The BC Wine Museum was opened in September 1996 and displays historic bottles, labels, wine-making equipment and artefacts from the rich history of viticulture and winemaking, while local Okanagan artefacts and exhibitions explore the history of the region.
Their gift shop sells BC Vintners Quality Alliance wines (VQA), which is a guarantee that you are purchasing 100% BC wine. They sell at winery prices and carry over 600 listings of wine from over 90 wineries.
The museum is housed in the Laurel Packing House. Its construction spanned 1917 to 1918. It is constructed of bricks made locally from clay from Knox Mountain. It continued as a working packinghouse until the 1970s.
In 1982, the Laurel Packinghouse was slated for demolition. Largely through the efforts of the Kelowna Museums Society, the building was saved and became Kelowna’s first designated heritage building. Over the next six years, the Laurel Packinghouse was restored.
In the Okanagan and adjacent Similkameen Valleys there are about one third of Canada’s wineries – roughly 130 wineries and more than 7000 acres of grapes cultivated.
The larger wineries offer tours and of course wine tasting.
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery is the largest, earning worldwide acclaim:
Winner of the 2011 Canadian Wine Producer of the Year
International Trophy for Best Ice Wine in the World
Best Winery in the World
There are so many more awards that they are too numerous to list.
The winery is located in Westbank.
Quail Gates, Calona Vineyards Winery (BC’s first winery), Gray Monk Estate Winery are just a few that offer tours and wine tasting.
Most of the cottage wineries offer wine tasting and some will let you tour their facilities.
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