View from Munson Mountain in Penticton | Kari Medig View from Munson Mountain in Penticton | Kari Medig 9 must-visit award-winning BC wineries
Written by: Sheila Hansen | May 8, 2026
At the heart of BC’s southern interior, the province’s Valleys & Vineyards boast more than 200 wineries set among fertile valleys and shimmering lakes. Encompassing the Similkameen and Okanagan valleys—the latter sharing the same latitude as that of France’s iconic Champagne region—the destination sparkles with not just wine and water, but also hundreds of awards.
Come see how BC’s distinct climate and terroir shape each wine, and taste why so many of them are applauded. Below are nine notable wineries that make visiting Valleys & Vineyards a must.
Note: While some wineries offer year-round experiences and services, many welcome visitors from spring to fall only—be sure to check prior to travel.
Okanagan Valley, near Kelowna
Quails' Gate Winery Quails’ Gate Estate Winery
With numerous medals already on the wall, Quails’ Gate Estate Winery founders—the Stewart family—recently took home the 2026 Wine Growers Canada Award of Distinction. Sample their acclaimed wines, sourced from the sunny south-facing slopes of Mount Boucherie in West Kelowna, in the year-round tasting room, café-style market, and casually elegant Old Vines Restaurant. Make it a night with a stay at the waterfront Lakehouse or Nest lodgings. And don’t miss summer’s new pop-up sparkling wine tasting experience at the family’s Ailm Estate, launched in 2024 in nearby South Kelowna.
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery | Thompson Okanagan/Allen Jones Mission Hill Family Estate
Recently ranked among the World’s 50 Best Vineyards, Mission Hill also scored its sixth Winery of the Year title at the 2025 National Wine Awards of Canada. Here, sustainably farmed varietals meet one-of-a-kind experiences: sip and learn about Canada’s first 100-point red wine, Oculus, in the tapestry-adorned Chagall Room; savour a wine-paired dinner at the dreamy Terrace Restaurant on a lake-to-estate yacht day trip; or grab a glass at an outdoor concert in the grassy amphitheatre.
Okanagan Valley, near Penticton
Evolve Sparkling House Evolve Sparkling House
Not yet one year old, Evolve Sparkling House has already scooped up Best Sparkling Wine of the Year at the 2025 All Canadian Wine Championships. Less than two kilometres (1.25 miles) from downtown Penticton and accessible via the famed Kettle Valley Rail Trail (think, bike day trip), this Naramata Bench winery oozes Mediterranean-like charm with tiered patios, lake-and-cliff views, and a two-level licenced picnic area opening in summer 2026. Bonus: a lounge licence means craft beers and cocktails are also on the menu.
Lake Breeze Vineyards | CK Stenberg Lake Breeze Vineyards
Perched high on the Naramata Bench overlooking Okanagan Lake, Lake Breeze meticulously tends 6.5 hectares (16 acres) of sloping vineyards dating back to 1985. Its clean, crisp, fruit-driven wines consistently fetch awards, most recently the 2024 Pinot Blanc (Gold, 2025 National Wine Awards of Canada). Stroll among the Farmstead’s vegetable and herb gardens, chickens, and pigs before tucking into wineshop tastings or braised duck leg with wine pairing in The Patio Restaurant.
Poplar Grove Winery | Kari Medig Poplar Grove Winery
At the base of Munson Mountain on the Naramata Bench’s south end, Poplar Grove Winery toasted its 30th vintage in 2025 while looking back at medal moments—the winery’s first-ever Pinot Noir (2022) has snagged multiple Gold awards. Learn how hot summers and frost-free falls help produce such celebrated wines during a signature standing tasting or indulgent seated experience in the private Legacy Room. Cap it off with a locally sourced dinner and panoramic lake views at The Restaurant at Poplar Grove.
Okanagan Valley, near Oliver
Kismet Estate Winery | Jacquie Tremblay Kismet Estate Winery
With Canada’s only female South Asian winemaker at the helm, Kismet Estate Winery combines Punjabi heritage with Okanagan bounty in every bottle and bite. A 2026 BCBusiness 30 Under 30 honouree, Manpreet Dhaliwal has already produced the Double Gold-winning 2024 Phulkari Rosé and Platinum-proud 2022 Cabernet Franc Reserve. Sip wine flights and wine by the glass or bottle in the tasting room, gazebo, and Manzil Restaurant—serving up regional Indian plates like Kerala mussel curry, Parsi lamb shank, and tandoori prawns with mint chutney. Sleep it all off in the onsite private guesthouse or one of 10 guest suites, opening in summer 2026.
Church & State Wines Church & State Wines
Church & State’s vineyards benefit from the long evening sun and gravel-sand soils of the Black Sage Bench—ideal conditions for longer-ripening red grapes. Take the rich and velvety 2020 Coyote Bowl Malbec, the full-bodied 2020 Syrah with spicy finish, and the ripe Bordeaux-style 2018 Quintessential. Pony up to the minimalist tasting bar or nurse a flight on the patio. Come back for summertime’s long-table dinners, picnics, and winemaker events.
Kamloops area
Monte Creek Winery | Andrew Strain Monte Creek Winery
Hot days, cool nights, and an arid climate give rise to 48.5 hectares (120 acres) of certified organic vines at Monte Creek Winery in the Thompson Valley. Take a deep dive into the region’s dichotomous terroir on a guided vineyard tour, and linger over local artisan fare and a glass of 2022 Living Land Cabernet Merlot (Gold, 2025 National Wine Awards of Canada) in the seasonal alfresco Terrace Restaurant with rocky-bluff-and-river views.
Fraser Valley, Langley
Backyard Vineyards
Grapes ripened in the temperate Fraser Valley merge with select Okanagan Valley fruit in Backyard Vineyards’ varietal blends and bubbly wines. Sip, swirl, and learn about winning pours like the 2020 Reserve Syrah (Gold) and N/V Blanc de Noir (Silver) on a behind-the-scenes winery tour or in the sleek wood-accented tasting room. Afterward, pick up a bottle and a cheese-and-charcuterie platter to share on the picnic hill or in the gazebo.
Originally published in August, 2017
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