As pioneers in the Central Okanagan’s agriculture and viticulture communities, the Stewart family’s legacy began in 1908 when horticulturist Richard Stewart Sr. emigrated from Ireland. After establishing one of the region’s most successful nurseries, Richard passed the torch to his son Dick, who planted the family’s first grape vines in 1961.

In 1989, Dick’s son, Ben Stewart, and Ben’s wife Ruth went on to found Quails’ Gate Estate Winery. Since then, Quails’ Gate has become a leading producer of BC Vintner’s Quality Alliance (VQA) wines, earning accolades over the years in national and international wine competitions. At the 2024 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada, the winery was awarded 15 medals, including 1 Platinum and 4 Gold, putting them at #4 in the Top 10 Wineries in BC.

Since founding the winery, the Stewart Family has purchased additional vineyards and established additional brands, which they brought together under the BACAS Family Wines portfolio that now includes luxury wine brands Quails’ Gate, Plume, Lake Sonoma, and Field & Flight. The family’s passion and commitment to delivering exceptional quality wines, while supporting the community and being good stewards of the land, is second to none.

“We have been leaders in the development of Canadian viticulture practices, but we couldn’t have done this alone”, says BACAS Family Wines President & CEO, Jennifer Cudlipp.

It is thanks in part to the “ecosystem of talent” Cudlipp refers to that so many businesses have grown and evolved in the Central Okanagan. There has been immense demand for Okanagan Valley wines, particularly in the last couple of decades, creating career opportunities that allow people to grow within the region.

“Post-pandemic, we’ve seen people moving to the Okanagan wanting more space and to enjoy the great parts of the region, with more balance than they might get in the Lower Mainland”, notes Cudlipp. “The fact that the Okanagan Valley is truly a four-season paradise and an incredible place to live, work, and play makes attracting new talent to the region an easy sell.”

The Valley is not only a fantastic place to live — it is also home to fertile ground, making it a premier grape-growing region. The Quails’ Gate team has researched the best selection of vines for the region and the best techniques to grow them. The winery has some of the most mature vinifera plantings—a common European grape that is the primary source of old-world varietals—in all of Canada. They also have the most extensive selection of mature Dijon Pinot Noir clones, which were the first official French clones of Pinot Noir to be available beyond France, named after a town in Burgundy.

“Part of our ongoing commitment to quality and innovation is reflected in our vineyard management”, explains Cudlipp. “After two years of winter damage, we are replanting several of our key blocks while we introduce the latest clones of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and others, ensuring our wines remain at the forefront of quality and taste.”

This ability to be nimble, move quickly, leverage global wine community connections, and invest in planting new vines right away sets Quails’ Gate apart and will contribute to the winery’s ongoing success.

As a leader in sustainability and environmental stewardship, Quails’ Gate takes a holistic approach to grape growing, incorporating practices that include drip irrigation to conserve water, sowing cover crops, and enriching the soil with compost and organic fertilizers.

In 2023, the winery announced its estate certification by Sustainable Winegrowing BC, which recognizes and encourages environmentally and socially responsible practices in the province’s wine industry. This complements the winery’s 2022 vineyard certification, making Quails’ Gate the sixth winery in BC to achieve full certification.

Looking ahead, the BACAS Family Wines team is excited about the addition of a new range of wines that will help bridge the gap while local vineyards are being replanted, as well as the launch of Ailm Estate, a sparkling wine project that’s been 9 years in the making.

“We have an incredible community of wine professionals here in the Okanagan Valley and our ecosystem of talent only continues to grow as our industry matures.”

“Our passion for making great wines is matched only by our dedication to ensuring every visit is unique and memorable. There’s a reason we’re known as one of the must-see wineries in the region!”

For more than 100 years, farmers in the Paynter family have worked the same plot of land in West Kelowna. Today, brothers Nigel and Travis Paynter, along with their wives, Sheri—one of a growing group of female winemakers in the region—and Hayley (plus numerous family members who are employed full time) practice sustainable farming on the land to grow grapes that are made into premium, organic wine.

The Paynter’s founded Off the Grid Organic Winery, which is certified through the Pacific Agricultural Certification Society, in 2015. Now producing about 2,500 cases of wine per year, Off the Grid was the sixth winery in BC to have both its grapes and wines certified as organic. But producing amazing organic wine is just one facet of Off the Grid’s existence.

True to its name, Off the Grid is committed to its sustainability efforts in all aspects of its operation. The wineshop was built out of straw bales, which offer double the insulation value compared to a standard build, and has solar panels on the roof to power the wineshop. Its unobstructed views of Okanagan Lake and permaculture-in-action operation make it a must-stop destination for tourists and wine enthusiasts.

In addition to wine tastings, locals and visitors alike are also welcomed for yoga classes, live music, and fundraising events for the BC SPCA. A visit with the winery’s flock of rescue animals, including goats, who can explore and play up on the wineshop roof, sheep, and chickens, round out the guest experience and their grazing also helps eliminate weeds.

When asked about the future of the business, Nigel says his goal is to keep the winery and vineyard going for another 100 years.

“Success for us is being able to educate people on sustainable farming practices, and of course, selling out of wine.”

“The wine industry in the entire Okanagan has been so welcoming. Every winemaker looks to help one another, not just in starting [a winery] but constantly with ideas and tips should any problems arise.”

As one of the original eight wineries in the Okanagan Valley, CedarCreek Estate Winery is a seasoned veteran who happily works with the other wineries in the region’s developed viticulture sector. But CedarCreek isn’t one to rest on its laurels. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

The Central Okanagan winery, which has been named Canadian Winery of the Year at the InterVin International Wine Awards three times (most recently in 2019), is undertaking a significant transformation to be a fully organic vineyard.

According to Winemaker, Taylor Whelan, it’s a fundamental shift in how they’re thinking about their wines and their connection to the land they’ve farmed for more than 40 years.

“Everything you spray on the vineyard goes back into Okanagan Lake,” Whelan says. “The lake is our drinking water. As we conceptualize the closed loop, we want to make an effort to leave this place a little bit better than how we found it.”

The closed loop Whelan speaks about is the holistic philosophy of cultivating the natural ecosystem of the 50-plus acres on which CedarCreek resides. The winery doesn’t use anything that wouldn’t be found outside the natural area and relies on animals and plants to naturally combat disease and pests. In addition, CedarCreek employs an extensive composting program, leaving nothing to waste.

The shift in thinking can be summarized this way: in order to go forward, CedarCreek is going back. “Conventional agriculture is something that started in the last century, and it changed the way people farmed. A similar thing happened with vineyards. We’re on the journey back to what we were doing 100-150 years ago,” Whelan says.

“People can say viticulture is pretty natural but once you look under the hood, often it’s not,” he adds. “So, we’re making the commitment to say we’re going back and trying to be as natural as we can.”

In 2019, CedarCreek became certified organic in its farming and winemaking, part of a growing movement. In fact, when CedarCreek started the organic process, 4% of the Okanagan’s wineries were organic. Now, it’s close to 18%.

CedarCreek’s Organic Viticulturist, Kurt Simcic, says it’s even better. In his mind, going organic “led to a new range of wines, a tier above platinum. It’s been a natural evolution—the grapes grow differently, the flavour profile is changing, Taylor is producing more unique and more valuable wines.”

Whelan and Simcic point to organics as the first major achievement in a journey. CedarCreek is also partnering with Regeneration Canada, a national movement with a focus on regenerative land management, to see how they can further care for the ecosystem in which they farm.

“We’re not going to sit back and say, “We’re organic.” We can always do more and do it better,” Simcic states. “That’s an important piece to how we’re carrying on. It’s a super fun and exciting project to be a part of.”

If the winery’s track record over its 35-year history is any indication, there is sure to be more excitement, innovation, and award-winning wine in CedarCreek’s future.

“Many tourists who come to the region are surprised at what we can produce here. I love to see more international recognition for the Okanagan happening because there are amazing wines here.”

Serving as the CEO of ‘Canada’s most visited winery’, Ezra Cipes is part of the second generation at Summerhill, a pioneering winery producing 100% organic wine. What makes Summerhill so unique? A pyramid wine cellar, second only to the Great Pyramids of Egypt for alignment and precision, in which the family allows their organic and biodynamic wines to rest before release.

“My parents moved our young family here from the suburbs of New York in 1986 for a total change of life,” explains Cipes, one of four brothers. “I am so grateful they did. It was just a little farming community, no modern wine industry at all. They both helped build the modern wine industry in BC and were founding members of the BC Vintners Quality Alliance and of the BC Wine Institute.”

On arriving in 1986, Ezra’s father, Stephen, believed he’d found unique conditions to produce “intensely flavoured small grapes,” the perfect base for sparkling wine. He brought grape clones from France and “personally planted them on his hands and knees.” After entering the organic certification program in 1988, Cipes Sr. produced his first vintage in 1991 and the winery received Demeter Biodynamic certification in 2012.

“We’re a mid-sized winery with a large team, mostly because of the extensive hospitality we offer,” says Ezra. “We have a beautiful restaurant and banquet room, both overlooking the vineyard, lake, and mountains.”

“For us, the next level of success will be seeing our wines on restaurant lists in major centers around the world. Certain wines we make are absolutely relevant to the global wine market because of their outstanding quality and a taste that can come from nowhere but the Okanagan.”

“For us, the next level of success will be seeing our wines on restaurant lists in major centers around the world. Their outstanding quality and taste can come from nowhere but the Okanagan.”

“We hand craft terroir-driven spirits entirely from 100% local grains and fruits that present the true flavours and aromas of the Okanagan Valley,”

says Tyler Dyck, CEO and Director of Operations. “We feel each and every one of our spirits tell a story, which by extension, is our family’s story to tell. That’s why it’s so important to us that our grains and fruits come from local fields and orchards. Farm-to-flask is truly in everything we do, from our premium whiskies, gins, vodkas, liqueurs, brandies, aquavit and even traditional absinthe.”

OK Spirits is also committed to reducing their impact on the environment. “After we finish mashing, all edible materials go back to feed local livestock. We even use distilling by-products to power all our vehicles to cut down on emissions.”

“To us, success is all about creating a legacy that will outlive each of us presently at the helm of our family distillery. We’ve spent the last two decades travelling the world learning from the very best distillers and brewers, immersing ourselves in everything spirits. We also participate biennially in the World Spirits Awards Competition in Austria to have our spirits judged with the very best distillers in the world.”

“The Okanagan region is an ideal spot for true farm- to-flask authentic spirits production, as it really is one of the best spots on the planet for agriculture. It also has a community that’s keenly invested in supporting local tourism and agricultural partners.” says Dyck, “we’re all passionate about seeing the success of the Okanagan region, with the goal of establishing this valley as the place to be in Canada.”