If you are familiar with the Okanagan Valley and its fabulous wine regions, you will likely have heard of Naramata Bench, Okanagan Falls, and perhaps a few others. Some wine enthusiasts drive all over the Okanagan Valley, but most choose one area upon which to focus. One region that seems to be overlooked as a destination on its own is Bottleneck Drive in Summerland.

Summerland, once known as Trout Creek, was settled in 1902. The first winery opened in 1980, and over the last 34 years an economy once driven mainly by orchards has been taken over by vineyards and tourism. Thirteen wineries have now established themselves along one route that treats you to picturesque views of Okanagan Lake through lush green vines. The wineries on the aptly named Bottleneck Drive range from large enterprises to small, family run businesses.

On a recent trip to the Okanagan Valley, we headed to Bottleneck Drive at the end of a very long day and, luckily for us, some of the wineries were still open. Our first stop was Heaven’s Gate. It had a beautiful patio with grey flagstones and wicker furniture adorned with plush cream cushions. The view was fabulous and visitors are able to bring their own picnic lunch. The owner and winemaker, Andy Sarglepp, greeted us in his cozy tasting room and chatted to us as we tried a few whites. Their sauvignon blanc had an intriguing aftertaste that was almost spicy, and we decided to pick up a bottle.

Next we stopped by Sleeping Giant, but it was unfortunately closed due to the lateness of our arrival. Having been there before, we had been looking forward to tasting their excellent fruit wines again. They have an extensive collection which includes black currant, blueberry, raspberry, saskatoon berry, and many more.

It is worth the visit not only for their large selection of wines, but also for the quality. There is something for every palate ranging from their dry Gala Apple Wine to their sweet Cherry Dessert Wine. Their most unusual wine, however, is the pumpkin wine; you are unlikely to come across a wine like this in many places. It tastes like pumpkin pie in a glass and can be enjoyed chilled on a summer’s day, or warmed up like mulled wine on a frosty winter’s eve.

We left Sleeping Giant with our fingers crossed that the next winery, Saxon Estate, was still open. Thankfully it was, and what a treat that visit ended up being. The owners – Jayne and Paul Graydon – wanted to bring their Anglo-Saxon heritage to BC. The ancestral Graydon home is in Kent where the Anglo-Saxons lived for over 600 years until the Norman invasion in 1066.

Jayne and Paul are passionate about organics and have four organically grown varietals including the relatively unknown Leon Millot. Saxon Estate makes a wonderful rosé using Leon Millot, which has garnered much attention as it is both unusual and delicious.

The Graydon’s like to have fun with the names of their wines: they have a red blend called “Grape and Pillage”, and a blend of four white varietals named “Four Play”. Jayne cheerfully plied us with conversation and many samples of her wonderful wines. Four Play and VIP Fortified Red stood out for us and we are looking forward to our next trip so we can pay the Graydons another visit.

By the time we left Saxon Estate it was too late to visit any other wineries, so we headed to our hotel consoling ourselves with thoughts of a future visit to Bottleneck Drive. Whether you are a well-seasoned wine taster or have never gone wine tasting at all, Bottleneck Drive is a wonderful tucked away corner of the Okanagan that is well worth a visit.