Wineries in BC

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

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!

Quality: The VQA designation (Vintners Quality Alliance) requires a professional tasting panel to approve each wine.

Sales: British Columbia VQA wine sales have doubled in the last six years to more than $182 million annually.

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.