Wineries in BC

Sales: British Columbia VQA wine sales have doubled in the last six years to more than $155 million annually.

VQA: VQA=100% BC - All British Columbia wines bearing the VQA symbol must be made from 100% BC grown grapes. The wines are screened by a professional tasting panel and wines found faulty cannot be sold as VQA wines.*

Terroir: The Okanagan Valley has five officially recognized sub-regions – Kelowna, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Golden Mile, and Black Sage/Osoyoos.

History: In 1859, Oblate missionary Father Charles Pandosy planted the first vineyard at the Oblate Mission near present-day Kelowna.

Geography: The southern Okanagan Valley in the area between Oliver and the border is classified as part of the Sonora Desert, which runs south to the Baja Peninsula in Mexico.