Wine Routes
Overview
The wineries in the Okanagan offer spectacular wine and so much more. Many wineries offer full service dining experiences that complement your wine tasting experience while others offer picnic and patio space for you to enjoy your own meal. Others have a spectacular view of the valley, lakes and orchards that will inspire the photographers in your group. Still others boast remarkable buildings that are architectural wonders and some even offer villas for overnight stays. Some wineries take pride in their small size and accessibility while others are major enterprises that are impressive in the production capacity and organization. Many wineries convey a specific theme or are representative of the many nationalities of winery owners. The South Okanagan has become the wine destination of choice for many wine lovers. If you book a tour, you will know why!
Oliver/Osoyoos
The Oliver/Osoyoos wine association boasts 43 wineries on their roster (with more added every year!) Between Oliver and Osoyoos, wineries on the west side of the valley lie on the Golden Mile while wineries to the east occupy Black Sage bench. Several more wineries dot the landscape north of Oliver on Highway 97 and Tuc-El-Nuit road. Wine lovers can spend a week or more in this region and never repeat a winery.
Okanagan Falls/Skaha Lake
The Okanagan Falls/Skaha Lake winery association has 14 member wineries which are located around the town of Okanagan Falls and on the east side of Skaha Lake. With most wineries lying in the hills surrounding around Vaseux Lake or Skaha Lake, be prepared for some excellent photo opportunities from these wineries. This region is a perfect weekend exploration for wine lovers.
Similkameen Valley
The Similkameen Valley, which is the next valley west of the Okanagan, is home to the Similkameen Independent Winegrowers Association. This association boasts 11 member wineries and 2 member cideries. It is easy to navigate to wineries and cideries as the one main transportation artery is highway 3 and the only two towns are Cawston and Keremeos. A beautiful lush valley, watered by the Similkameen River, makes this region an agricultural wonderland.
Penticton/Naramata Bench
At last count, the Naramata Wine Association had 30 wineries on its roster. Wineries in this region lie within Penticton proper and extend north to Naramata on the east side of Okanagan Lake. The drive to Naramata is a beautiful winding road that offers wonderful views of Okanagan Lake. This region has many wineries in a compact area making it easy to cover several wineries in a short amount of time.
Summerland
Summerland’s wine association is named Bottleneck Drive and has 19 member wineries. These wineries all lie on the outskirts of Summerland and are located on the west side of Okanagan Lake. These wineries lie within a small geographic area making them highly accessible. This is another wonderful region to explore on a long weekend.
West Kelowna
West Kelowna’s wine route is called the Westside Wine Trail and is home to 13 member wineries. All of these wineries lie within a few minutes drive of each other making the region very easy to navigate. Many wineries boast views of Okanagan Lake and some of the regions finest restaurants are located inside the wineries. Plan on a full day when visiting West Kelowna’s wineries.
Kelowna
Kelowna, the Okanagan’s largest city, boasts three wine routes - the Lakeshore Wine Route (4 wineries), Kelowna’s Southeast Bench (8 wineries) and Downtown Grapes to Grains (2 wineries). It is possible to plan a route which includes wineries from all 3 routes but keep in mind that travel takes a little longer inside the city limits. Kelowna has a wonderful variety of wineries from small boutique wineries to large stately wineries plus some very unique wineries that distinguish themselves from the crowd. Intrigued? Book a tour so we can show you.
Lake Country
Lake Country’s Scenic Sip includes 7 wineries that boast remarkable lake views and beautiful buildings. The winding road that connects these wineries adds to the rural flavour of this region. This region encourages you to slow down, appreciate the view, take in nature and enjoy quality wines.