Where to Go Wine Tasting in Oliver, BC

After all the fun in the sun in Osoyoos, BC, it was time to go wine tasting! Canada's only desert is home to 39 wineries, so it can be pretty overwhelming to figure out which ones you should go to! We took a leisurely day working our way from Oliver (about a 20 minute drive south) back around to Osoyoos with our friends Treasures and Travels, and had the best day.

The wine country is divided up into two benches - Golden Mile and Black Sage - depending on what side of the lake you're on. On Golden Mile, the vines get the sun as it's rising, and on Black Sage the vines get the sun as it's setting, so it changes the composure of the soil and grapes, even though they're so close to each other! Here are some of our favorites, suggested to us by the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association. 

Covert Farms Family Estate

Covert Farms is not only home to delicious wine, but the grounds are so gorgeous! They're both a farm and a vineyard, and unlike most other wineries, they're also certified organic. We're not usually "tour" kind of people, but we definitely recommend taking the tour "A Culinary Journey through Canada's Desert" with farm chef Campbell Kearns. It was the most magical time!

We all loaded up into the back of the cutest red truck for a drive through the vineyards and up to a gorgeous viewpoint overlooking the mountains. It was so fun to get out on "the farm" and to feel the wind in our hair, just the best way to start our day!

From the viewpoint, Campbell pulled out the most amazing charcuterie and some perfectly chilled sparkling zinfandel (which we had to buy a few bottles of to take home, of course). The charcuterie was full of local cheeses and meats, the wine was so amazing, and we just basked in the sun enjoying each other and the beauty of the Okanagan.

We got back in the truck and made our way to the orchards, but first we passed this amazing sunflower field! When do you get to pull over and frolick in a sunflower field?!

Miradoro and Tinhorn Creek

Next, we made our way to Tinhorn Creek for another wine tasting with their award-winning wines and a little tour, and then relaxed in the afternoon sun at the gorgeous Miradoro restaurant.  Perched on the picturesque winery estate on the Golden Mile, you get stunning views of the South Okanagan Valley, and it's the perfect place to indulge in pizza or pasta for the rest of your wine tasting day!

Backyard Farm

When we needed a little break from wine tasting (it's true, it happens) we stopped at Backyard Farm, an incredibly local and unique "restaurant" by Chef Chris Van Hooydonk. We got to walk around his personal orchard, meet his chickens, and learn about farming in the region. You'll definitely want to book yourself for a fine dining meal here for a real Chef's Table experience (if you can get in - reservations fill up months in advance!). Plus, you can enjoy your own wine from the local wineries all around you!

Moon Curser Vineyards

Over on the other bench of the lake, we got to visit Moon Curser on the Osoyoos bench, which has a really cool back story of gold-smuggling "moon cursers" from the gold rush days, along with really great wines! We loved getting to know the family and learning more about their experience starting a winery. It's probably what we loved best about visiting Osoyoos, everything is so local and there's so much thought put into the food and wine, plus everyone you meet is just so nice! It's very empowering to understand where your food and wine comes from, and to learn about the story and the people behind it. 

We can't wait to go back another time to continue making our way through the 39 (!!!) wineries in Oliver and Osoyoos! If you have any favorites, let us know what we can't miss in the comments! You can check out part 1 of our Osoyoos trip here.

This post is in partnership with Destination Osoyoos