A Guide to Okanagan’s Natural Wineries
*Updated July 22, 2024.
Commonly small-lot and challenging to get your hands on, below is a guide to the Okanagan’s best natural wineries and how to acquire their wines.
*Prior to visiting, please call the listed wineries, restaurants, and liquor stores to confirm the wine's availability.
West Kelowna and Kelowna
Neon Eon
Made in West Kelowna by Tyler Thrussell, Neon Eon wines break free from the standard heavy manipulation in wine-making today, giving you wines that are alive.
Visit: N/A
Try: Purchase bottles through their website.
Summerland
Sage Hills Vineyard
Organically farmed from day one, Sage Hills Vineyard stands out as one of the few vineyards in the valley that has never experienced chemical treatment. Keenan and Zoë (see below) run the operation with a focus on growing clean, organic grapes and making wines with a true expression of where they are grown. All of their wines are crafted without the use of additives or filtration, with only minimal doses of sulphites when deemed necessary.
Visit: Tasting room open 11 am to 5 pm Wednesday through Monday.
Try: Purchase bottles through their website or at JAK’s in Penticton.
Location: 18555 Matsu Drive Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z6
Keenan and Zoe
On the side, Zoë and Keenan (see above) source fruit from other organic growers to make their own wine project called “Keenan & Zoë.” Their wines are always made from organically farmed chemical-free grapes and without the use of any additions or filtration.
Visit: N/A, unless you get lucky in the Sage Hills tasting room.
Try: Typically sold wholesale only but, you might be able to snag a bottle while visiting Sage Hills.
Lightning Rock Winery
Lightning Rock is an independent winery dedicated to small-scale production. With natural and organic farming methods, they produce less than 3,000 cases of electric, living wines, ranging from Pinot Noir to Syrah.
Visit: Tasting room open daily, 11 am to 5 pm.
Try: Purchase bottles through their website or at JAK’s in Penticton, and Franco’s Liquor Store in Kelowna. Lightning Rock is also served at Pizzeria Tratto and Vice & Virtue Brewing Co.
Location: 6611 Giants Head Rd., Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z7
Home Wine
Home Wine is a passion project by winemaker Ryan Grifone. Growing up in the Okanagan Valley, and working alongside winemakers Anthony Buchanan, Rajen Toor, Keenan Thrussell and more, Ryan brings a unique (and delicious) take on his extremely small-batch wines. With vineyards primarily in Summerland, and availability basically impossible to get your hands on, these wines are truly special. If you can find some, snag us a bottle too.
Visit: N/A but check out Ryan and his partner Thuy’s new project- Soe Cafe.
Try: Befriend winemaker Ryan to get your name on the list. DM @homewine.brand on IG or contact Sips Agency. Limited quantities are available at Juice Bar YVR, Ratio in Vernon, Tourist in Victoria, and Chulo in Penticton.
Pamplemousse Jus
James Langford-Smith, Jordan Kubek, and Tyler Knight have teamed up to bring you Pamplemousse Jus. Utilizing minimal sulphur, neutral vessels, basket press, manual labour, and wild ferments, they craft juicy, unfiltered, and delicious wines.
Visit: Tasting room is open Thursday to Monday from 12 pm - 5 pm.
Try: Purchase bottles through their website or on Saturdays at the Penticton Farmer’s Market. Pamplemousse Jus is also sold at JAK’s in Penticton.
Location: 9819 Lumsden Ave, Summerland, BC V0H 1Z8
Naramata Bench
Bella Wines
Bella Wines is a sparkling wine house in Naramata, BC focused on single-vineyard Okanagan grapes. They make three styles of exceptional sparkling wine; traditional method, ancestrale method, and fortified.
Visit: Tasting room is open Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm - 4 pm.
Try: Purchase bottles through their website or at JAKS in Penticton. Bella is also served by the glass or bottle at Naramata Inn in Naramata.
Location: 4320 Gulch Road, Naramata, BC, V0H 1N1
Lock & Worth Winery
Family-owned and operated, Lock & Worth is a small production winery that focuses on low-intervention winemaking. Their wines are high quality, unfussy, single vineyard wines of time and place, priced for everyday consumption. They also sell Poplar Grove cheese and local meats out of their tasting room, so it’s the perfect place for a picnic.
Visit: The tasting room is temporarily closed.
Try: Purchase bottles through their website, at the Liquor Depot in Kelowna or the Summerland Liquor Store. Lock & Worth is also served at Naramata Inn in Naramata.
- 1060 Poplar Grove Road Penticton BC V2A 8T6
Daydreamer Wines
Daydreamer Wines is a limited-production winery known for its sustainable approach to growing grapes and undeniably great wine. Handcrafted by Marcus Ansems, Master of Wine, the grapes are cultivated without the use of systemic fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides.
Visit: The tasting room is open seven days a week from 12 pm to 5 pm.
Try: Purchase bottles through their website, at JAK’s Liquor Store, and the British Columbia Wine Information Centre in Penticton. Daydreamer is also available at Eliza Wine Bar in Naramata.
- 1305 Smethurst Rd, Naramata, BC V0H 1N1
Oliver
Ursa Major Winery
Ursa Major Winery is the venture of Rajen Toor, who grew up on his family’s vineyard. With a strong commitment to organic viticulture and sustainable cellar practices, Raj handcrafts his wines with care. From spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts to delicate basket pressing, each step is executed with precision, allowing the land and fruit to shine through every bottle.
Visit: N/A
Try: Purchase bottles through their website or pick up a bottle at JAK’s in Penticton (if you’re lucky). Ursa Major is also served at Naramata Inn in Naramata and at Salt and Brick in Kelowna.
Okanagan Falls
Rigour & Whimsy
A boutique, family winery, Rigour & Whimsy’s wines are different and exciting. With a focus on orange wines as well as Gamay and Syrah, R & W’s approach to wine growing centres on regenerative farming.
Visit: Tastings available by appointment.
Try: Purchase bottles through their website, or better yet, join their Wine Weyr to get wine shipped directly to your house once or twice per year. Rigour and Whimsy is also served by the bottle at Elma in Penticton or at Krafty Kitchen & Bar in Kelowna. You can also pick up a bottle at Cask & Barrel or JAK’s Liquor Store.
- 4112 McLean Creek Road, Okanagan Falls, BC, V0H 1R1
Else Wines
Else Wines is a creative outlet and passion project for winemaker Kelsey Rufiange. Kel’s passion for holistic farming and minimal intervention winemaking along with her curiosity to dabble with different styles, techniques, and grape varietals have led to a great lineup of wine.
Visit: You can try Else Wines at Echo Bay Vineyard.
Try: Purchase bottles through their website, or at JAK’s Liquor Store in Penticton.
Plot Wines
Plot makes minimal intervention wines of character using varietals from all over the sunny South Okanagan. Their team has a clear vision of using a minimal intervention and a low-tech approach, for wines that are a reflection of where they come from and have been guided, not forced, to their final state.
Visit: N/A
Try: Purchase bottles through their website, at Urban Liquor in Kelowna or at Fairview Liquor in Penticton. Plot is also being served by the bottle at Frankie We Salute You, Skinny Duke’s and Eliza Wine Bar.
Cawston
Scout Vineyard
Located in the Similkameen Valley, Scout makes minimalist, farm-driven wines. They keep their winemaking minimal to maintain the diverse ecology in the wines and to express the place it is grown. Their wine is made without inhibiting malolactic fermentation, without fines or filters, and without taking away or adding anything except small amounts of sulphur when necessary.
Visit: N/A
Try: Purchase bottles through their website, or at JAK’s in Penticton. Scout is also being served by the bottle at Naramata Inn.
Kaleden
Anthony Buchanan Wines
Anthony Buchanan Wines are made in small lot cuvées and use gentle techniques on the crush pad and in the cellar to produce wines with personality and purity of flavour. They use indigenous yeast, minimal amounts of sulphites, no enzymes and no temperature control. Their wines are unfined, with little to no filtration.
Visit: Tasting room closed for the year.
Try: Purchase bottles through their website. Anthony Buchanan Wines are also served by the bottle at Frankie We Salute You in Kelowna and Elma in Penticton.
- 205 Lombardy Place, Kaleden, BC, V0H 1K0
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