Come with me to Kelowna, where you expect mountains, but also find dramatic lake views, genuinely excellent food, and wineries that felt completely different from each other — from quirky and casual to full-on European chateau energy.
We only had one day to explore the Okanagan wine region, so this is not a comprehensive wine guide, but a quick “Kelowna in review”. I hope to get back to the Okanagan soon to further build out my recommendations!
About The Okanagan
The Okanagan valley is spread out over several sub-regions, each known for their different style – German, Burgundian or Bordeaux varietals. We were mostly in West Kelowna, where we found bold Meritage blends (new world Bordeaux) and other cold climate grapes.
We visited a few of the popular wineries in the area, and I’m now dying to go back in the summer and taste more of what the Okanagan wineries have to offer.
Planning tips
- Book early, especially at CedarCreek and Mission Hill where the experiences book fast
- Plan long lunches so you can linger over a glass of wine
- Leave room in your suitcase, or bring wine home from the airport
- Pick one side of the lake each day – it looks close, but driving around can take 30 minutes or more.
- Take Ubers or book a car to move between wineries. It’s very uphill to bike, and you want to take advantage of your tastings rather than drive.
The wineries
Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Description: A quirky winery with beautifully made wines, eccentric decor, and a great view.
Best for: An informal tasting. We had some time to kill before our winery lunch, so we stopped in at Summerhill for a shared speed-tasting.
What to taste: We chose the white flight, and added a red at the end that we loved enough to bring home.
The Baco Noir is nothing like I expected being from Ontario. It was light and crisp, very dry, and surprisingly complex.
Pro tip: many Okanagan wines are available in the airport, and if you’re travelling domestically, you don’t have to worry about bag space or duties!
CedarCreek Estate Winery
Description: CedarCreek Estate Winery is on the east side of the lake, considered Central Okanagan. You drive up a steep hill to several buildings – a tasting room and a gorgeous restaurant. I bet it’s even better in the summer.
Best for: Wine pairing lunch or dinner. The food was incredible, the wine pairings were perfect, and it felt like the kind of place that you could accidentally stay for hours.
What to taste: Crisp rosé and bold Meritage blends to go with your lunch.
I would go back again and again for that great value tasting lunch, and the elevated but comfortable setting.
Mission Hill
Description: The scale of Mission Hill is like nothing I’ve experienced before – it’s how I imagine the Chateaux of France. There is stunning, large scale art everywhere, ornate paintings and beautifully decorated rooms.
Best for: Fancier wine tasting with an educational twist.
What to taste: A full tasting, and make sure to book in advance. The Meritage and the Merlot were my favourites.
Quail’s Gate
Description: Our favourite tasting of the trip – intimate, relaxed, and less intimidating than larger wineries. Sitting at the bar with an expansive view was the perfect reset after a day of tastings.
Best for: What felt like a personal tasting experience.
What to taste: Be flexible and ask for recommendations based on what you normally like. You might find something you don’t expect!
This was the perfect day trip after my husband and I spent the week skiing. It felt slow, intentional, and absolutely gave us the desire to come back to the Okanagan Valley wine region- next time, with more time and a longer list of wineries!
Want more wine regions to try? Check out these posts.
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