Welcome to the Best South Okanagan Wine Tour! Over the years, the South Okanagan Valley has become one of the most popular destinations to visit in Canada. Known for its four seasons and incredible landscape, each year there are a record number of tourists who visit. Whether it’s for the ski hills or beaches, the Okanagan has something for everyone.
Most notably, the valley has and continues to be the go-to destination for wine tours. Spanning from North to South Okanagan, you are sure to find something for any pallet. The most southern wine region of the valley runs from Oliver down to Osoyoos – right up to the Canada/USA border. Within the region lies many pockets of varying soil and weather patterns, creating wines exclusive to the area’s growing conditions. As you tour through this part of wine country, the two most well-known areas are Black Sage Bench and Golden Mile Bench.
The Black Sage Bench consists of mainly sandy soil, with no natural irrigation, and the hot afternoon sun the South Okanagan is known for. As a result of the climate and growing platform, the number of grapes grown tend to be smaller but have an intense flavour profile, putting them on the map for varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah. This Black Sage Bench is home to wineries such as Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, Church & State Wines, French Door Estate, Here’s The Thing Vineyards, Black Hills Estate Winery, Phantom Creek, and many more.
As we continue along the best south Okanagan wine tour, we head to the Golden Mile Bench, located on the west side of the valley, comprised of gravelly soil and crisp morning sun, some of the best Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, and Merlot grapes are grown here. As you travel along this bench, you’ll find wineries such as Checkmate Artisan Winery, Culmina Family Estate Winery, Hester Creek Estate Winery, Road 13 Vineyards, Tinhorn Creek, and more.
Black Sage Bench and Golden Mile Bench are the two most well-known stretches for wineries and setup the region as the Best South Okanagan Wine Tour! However, a few other micro-climate areas within this region boast some additional top wineries. Osoyoos East, immediately south of Black Sage, has Adega on 45th Estate Winery, Mooncurser, and North America’s first owned and operated First Nations winery, Nk’mip.
The Osoyoos West region sits on the west side of Osoyoos Lake and runs from the USA border to the lake’s northern tip. It is incredible how many different climate changes are within a small area, and this location is no different. As a result of the combination of high winds and sunshine, this region harvests some of the best sun-ripened grapes. A few of the wineries in the area showcasing these grapes are Bordertown Estate Winery, Blue Sky Estate Winery, and Lariana Cellars.
Being known for various wines, including more Bordeaux style blends, Oliver North is the place to find these varietals. Having both large and small wineries, such as Hidden Chapel Winery, Jackson-Triggs Winery, and Inniskillin, this is an area worth visiting.
No doubt, there is an abundance of wineries to choose along the best south Okanagan wine tour that all offer a wide array of options to satisfy any wine drinker’s preference. Whether enjoying the Osoyoos Wine Tour or Oliver Wine Tour, there is so much to see along the way outside of wineries, including some of Canada’s best fruits stands. For the foodies out there, rest assured there are some incredible places to grab a bite, from food trucks to fine dining experience at one of the wineries. With any wine tour, we can make a reservation for your group at one of the winery restaurants – where you can sit, relax, and take a break before continuing.
Does traveling along the Best South Okanagan Wine Tour, sound picturesque? We thought so, and we’d love to be part of it. Booking one of our southern Okanagan tours ensures you have all your reservations ready, so all you have to do is show up, drink some wine, and enjoy the ride.
To learn more about this wine region, make sure to visit Destination Osoyoos and the Wine Capital Of Canada
