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Robert Bell's Wines of Canada

Southern Okanagan


The Okanagan Valley extends north from the town of Osoyoos stretching for 124 miles. Cradled between two mountain ranges, a chain of blue lakes string along the valley floor. The surrounding hills display a picturesque combination of orchards and vineyards. Sunshine predominates here, even in the Winter. The southern end of the Okanagan Valley receives less than 10 inches of rain fall each year making it Canada's only true desert

This website defines the south Okanagan as all wineries located south of Lake Okanagan >

This includes the wineries around OLiver and the Golden Mile.





Black Hills Estate Winery
30880 Black Sage Road
Oliver BC Tel (250) 498.0666
info@blackhillswinery.com

black hills estate

Black Hills Estate Winery is located between Oliver and Osoyoos, British Columbia. The vineyard is nestled in the sun-burnt hills on the Black Sage Bench, home to British Columbia's highest quality vinifera grapes. The rugged desert earth, long sunlight hours and cool nights yield the intensely flavorful grapes that we blend to produce our Bordeaux-style "Nota Bene"

The Winemakers:
Peter and Susan McCarrell, Senka and Bob Tennant
consultant: Berle "Rusty" Figgins

Website New winery 2001


Blasted Church

378 Parsons Road
RR #1 S-32 C-67
Okanagan Falls, B.C.
V0H 1R0

P: 250 497 1125
F: 250 497 1126
intrigued@blastedchurch.com

Blasted Church

Perched high on a rolling hillside that cascades into Skaha Lake, this is undoubtedly one of the most majestic vineyard sites in the valley Blasted Church is owned by Chris and Evelyn Campbell. The winery selected its name from the history of the land where ws stood s church the citizens of Okanagan Falls wanted dismantled and brought back to town. The church was blasted with dynamite sticks inside the church in order to "loosen the nails".

The wineries label design concept is one of the most talked about and sucessful adventures in the wine Industry.

Winemaker: Marcus Ansems



Blue Mountain Vineyard
RR1, S3, C4, Okanagan Falls,
British Columbia, V0H 1R0
Canada
Tel: (250) 497-8244
Fax: (250)497-6160

Blue Mountain Winery

Blue Mountain Vineyard is located next to a bird sanctuary and wilderness area over looking beautiful Vaseux Lake. The Mavety family produces a limited quantity of superb wines, using traditional winemaking methods. Winemaker Ian Mavety's goal is to produce wines of quality and style that compliment the emerging Northwest Cuisine.

The Mavetys were among the pioneers Okanagan having the fortune to acquire a site where they believed the geographic factors came together better than anywhere else in the valley. Named for the hazy blue mountains that frame the vineyards, the foundations for Blue Mountain were thus established in 1971. Blue Mountain is a true family operation. The winery is worked by Ian's wife Jane, son Matt and daughter-in-law Corrie

The wine shop and tasting room is housed in a magnificent stone brick building. Tours are by appointment.


Winemaker is Ian Mavety Winemaking Philosophy:
wine-making begins in the vineyard. Years of gained knowledge in how to adapt to annual weather changes and produce fruit of similar character and concentration annually is how he achieves the highest level of consistency and quality in the wine.


Vineyard Plus ; Website Tours/Smokehaus Bistro/wine dinners/museum Icewine


Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
100 Burrowing Owl Place
R.R. #1 Site 52 Comp 20
Oliver BC V0H 1T0
Phone 250-498-0620
toll free 1-877-498-0620
info@bovwine.com


Located on Black Sage Road near Oliver BC. Burrowing Owl is one of Canada's newer wineries whose reputation for quality wine is growing quickly. The winery at Burrowing Owl Vineyards is producing premium wines from the finest grapes grown on this prime south Okanagan vineyard. Their wines have already been amply rewarded with top honours including Canadian Wine of the Year, Best Canadian Red Wine and Best Canadian Cabernet Sauvignon. For future updates and information contact the winery or through their well designed web page .

According to proprietor Jim Wyse, the winery at Burrowing Owl Vineyards is among the world's most modern. The winery was designed to use gravity flow and cool, temperature-controlled cave/cellar for fermentation and barrel aging.

Burrowing Owl has opened a wonderful new restaurant called The Sonora Room. The chef is Dominique Couton. restaurant is open daily for lunch and Wednesday through Sunday for dinner from Easter to Thanksgiving.

An expansion is planned for the winery with additional amenities.

Winemaker is Bill Dyer
Winemaking Philosophy:
To focus on a relatively small number of varieties that we can produce at world class level.

white wines: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris
red wines Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Meritage


visit their website



Carriage House
Black Sage Road,
RR#1 S46 C19,
Oliver, BC V0H 1T0

Phone: 250-498-8818.
carhsewines@otvcablelan.net

Carriage house wines

This small family winery is owned by Dave and Karen Wagner. Winemaker Dave Wagner has a passion for the Kerner grape. The winery is located on Black Sage road with a breath taking view of the Okanagan Valley. A popular white blend called Ebonage Blanc, named for Black Sage Road (ebony) and the black sage that grows abundantly in the valley, is available at their wine shop only.

Philosophy:
Small quantities,high quality with customer satisfaction in mind Emphasis is on fruit flavour.

Specialty is Kerner. Produced in a dry style and also an off-dry style. Summer tours


D'Asolo Vineyard

Office
400 601 West Boradway Ave.
Vancouver BC
V5Z 4C2

P: 604 871-4329

info@asolo.ca

Vineyards
Oliver BC


Although currently operating out of Vancouver the Winery plans to open its virtual winery in the Okanagan near Oliver. It will be called il villaggio d'Asolo

They have been producing wines since 2001 using Tinhorn Creek winery with the experience o vice-president and winemaker Daniel Lagnaz. Bruce Fuller President & CEO
is the man behind the project: Our concept is to create a place where those who share our passion for fine wines and foods may visit, learn, participate, live, and truly celebrate the agricultural lifestyle of Okanagan wine country… and to present all in a well-planned, self-sustainable, village community architecturally reminiscent of a northern Italian townsite

The winery has release four wines , each one named for a person special to Fuller
2002 Merlot called Franco d'Asolo
2002 Marcello d'Asolo Pinot Nero
2003 Sophia d'Asolo Chardonnay
2003 Isabella d'Asolo Pinot Grigio – a tasty mouthful of ripe pineapple and peaches that constitute a refreshing tropical medley

Winemaker: Daniel Lagnaz


Desert Hills

30480 71st. Black Sage Road
Oliver BC, VOH 1T0

250-498-1040


The winery was opened in 2003 by Randy,Jessie and Dave Toor. They had previous operated as a producer of grapes for other wineries. The winery over looks the Okanagan River Valley.

Winemaker: Elias Phiniotis .

website


Domaine Combret Estate Winery

Location
32057 #13 Road,
Oliver, B.C., Canada
Postal Address:
P.O. Box 1170
Oliver B.C., Canada
V0H 1T0
email: info@combretwine.com



Perched high on a buff overlooking Osoyoos Lake. Where pride is taken in producing world-class ultra premium Estate grown and bottle wines.
At Domaine Combret, material of volcanic origin, deposited there by glaciers thousands of years ago, is making our TERROIR. Thrusting their roots deep in the slaty green schists, basalts, amphibolites, gabbros, granite and gneiss, our vines induce the typical and unforgettable character of this TERROIR to Domaine Combret wines : namely, beyond the variety of the grape used, our wines reflect the FLAVOR OF THE SITE. winemaker Oliver Combret
Winemaking Philosophy:
Within my family I was taught that great winemaking begins in the vineyard and finds accomplishment at the winery. These principles are reflected in the wines I produce. I invite you to share some moments of my life's adventure and passion : birth of a Vineyard, establishment of a Winery and production of internationally recognized Wines.
You can expected a friendly greeting in their tasting room.

website Tours


Fairview Cellars

RR1, S66, C15, Oliver, BC
V0H 1T0
Phone: 250-498-2211 Fax: 250-498-2211
Email: beggert@img.net

Fairview cellars

Fairview Cellars is located between the driving range and the first hole of the Fairview Mountain Golf Course at the north end of the golden mile in Oliver. The vineyard and winery is a culmination of a 25 year quest by Bill Eggert to own and operate his own winery. Fairview Cellars wines consist of the three Bordeaux classics; Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Fairview also has a very small planting of Gamay and Shiraz The wines are barrel aged in an underground cellar then blended to marry the various attributes of each grape. The wine shop opened on May 5 of the year 2000 . Try their Cabernet Merlot blend. Hours of operation will be 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Come enjoy the wines of Fairview Cellars "FROM THE HEART...FOR THE HEART"



Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery

Road 8, RR1, Site 23, Comp 4
Oliver, B.C. V0H 1T0
Phone: 250-498-3537
Fax: 250-498-3510


Gehringer Brothers' dream of an estate winery was conceived in the year 1973. After high school, Walter Gehringer went to West Germany. There he acquired their fine wine-making skills. After five years he graduated from the world renowned University of Geisenheim with an engineering degree in viticulture and oceanology. His brother Gordon also spent four years in West Germany acquiring the wine master's art, graduating with a degree from Weinsberg. The present buildings were built in 1985 the same year as their first vintage.

Their labels include Dry Rock Vineyards and Optimum .

Winemakers: Walter and Gordon Gehringer:
Winemaking Philosophy:
In the fall the grapes are pressed and a portion of the juice is stored fresh and fermented. Before bottling in the spring,we blend the unfermented juice which has retained its rich flavor,back into the dry wine. This results in the varietal fruit flavours components being combined with the developed wine, yielding a complex full-bodied wine*

Icewine


Gersighel Wineberg

RR#1, S40, C20, (29690 Hwy 97)
Oliver, BC, V0H 1T0
Phone 250- 495-3319

gersighel

A small farm winery opened in 1995.. You can expected a friendly greeting in their tasting room. Owners Dirk De Gussem and his wife Gerda. Gerda and Helgi De Gussem are the winemakers. The winery is named after their children, Gerd,Sigrid,and Helgi.
Gersighel is the last winery at the south end of the Golden mile. Gussem calls his vineyards Burgundy country. Here the towering mountains shield the vineyards from the hot afternoon sun.

Gussem is one of a very few wineries that make dessert wine using the old European method of air drying the grapes to concentrate the sugars prior to fermentation. The wine is called Vin de Cure made with Pinot Blanc.

Winemaking Philosophy:
It will take more than one generation to determine the best variety a vintner will plant in his vineyard. The Okanagan Valley will produce great Grand Cru wines, based on its microclimate of an open hill and the structure of the soil. The vineyard location is the first step in making great wines.

The winemaking style is french no oak and dry.



Golden Mile Cellars

13140 316ave
Road 13 RR#1 S28A C4
Oliver BC, V0H 1T0
250-498-8330
winery@goldenmilecellars.com


A small farm winery operated by the Luckhurst family ( Pam & Mick ) who purchased the winery in2003. Their winery is located in the Golden Mile the southern stretch of the Okanagan Valley where good drainage and high heat contributes to the flavours of the wine. The 23 acres sits high above the Okanagan lake.

Winemaker is Lawrence Herder
Winemakers Philosophy: Great winemaking begins in the vineyard. We proudly use a blend of traditional cultural practices and modern viticulture to elicit the rich, vibrant flavours from our grapes

Website events/gift shop/patio /lake view


Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards

Green Lake Road Box 480
Okanagan Falls V0H 1R0 info@hmvineyard.com

hawthorne

Five Kilometers southwest of Okanagan Falls high on the mountain site sits the historic farm house of hand-split stones which commands the same unbelievable view it did 100 years ago when European settlers first turned the soil of Hawthorne Mountain Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards' site was settled in the early 1900's by the Hawthorne Brothers, and wine grapes have been growing here since the early 1960's. Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards as it exists today, was incorporated in 1995. The winery is now part of Vincor International. President: Harry McWatters
Winemaker: Bruce Ewert
Vineyard Acreage: 171 acres
Average Annual Production: 25,000 cases


Winemaking Philosophy
We strive to make wines with distinctive character and we concentrate on maximizing the flavours in our wines.

Vineyard Plus Website Tours/ Food Service/gift shop/ Events/ Historic Site


Hester Creek Estate Winery

13163-326th Ave.
Box 1605
Oliver, BC V0H 1T0
Canada
Tel: 250-498-4435
Fax: 250-498-0651
Email: info@hestercreek.com

heste creek door

Hester Creek is one of British Columbia's oldest estate wineries. The 28-year-old vineyard changed hands in 1996 and has renamed after the creek that runs along the entire south border of the property. Hester Creek's 70-acre vineyard is just south of Oliver on a spectacular piece of benchland referred to as the Golden Mile. T his benchland is considered to be the best grape-growing area in the Okanagan Valley. The vineyard is planted mainly with Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Trebbiano. Future planting will include Gamay.

Hester Creek is excited to announce the appointment of Eric von Krosigk as our new winemaker


Winemaking Philosophy
strict attention to detail and quality produces truly superior wines. Only fully mature and healthy fruit arrives at the crushing platform, and the best French and American oak barrels are used in the fermenting and aging process. Dedicated to perfection, every step from crushing to bottling is performed meticulously and the utmost care is used in the fermenting of our wines.

Vineyard Plus Website Tours/ gift shop/ Events/ Icewine


Inniskillin Okanagan

Road II, R.R.#1 S24, C5
Oliver, British Columbia
Canada V0H 1T0

TEL: +250.498.6663
FAX: +250.498.4566
TOLLFREE: +800.498.6211

Inniskillin Okanagan

A partnership between Inniskillin and the Inkameep Indian Band. The band has 265 acres of premium Vitis vinifera grapes. Winemaker Christine Leroux and grape grower Sam Baptiste produce unique Okanagan VQA wines

Inniskillin Okanagan vinified its first vintage in 1994 producing 3,300 cases of VQA Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Icewine. Current production is about 20,000 cases of VQA wines annually. Winemaker and general manager Sandor Mayer has worked with Inniskillin since 1990. Winemaking Philosophy:
Making world class wines,distinct wine styles, Quality wine comes from vineyard and winemaking-an unbreakable marriage.

Vineyard Plus Website Tours/ gift shop/ Events/ Icewine


Stag Hollows Winery and Vineyard

RR1, S-3, C-36,
Okanagan Falls, B.C.

Phone and fax: 250-497-6162.

mleaf

A small farm winery, Stags Hollow is the fulfillment of Larry Gerelus and Linda Pruegger dream. Situated on a picturesque bench surrounded by mountains, lakes, vineyards, and nature reserves, we are located just south of Okanagan Falls on 10 acres of prime grape growing land. The micro-climate in the area as well as the ideal soils which are mostly gravel and clay provide superb conditions to grow both red and white grapes. The vineyard is 13 years old and is currently planted with Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Vidal grapes. We pride ourselves in producing unique, high quality varietals and blends



Tinhorn Creek Vineyards
Box 2010, Oliver, BC
V0H 1T0
Phone: (250) 498-3743
Fax: (250) 498-3228
Toll Free: 1-888-484-6467

tinhorn creek


Nestled in the hillside of a former gold mining creek, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards sits unrivalled on top of the "Golden Mile" in Oliver, "the Wine Capital of Canada", and offers a truly unique wine experience. Tinhorn Creek is rapidly establishing themselves as one of the premiere wineries in BC. Winemaker Sandra Oldfield and General Manager Kenn Oldfield have created a winery worthy of a visit Visitors will find a lush vineyard with views of the grape crush pad, and impressive interior galleries overlooking the stainless steel tanks, oak barrels, and the cellar.

Winemaking Philosophy:
To produce only premium vinifera-based red and white table wines by focusing on tightly controlled, low cropping,viticultural practices.

Vineyard Plus Website Tours / children welcome/amphitheater Icewine



Vincor International

Highway 97 P.O. Box 1656 Oliver, British Columbia
Canada V0H 1T0

TEL: +250.498.4981
FAX: +250.498.6505

label

Vincor International is the largest wine producing company in Canada owing Vineyards in Ontario and BC along with wineries in several other provinces. In BC Vincor owns, the renowned Jackson Triggs along with Sawmillcreek, Inniskillian, Sumac Ridge Estate and Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards
Winemaker for Jackson-Triggs : Bruce Nicolson

Vineyard Plus Website Tours/ gift shop/ Events/ Icewine



Wild Goose Vineyard

RR#1, S3, C11, Sun Valley Way
Okanagan Falls, BC, V0H 1R0
Phone (250) 497-8919
Fax (250) 497-6853

wildgoose

 

Located near Okanagan Falls founder Adolf Kruger was one of the leaders in persuading the BC Government to support farm Wineries. The Kruger's operate a true family winery of 20 acres . It all began in early 1983 when founder Adolf Kruger purchased a barren piece of land east of Okanagan Falls. Upon his return to his newly purchased property it was here that he discovered a large flock of Canada geese feeding in amongst the tumbleweeds, boulders, and rubble. As he approached flock the birds took flight. From this time on the property became known as Wild Goose Vineyards!!

Winemaker : Adolf Kruger

Best Canadian Pinot Gris 2001

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