North/Central Okanagan
South Okanagan
Vancouver & Fraser Valley
Vancouver Island & Gulf Islands



More awards: Jackson Triggs - Okanagan won the 2006 Rosemount Estate Trophy for Best Shiraz/Syrah of the year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London, England. A first for a North American Winery since they began awarding the trophy in 1994!

Labrusca: A family of grapes – Vitis Labrusca – native to North America.*

Geography: Lake Okanagan, at 144 kilometres long and 3.5 kilometres average width, is the source of much-needed water for irrigation for vines in the Okanagan Valley.

Vinifera: A species of grape–Vitis Vinifera–that produces the classic wine grapes that have spread from the vineyards of Europe.*

Tannin: A compound in the skin and seeds of grapes that is essential in providing substance and backbone to red wines.*


*Schreiner, John - British Columbia Wine Country, Whitecap Books Ltd., 2003

 
 
 

Winding backcountry roads. Perfect rows of vines. Clear, blue lakes. Quiet tasting rooms where the winery owners still pour the samples. There is no better way to understand the Wines of British Columbia than to visit the places they’re made.

British Columbia is a small wine-producing region. There are single vineyards in other regions of the world that produce more wine than all of our regions combined. But we like to believe that in the mass-producing of wine as ‘product’ shipped worldwide, nuance is lost; and because our wines are handmade on smaller scale, they are nurtured in ways that others just can’t be.

There are five main wine regions or DVAs (Designated Viticultural Areas) in British Columbia, each producing a range of grape varieties and wines – the Okanagan Valley, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the Fraser Valley and the Similkameen Valley.

In visiting each region, it’s important to remember that wine begins with grapes, vineyards and wineries, but is really so much more. Look around. What makes a wine region unique is what makes its wines unique. Look at what else is growing nearby. Look at the soil. Pick some up and smell it. Good wine will reflect the natural and agricultural heritage of the land.
OKANAGAN VALLEY
  Intense summer heat. Cool lakes. And extraordinary views. The south Okanagan Valley is at the northern end of the Sonora Desert that runs all the way in to Canada from Mexico. In the 1890s, fruit orchards were the beginnings of agriculture in the Okanagan Valley, with commercial grapes first planted in the 1920s.

Located in south central British Columbia, a four-hour drive from Vancouver, the Okanagan’s grape production currently covers some 5,000 acres and is the oldest and largest wine-producing region in the province. The source of premium grape varieties, this region has more than 70 wineries and supplies 95% of the province’s wine.

    Map of North/Central Okanagan
 
    Map of South Okanagan
 
VANCOUVER ISLAND
  Home to Victoria, British Columbia’s capital city, Vancouver Island is a mix of colonial and aboriginal heritage and pristine natural environment.

Located off the southwest coast of British Columbia, Vancouver Island is the largest North American Pacific island and is home to our newest winegrowing region. The wineries in the region cover about 200 acres, 3.5% of BC total (25 wineries) of scenic hillside vineyards and provide spectacular views for travelers to historic towns in the area.
    Map of Vancouver Island & Gulf Islands
 
GULF ISLANDS
  The Gulf Islands lie southwest of the Strait of Georgia, along the east coast of Vancouver Island between Campbell River to the north and Victoria to the south.

These islands were originally home to the Coast Salish First Nations people. The remnants of settlements dating back 2,000 years have been found on Galiano Island. 

The 1850s gold rush brought the first European settlers to Mayne Island. It was a stopover for miners on their way to the Fraser River from both Vancouver Island and the United States. 

In 2003, Parks Canada established the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve of Canada, Canada’s newest national park to protect the area’s unique ecosystem.

Today, the Gulf Islands are home to 8 wineries with 95 acres planted to grapes representing 1.7% of British Columbia’s total. Many Gulf Island wineries supplement their production with grapes grown in the Okanagan Valley.
    Map of Vancouver Island & Gulf Islands
 
FRASER VALLEY
  Just under 1,400 km long, the Fraser River has always been the lifeline of British Columbia and much of the history of the province runs its length. The first recorded First Nations settlement was along the Fraser. It was a prominent trade and travel route during the province’s first gold rush in 1858 and continues to be an important source of wild salmon for our fisheries. 

The grape-growing region is located just an hour east of Vancouver in the expansive and fertile Fraser Valley – the largest agricultural region in British Columbia. It is home to 10 wineries covering roughly 70 acres of vineyards.
    Map of Vancouver & Fraser Valley
 
SIMILKAMEEN VALLEY
 

Gold. Railway speculation. And cowboys. The Similkameen Valley’s early history was colourful to say the least. Today, the gold and the railway are gone, but ranching, farming and fruit growing are very much alive in this agriculturally productive valley.

Steep mountains surround the region with vineyards planted along the edges of the river. Located in the lee of the Coast Mountain range about a three and a half hour drive from Vancouver, the Similkameen Valley has about 200 acres of vineyards and 13 wineries. The region stretches west of the Okanagan Valley and over the land within the Similkameen River watershed.

    Map of South Okanagan & Similkameen Valley
 
© 2006 British Columbia Wine Institute.  All rights reserved.