Summerland | bc winery route

# of wineries: 15+

Don't miss: Solvero, Pamplemousse Jus, Lightning Rock

Common varietals: aromatic white wines and light reds

Wine region: Okanagan Valley

Sub-regions: Summerland Lakefront, Summerland Valley + Summerland Bench

Summerland is situated on the west side of the Okanagan Valley only 30 minutes south of Kelowna, BC. Wineries sit on bluffs overlooking the massive Okanagan Lake running down the centre of the valley. It is spectacular!

Being on the west side of the valley, Summerland gets the early and midday sun. This makes for grapes with lots of acidity and creates a great home for aromatic whites--think Ehrenfelser, Gewürztraminer and Riesling-- as well as traditional sparkling wine grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Summerland is located within the larger wine region of the Okanagan Valley. In 2022 Summerland was recognized as being so unique that is was given 3 different Sub-Geographical Indications (sub-GIs) or sub-regions. Summerland Valleys, Summerland Lakefront and Summerland Bench. In the future, you will be able to see these sub-regions listed on a wine bottle label!

The Summerland Valley sub-region has some of the highest elevations vineyards in the Okanagan Valley. It's higher elevations and a slightly cooler climate sets it apart from other areas of Summerland. 

The Summerland Lakefront sub-region contains the vineyards that are right along Okanagan Lake and therefore their climate is slightly more moderated the lake. This means that the lake ensures the vineyards don't get too hot in the summer and don't get too cold in the winter. 

The Summerland Bench sub-region is the area surrounding the mountain called Giant's Head (it really does look like a Giants's Head!). 

P.S. if you don't understand the bold italicized words, there are definitions at the bottom of the page to make it easier!

Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards - focuses on Traditional Method sparkling wines and aromatic whites. They also have a great restaurant on site called 19 Bistro where you can stop for anything from oysters to a burger!

Solvero Wines - hyper focused on producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on their high elevation property, they are producing absolutely phenomenal wines. Bonus: they have a beautiful tasting room and patio for you to spend the afternoon enjoying their wines. 16 min drive from Fitz.

Pamplemousse Jus - tucked into the valley, PMJ will open your mind and get you hooked on natural wines. Owned by three pals who make delicious jus, I guarantee that you’ll leave the winery with a full heart and a full case of wine. 11 min drive from Solvero.

Lightning Rock Winery - they enable their wines to showcase the distinct terroir of their Summerland Vineyards. Sometimes they even pour wines made from the same grapes grown in different vineyards back to back so you can literally taste the different between the vineyards! It's really freaking cool. Don't sleep on their Pet Nats! 9 min drive from Pamplemousse.

If you have time:

Garnet Valley Ranch Winery - a MUST visit but make sure to save more time than usual for this incredible wine experience. Tour the massive organic ranch while learning abut the property and its sustainability. Take in the pristine views as you taste through their wine portfolio! They have other fun things happening on site like horseback tours and airstream camping. This is such an incredible place to stop. 5 min drive from Solvero.

Dirty Laundry Vineyard - a super fun winery with a cheeky history. They have really good pizzas that you can enjoy on their vine-covered patio! 4 minute drive from Lightning Rock.

Lunessence Winery & Vineyard - certified organic winery offering delicate wines and incredible views of vineyards and the Okanagan Lake. 3 minute drive from Lightning Rock.

SummerGate Winery - this family-run winery leans into their location and produces wines that thrive on their estate vineyards: aromatic whites! But they make a little bit of rosé and some bubbles too! Don't miss out on their onsite kitchen serving up tasty bratwursts, poutine and waffles. 3 min drive from Pamplemousse.

Haywire Winery - another organic winery offering bubbles, whites, rosés and light reds. While some of their wines aren't for me, I always love their bubbles and they are always looking outside the box and putting on fun events for the community to enjoy! 7 min drive from Pamplemousse. 

Sage Hills Vineyards - an organic and environmentally conscious winery with stunning views of the Okanagan Lake and their own organic vineyards. They have a patio that is absolutely beautiful! Only a 9 minute drive from Fitz.

If you need more inspiration, Bottleneck Drive is a fantastic resource for tasting and exploring around Summerland.

Please note that there are a few more wineries in Summerland that I haven't yet had the chance to visit. But if you have never been, this is a good starting point!

Summerland is packed with other local producers, that aren't just making wine! If you are wine'd out, here are some other options:

Dominion Cider Co - one of my fave cideries around. Founded by three friends, Dominion offers creative small-batch ciders made from local Okanagan fruits. You can't go wrong with anything from Dominion! They have the cutest little tasting area overlooking the grapevines from their neighbours, Pamplemousse Jus. 1 min drive from Pamplemousse, or just walk around the corner!

Millionaires' Row Cidery - this family-run cidery produces from their own 100+ year old apple orchard. The ciders are more of what I would consider a typical apple cider but they have some fun combos as well like mint and cranberry cinnamon. In the summer they were also serving a killer apple slush! 2 min drive from Pamplemousse. 

Detonate Brewing - a cozy brewery with an eclectic midwestern meets 70s rock vibe that is rather homey. Come for the beers are great and stay for the BBQ! 4 min drive from Pamplemousse. 

Controlled Entropy Distilling - small-batch spirits made from local BC grown grain that are actually really freaking good! These are the types of liquors and liquers that you can just sip on and be happy, or add one or two ingredients for a fabulous cocktail. 5 min drive from Haywire.

Alchemist Distiller - small-batch spirits made from local Okanagan grown apples. These are more along the lines of hard alcohol that you might want to mix into a highball (think an upscale gin and tonic or a spiced rum and coke) but honestly, they're quite tasty on their own too. Don't leave without trying the Absinthe! 5 min drive from Haywire.

While I haven't yet stayed in the town of Summerland, it is easy to access the Summerland winery route when staying in the nearby town of Penticton!

Wine Down Cottage: This townhome in downtown Penticton is only 15 minutes from Summerland and it is very walkable to many local coffee shops and restaurants. Fully equipped and roomy, this easily sleeps 6 and is the perfect central location for a weekend of wine tasting. The same rental company operates another accommodation in Peachland only 20 min away. Decked out with a patio offering stunning views of Okanagan Lake and even a cute outdoor fire pit, this looks like a perfect spot to spend some quality time.

GI: Geographical Indication; a specific wine region in BC which can be indicated on wine labels. BC has nine GIs as well as sub-GIs.  

Sub-GI: Sub-geographical Indication; a sub-region or a much smaller area within a larger GI where it is recognized that the terroir enables the area to produce distinct wines. You can also see this listed on a wine label.

Terroir: all of the environmental things that can affect the taste of grapes. These are things that make the vineyard or area unique such as the soil, climate, altitude, proximity to mountains or lakes etc. Basically, the unique parts of a vineyard can create distinct wines!

Traditional Method: sparkling wines made in the same way that Champagne is made. It just can't be called Champagne is if isn't produced in Champagne, France.