You’ve already made it to the Okanagan, so you’re halfway there! Welcome to the 8 Summerland wineries you need to visit in 2024. We’re assuming that since you’re here, you enjoy wine! Now, the challenging part begins. Where, oh where, to embark on a wine tour? Kelowna alone boasts three fantastic wine regions in Lake Country, East Kelowna and West Kelowna. Meanwhile, about an hour south of Kelowna is Penticton and the sensational Naramata Bench.
Keep driving south and you’ll enter Oliver, the wine capital of Canada. Beyond Oliver, with desert-like terrain and blistering hot temperatures, Osoyoos, located just north of the border, is the place to be for big bold reds. But what if you learned that there is a quaint and pristine wine region only 40 minutes from Kelowna’s downtown core, where you can escape the crowds and steer clear of all that hustle and bustle?
Summerland and its phenomenal “Bottleneck Drive” wine region lies just beyond West Kelowna and is waiting to be discovered! By escaping the crowds and heading to Summerland, a much more intimate experience awaits you.
One on one conversations with industry experts afford guests the opportunity soak up as much knowledge as possible, while lengthier and more in depth tastings allow visitors to savour every sip and relish every moment. Here to guide you on your visit, we present the 8 Summerland wineries you need to visit along the Bottleneck Drive in Summerland!
Lightning Rock
First on our list of 8 Summerland wineries you need to visit is Lightning Rock! Specializing in small-lot, high quality wines, look no further than Lightning Rock for some exceptional Chardonnay, Viognier, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. But why the name, Lightning Rock, you ask? Story has that a huge granite rock split in two was discovered and was rumoured to have been hit by lightning right on Elysia Vineyard where the winery is situated.
All rumours aside, the goal at Lighting Rock is to create “electrifyingly” exciting and flavourful wines. Perhaps best known for their incredible lineup of sparkling wines, Lightning Rock also produces sensational Pinot Noir. If possible, we suggest trying this varietal in a blind tasting before coming away with your favourite bottle of each. Classy labels and phenomenal wines are a winning combination, putting Lightning Rock at the forefront of our list of the 8 Summerland wineries you need to visit in 2024.
SummerGate Winery
Established in 2009, this family owned and operated winery has garnered a reputation for producing crisp, aromatic and refreshing organic, estate-grown wines. White wines are the speciality here, with rosé, two sparkling wines, and Pinot Noir rounding out the portfolio.
To produce their exceptionally fresh, crisp, and fruit-forward wines, husband and wife duo Mike and Gillian Stohler adhere to hand-harvesting and gently pressing their grapes, which are slow fermented in small batch stainless steel tanks.
Their sparkling wines have developed quite the cult following, so our advice? If you fall head over heels for their Kerner or Moscato Frizzante like so many others, opt for a case! As an added bonus, poutine is often available here during the summer months. Poutine, wine, and sunshine? It’s no wonder SummerGate winery is well placed on our list of 8 Summerland wineries you need to visit.
Thornhaven Estates Winery
A staple of this wine region, Thornhaven Estates Winery is another stop along our 8 Summerland wineries you need to visit in 2024. Perched on the slopes of Little Giant’s Head Mountain lies Thornhaven Estates Winery, a winery that has been producing elegant wines in Summerland for over 20 years. Guests are welcomed to pack a lunch and enjoy a glass or bottle of wine on their beautiful patio which enjoys spectacular panoramic views of Summerland’s picturesque rolling valley, majestic mountains, and Lake Okanagan glistening in the distance.
Possessing just shy of 20 acres of vineyards, Thornhaven grows Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Merlot, Orange Muscat, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer. The utilization of French and American Oak barrels as well as stainless steel tanks across their portfolio ensures that every palate is accommodated. Stop by Thornhaven for a tasting and see for yourself why this winery continues to be a fan favourite.
Sleeping Giant Winery
Sleeping Giant Winery in Summerland welcomes you to try their vast assortment of table, sparkling and dessert wines! Raspberry, peach, strawberry-rhubarb, black currant, cherry, pear…the list goes on! Name a fruit, and Sleeping Giant produces it in table wine format! In fact, Sleeping Giant offers 19 different table wines that range from dry to sweet, plus 12 tantalizing dessert wines.
A favourite is their Blackberry Sparkling Wine, a unique light to medium bodied wine showcasing fine bubbles and a lively palate. Expect expressive berry aromas and a zesty, juicy finish, perfect for enjoying on its own or turned into a creative cocktail! Offering
Offering completely different wines compared to the rest of the field, a trip to Sleeping Giant is well worth the effort and a solid choice for our list of 8 Summerland wineries you need to visit.
Haywire Winery
Having spent just over a dozen years under the Okanagan Crush umbrella, Haywire Winery has recently branched out and blazed their own path. A sleek new tasting room now overlooks the crush pad and cellar, offering sweeping views of Okanagan Lake and Switchback Organic Vineyard.
Pinot Noir, Gamay, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay are the focus here, and concrete tanks are the preferred vessel for the production of these cool climate, fruit-forward wines. Both of Haywire’s estate vineyards are entirely organic, and they describe their resulting wines as light and juicy with great structure and texture.
A worthwhile trip for the architecture alone, these wines won’t disappoint as Haywire lands on our list of 8 Summerland wineries you you need to visit in 2024.
Lunessence Winery & Vineyard
Next on our list of the top 8 Summerland wineries, Lunessence is perched between two natural wetlands, which bolster the diversity of plants and animals in and around the winery’s vineyards. Supporting a healthy and holistic ecosystem is of utmost importance at Lunessence, where organic farming has been the norm since their fruition in 2014.
Becoming organically certified in 2020, Lunessence wines are intended to express the earth from where they came. Their stunning white modern farmhouse aesthetic is matched only by the sweeping views of Lake Okanagan that can be enjoyed from their patio.
Charcuterie is available here, as are wines by the glass, making it enticing to laze away the afternoon in this homey setting. Their portfolio includes Riesling, Viognier, Chardonnay, Rose, Cabernet Franc, Gamay Noir, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. A standout is their Brut Riesling, a refreshing, lively and bright charmat method sparkling wine with notes of grapefruit, green apple and citrus, perfect for enjoying on a hot summer’s day!
8th Generation
Few wineries in the Okanagan can lay claim to the rich history of agriculture and farming that the Schales family can. Coming from a long line of winemaking ancestors dating all the way back to 1783, husband and wife duo Bernd and Stefanie Schales have big shoes to fill.
With over 240 years of winemaking history behind them, quality is the focus every step of the way, from cultivation to winemaking and bottling. What they have cultivated is an impressive lineup of world class wines, including a Pinot Meunier Rosé that has gained a massive following.
Riesling, Pinot Noir, and their most recent addition, Cabernet Sauvignon, round out the 8th Generation portfolio, plus frizzante wines in both white and rosé. With unbeatable prices and an unparalleled history to back them, 8th Generation sits firm on our list of the top 8 Summerland wineries you need to visit.
Pamplemousse Jus
For all of you French speakers out there, fear not…grapefruit juice is nowhere to be found at this winery! A trio of friends, James Langford-Smith, Jordan Kubek, and Tyler Knight, came together to realize a dream and Pamplemousse Jus was borne. Bringing with them over a decade each of experience in the world of wine, they started Pamplemousse Jus as a place to create fun-loving, all natural, unfiltered wines.
Neutral vessels, basket press, manual labour, wild ferments, and minimal sulphur promote delicious and juicy wines that stay true to the land from which they come. The trio cares for seven acres of grapes in Summerland, a plot of land that comes from a long history of organic farming practices.
Composed of sandy loam, granite and clay, this west-facing pocket of land enjoys ample sunshine and is one of the only in Canada to grow the lesser known, Leon Millot grape. Their refreshingly unique portfolio includes a traditional method sparkling wine, a Pinot Noir, and Piquette, which is not technically wine but is definitely delicious! For a breath of fresh air and an unfussy, forward thinking approach to the world of wine, check out Pamplemousse Jus in Summerland. Yes they’re new, but that’s what we love about them as they earn a spot on our list of 8 Summerland wineries you need to visit in 2024.
Not too close and not too far, the Summerland wine region beckons you to explore its diverse array of charming wineries. Intimate tasting experiences, sweeping panoramic views of the valley, lake and mountains, paired with some highly interesting wines make Summerland the up-and-coming wine region to check out. We hope this list of the top 8 Summerland wineries to visit will encourage you to visit this little pocket of paradise on your next wine adventure!
For more information on Summerland wine experience, please check out our Summerland Wine tours. For those looking to experience something other than wine, check out the Summerland Tourism office on your next trip to the area. Friendly staff and local experts are there to offer top picks on adventures, local dining options and everything else there is to do in this little slice of paradise.
It’s also recommended to check out everything there is to do in Kelowna as well! It’s only a 40 minute drive to the downtown core and with so much to see and do, you’ll be glad you did. Check out Tourism Kelowna for all the local info on the best things to do! If you do end up traveling to Kelowna, we have some amazing Kelowna Adventure Tours to choose from. Enjoy.
