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Wine & Cider Route

Visit boutique winery and cidery tasting rooms and outdoor patios to sip award-winning wines and ciders from this distinct wine region. Swirl, sniff, and sip your way through the areas just to the east and south of Keremeos and Cawston, choosing from over 14 wineries/2 cideries and a distillery. Learn about the signature characteristics of Similkameen wines.

Cycle along vineyards, take a guided tour, or board a helicopter for a bird’s eye view of the spectacular valley. Check out the guided tour operators.

Savour Award-Winning Similkameen

Come and taste our award-winning wines from our wineries, as well as great-tasting cider and wine vinegars. The Similkameen Valley is a remarkable experience. The wineries are down to earth, set in an incredible place, and they make great wine. What more can you ask for?

The Similkameen has a storied agricultural past, so it was only a matter of time before the people here figured out how to make world-class wine. Similkameen winemakers use traditional grapes and tree-ripened fruit to create their delicious wines and ciders. They are passionate about the land and their communities. Most of all, their passion comes through in what they produce, which is award-winning grape and fruit wines. The Stunning valley is one of 9 recognized appellations (Geographical Indications) in BC.

View Wineries Locations Map

Vineyards to Explore
Vineyards to Explore

Seventeen Vineyards

Come and swirl, sniff, and sip your way across the valley at Similkameen wineries. There are several in and around Keremeos and Cawston. First of all, take your time, because there’s nothing rushed about wine tasting. There are so many special experiences here. It’s not just a one-day event. Plan for at least a few if you can! So come and discover why our wines have received regional, national and international awards. As a result of these awards, the Similkameen is recognized as one of BC’s best wine-growing regions. Many wineries in other parts of the province actually get their grapes from us, so you could say we’re kind of well-known.

Tasting – Find Your Favourites
Tasting – Find Your Favourites

Taste Our Terroir

Hot, sun-soaked summers and windy days help create the perfect conditions for growing delicious grapes and fruit. Our unique terroir was created long ago when glaciers melted, creating a huge river bed. As the water receded, it left behind .5 to 1.5 m (2 to 5 ft) of loamy topsoil with calcium-covered river rocks underneath. Combine those elements with sustainable and organic farming practices, and you’ve got the ingredients for something special. Read more about the Similkameen terroir.

Wine Tour
Wine Tour

Tours and Special Events

Similkameen wineries are open between April/May and October. In the winter, they are open for one special weekend in December. Our tasting rooms and special events provide intimate winery experiences in any season. The winemakers here love to answer your questions. Come on your own or with an organized tour. You’ll discover liquid assets with a whole lot of flavour here!

Be sure to take in the Seven Stones Experience tour when you visit their winery. Your tour starts in the vineyard, then takes you inside to learn how they make the wine. Then it’s off for the unique experience of barrel tasting in the caves. Another great thing about this tour is that it also has chocolate tasting and a unique underground audio experience.

For more information about the wineries and special events of the Similkameen Valley Independent Winegrowers Association check out their website.

Ideal growing conditions
Ideal growing conditions

While there is plenty to do here on any given day, there are many events at Similkameen wineries that celebrate our vintages. The Grist Mill and Gardens plays host to summer concerts. There are also Seven Stone’s Vertical Tastings held in their underground cave. In the winter, you can enjoy the Christmas Open Houses at the wineries. Celebrate Similkameen wines with us.

Cawston Vineyard
Cawston Vineyard

By Season

Making great wine is a year-round job. Winemakers are busy in the winter. They must plan next year’s vintages and harvest grapes for ice-wine. Visit in the spring, and you’ll see our viticulturists working the rows. They tuck and tie the vines to create optimal conditions to concentrate flavours. Summer is the height of sipping season. Our tasting rooms are full of visitors experiencing the unique wines of the Similkameen. Our busiest time of year is in the fall, with the grape and tree fruit harvest. It’s also when the annual crush begins.

Wine tasting, Rustic Roots, Keremeos
Wine tasting, Rustic Roots, Keremeos

Wine Tasting and Local Pairings

Our hot summers and valley winds create the perfect conditions for growing great grapes. Add well-drained soil and organic farming processes. Now you know our recipe for mighty fine wines, fruit wines and ciders.

You can find the flavours of our valley in tasting rooms that double as winemakers’ living rooms. You’ll also find them on sun-drenched patios while cowboys wrangle horses in paddocks below. Come and relax under the shade of a 100-year old apple tree. Pack a picnic and sit on the shore of the river while you watch eagles circle above you. Our tasting experiences are like the Similkameen Valley itself: rugged, rustic and real.

Vinting
See how it all happens

Great wine is better when paired with great food! Spend your morning collecting your picnic ingredients from our fruit stands and farmers’ markets. Once you’re done, take a winery tour of the Similkameen. Most wineries have a license for picnicking. For something more substantial, try a traditional European-inspired, family-style lunch served at the Crowsnest Vineyard.

CIDER AND FRUIT WINES

Untangled Craft Cider and Rown Fourteen Restaurant 7, Cawston
Untangled Craft Cider and Rown Fourteen Restaurant 7, Cawston

Beat the summer heat with a quenching cider from one of the local cideries. Sample a variety of dry to semi-sweet styles made from a range of apples, fruit blends and fusions, all organically grown. Explore organic fruit wines in a variety of styles, also a signature Similkameen offering.

Operator Directory

View Wineries/cider Operator Map


Clos du Soleil Winery
2568 Upper Bench Rd, Keremeos, BC V0X 1N4, Canada
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Come visit our beautiful artisan winery & estate vineyard on the Upper Bench of the South Similkameen Valley. […]

Corcelettes Estate Winery
2582 Upper Bench Road, Keremeos, BC V0X 1N4, Canada
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https://youtu.be/S7ln8NCdqNo Corcelettes Estate Winery, located in the Similkameen Valley, blends passion, precisi […]

Crowsnest Vineyards
2035 Surprise Drive, Cawston, BC V0X 1C0
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Crowsnest Vineyards is nestled in the Similkameen Valley on the Upper Bench near Cawston. This site has a wonderfu […]

Eau Vivre Winery
716 Lowe Dr, Cawston, BC V0X 1C2, Canada
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We invite you to savour the wines from our family-run boutique winery, in Cawston, in the Heart of the Similkameen […]

Forbidden Fruit Winery
620 Sumac Rd, Cawston, BC V0X 1C3
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A must stop thru the world of temptation, Forbidden Fruit Winery is dedicated to producing wines from certified or […]

Horseshoe Found Winery
715 Lowe Drive, Cawston, BC
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Horseshoe Found winery is operated by Pavel and Michaela Horak. Our focus is on quality grapes and healthy environ […]

Hugging Tree Winery
2505 Upper Bench Road, Keremeos, BC V0X 1N4, Canada
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We are an independent family owned and operated farm nestled in the mountainside of the enchanting Similkameen Val […]

Little Farm Winery
2155 Newton Rd, Cawston, BC V0X 1C1, Canada
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Little Farm Winery is the small hands-on operation of Rhys Pender MW and Alishan Driediger. It started with a pass […]

Orofino Vineyard
2152 Barcelo Rd, Cawston, BC V0X 1C2, Canada
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Orofino is a family-run winery producing small lots of award-winning wines. Our winery was built using unique eco- […]

Robin Ridge Winery
2686 Middle Bench Rd, Keremeos, BC V0X 1N2, Canada
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Robin Ridge Winery is located in the stunning Similkameen Valley. Our 100% estate organically grown fruit is craft […]

Rustic Roots Winery
2238 Hwy 3, Cawston, BC V0X 1C2, Canada
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Rustic Roots Winery is part of Harkers  5th Generation Organic Family Farm in the Heart of Cawston. All of our win […]

Seven Stones Winery
1143 Hwy 3, Cawston, BC V0X 1C3, Canada
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Seven Stones Winery cultivates 20 acres of bench land overlooking BC's spectacular Similkameen River Valley. Winem […]

Sharpe Distillery
253 Beecroft River Rd, Cawston, BC V0X 1C1, Canada
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Steeped in history without being stuck in the past, we craft our spirits using tried and true methods with an eye […]

Similkameen Independent Winegrowers (Similkamee...
PO Box 246 Keremeos BC Canada V0X 1N0
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The Similkameen Wineries Association is now Similkameen Independent Winegrowers as part of our brand evolution! S […]

Similkameen Wild Hotel Resort and Winery Retreat
306 Sumac Road, Cawston, BC V0X 1C3, Canada
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Similkameen Wild Hotel Resort and Winery Retreat is for those who want to find an escape away from mainstream hote […]

Vanessa Vineyard
1090 Highway 3, Cawston, BC, Canada
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Carved from stone, fuelled by sun, a vineyard like no other.  Vanessa Vineyard is situated high on a hillside over […]