowna. We love bringing people to these wineries because they offer such a diverse range of experiences – from the large and spectacular to ones that are small and loaded with character. The one thing that they all have in common is that they make fantastic wine.
Because they are spread out over a few communities, we recommend exploring them over two days. These are our top picks for wineries to visit based on the winery experience – we may do another posting based on our favourite wines at a later date.
DAY 1: Ruby Blues, Dirty Laundry, 8th Generation | DAY 2: Mission Hill, Off the Grid
Day 1
Ruby Blues Winery
Naramata (Penticton, BC)
Favourite thing about this winery: Cool vibes and funky concept.
VW lovers must stop at this winery. There is a vintage VW camper van outside the winery with their name on it, which provides a great photo opp. Fantastic views looking west at Summerland and Giants’ Head Mountain
917 Naramata Road, Penticton | website
8th Generation Winery
Summerland, BC
Favourite thing about this winery: The staff and the wines.
They know what they are doing when it comes to winemaking as they are 8th-generation winemakers from Germany. The staff are super friendly and genuinely engage in conversation with you – no rushed spiels about their wine or their story here.
6807 HWY 97, Summerland, BC | website
Dirty Laundry Vineyards
Summerland, BC
Favourite thing about this winery: Their story.
The winery used to be called Scherzinger Vineyards, but once it was sold the new owners took the winery in a completely different direction. An interesting piece of Summerland’s history has been turned into a story that has been carried through to their labels, the décor of the tasting room as well as the names of the wines. Side note: They also have a gorgeous outdoor patio that had a pergola covered with vines. For those who don’t like wine, the craft beer on tap in the beer garden is a bonus!
7311 Fiske St, Summerland, BC | website
DAY 2
Mission Hill Family Estate
West Kelowna, BC
Favourite thing about this winery. The architecture and winery grounds.
This winery is hands down the most stunning and magnificent of all the wineries in the Okanagan (and BC). From the winery bell tower (the only known winery bell tower in the world) and Terrace Restaurant to the tasting room and views from the outdoor amphitheater, it is breathtaking. Architectural Digest also thinks this winery is worth seeing as Mission Hill was recently included on AD’s list of the ‘19 Best Vineyard Designs from Around the World’.
1730 Mission Hill Rd, West Kelowna | website
Off the Grid Organic Winery
West Kelowna, BC
Favourite thing about this winery: The goats.
Goats at a winery you ask? Oh yes and they are cute! These cute little guys are sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. They can usually be seen behind the winery in a fenced area, or if you are lucky enough you will see (and hear) them from the roof. The roof of this straw bale winery is part grass and part solar panels! Added bonus: Onsite food truck and picnic area.
3623 Glencoe Rd, West Kelowna | website
You will notice our favourite thing about the winery is not always the wine (although the wine is amazing at all of them!). The architecture, the people and the experiences of these wineries rate high for us! Which are your favourite wineries?
