TRAVEL SERIES || A Tour of North Okanagan Wineries
EX NIHILO
Our first stop of the tour was very close to our Airbnb, this lovely vineyard served up some tasty whites and got its name from a visit to Washington DC, where a wall mural titled ‘nihilo’ inspired the name for the vineyard. Nihilo is a Latin phrase that stands for ‘out of nothing’. The owners built the business over the years and first started to sell wine from their home, essentially creating the current estate out of nothing. Now, the winery has a tasting room located a bit down the hill from the original home, and now have a dining room and tasting patio for guests to enjoy.
My friend who loves her red wines recommends trying the Pinot Noir.
The owners first started the winery selling wines from their home, which is further up the hill from the current tasting room and shop location.
Wine tasting at Ex Nihilo.
The staff were kind enough to let us try some red wines that weren’t on the tasting menu.
GRAY MONK WINERY
This is where we stopped for lunch and I’m so glad we did — the food was so tasty that we came back for dinner to try out other items! An elevated experience with a patio view, this winery seems popular with everyone, from families to bachelorette parties. We would recommend the Miso Glazed Wild Halibut for lunch and definitely the Grilled Wagyu Flat Iron for dinner — it was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of melt-in-your-mouth fat.
Besides wine tasting at Gray Monk, we recommend enjoying a tasty lunch on their patio as well.
Our Airbnb host had prepared a bottle of Gray Monk Pinot Gris for our late evening arrival, and we enjoyed it tremendously with a homemade charcuterie plate. For those who enjoy their white wines, we suggest trying the Pinot Gris.
The airy and light-filled tasting room at Gray Monk is located next to The Lookout Restaurant.
O’ROURKE’S PEAK WINE CELLARS
Whilst others are attracted to the wine, and here they do have a beautiful circular tasty bar, I was gravitating towards the wine shop gifts section. They’ve got wine-infused soaps and wine knowledge coffee table books that I couldn’t resist.
In terms of wines, the Sun Kissed Pinot Gris seems made for the upcoming hot summer season. They’ve also got an expansive patio with delicious burgers you’ll want to try.
Staff opening the sunbrella to provide some refuge for guests enjoying lunch outdoors.
Beautiful indoor tasting bar.
50TH PARALLEL ESTATE WINERY
This one we discovered all on our own after our wine tasting tour. We were attracted by the food menu and stopped by for lunch. The wine tasting room fronts the dining room, and the dining room consists of an enclosed portion, with bar seating by the wood-fired oven and outdoor tables both on the ground and upper floor for those who really love the sun.
Wagyu burger.
The perfect pairing for a hearty lunch.
We’ve previously frequented wineries in West Kelowna, and this is our first time exploring wineries in North Okanagan — we’ve been missing out on some tasty wines! We hope our guide helps you get started on discovering all the delicious wines that the region has to offer.