Wines of the Okanagan

Kelowna and Lake Country

Cedar Creek in Kelowna, BC - photography by Brian Sprout

Kelowna is in the heart of the Okanagan. It's the biggest city in the Okanagan sitting on the east side of the lake. Traffic coming from the south must cross the Okangan Lake on a floating bridge to reach Kelowna. Kelowna is home to Summerhill Pyramid Winery, CedarCreek, St Hubertus and Calona Wines. Gray Monk is in the renowned Lake Country winery.

The wineries here all benefit from the warming conditions of the lake. Compared to South Okanagan, the Kelowna area features cool growing conditions favourable to white varieties such as Riesling and Pinot Gris and reds such as Pinot Noir. Tantalus Vineyards and St. Hubertus have Riesling vines that were planted in the late 1970s; these now produce remarkably intense wines.

Kelowna is home to Calona Winery, now owned by Peller Estates. Calona Winery is British Columbia’s oldest continually operating winery having been established in 1932. Here also is the organic wines of Stephen Cipes Pyramid Winery which clams to be Canada's most visited winery.

This area was at one time known for its fruit orchards. There are two fine cideries located in the Kelowna area Raven Ridge Cidery and East Kelowna Cider Company.

Kelowna's Lake Country extends north to Oyama

The Lake country region from Kelowna about 27 kilometers (17 miles) north, and beyond to Oyama. The Okanagan’s first vines were planted in what is now East Kelowna, at an Oblate mission founded in 1859 by a Frenchpriest named Charles Pandosy.

~ Ancient Hills Vineyards	~ Arrowleaf Cellars	~ Bounty Cellars
~ Calona Vineyards	~ Camelot Vineyard Estate Winery	~ CedarCreek Estate Winery
~ East Kelowna Cider Company	~ Ex Nihilo Vineyards	~ Gray Monk Estate Winery
~ House of Rose Vineyards	~ Intigue Wines	~ Niche Wine Co
~ Okanagan Villa Estate	~ Paradise Ranch	~ Peller Estates
~ Raven Ridge Cidery	~ St Hubertus & Oakbay Estate	~ Sperling Vineyards
~ Spierhead Winery	~ Summerland Pyramid Winery	~ Tantalus Vineyards
~ The View Winery and Vineyards

Wineries of Kelowna and Lake Country

Osoyoos Lake Bench ~ The Golden Mile ~ Black Sage Road ~ Okanagan Falls ~ Skaha Lake ~ Naramata Bench

Summerland and Peachland ~ Mount Boucherie ~ Northern ~ Simillkameen Valley ~ Kootenays