The 2026 BC Wine Harvest Is Here: Local Wine Experts Share What to Expect This Season
Tourism Kelowna & Shawn Talbot Photography
The sun is out, harvest is in full swing, and the wine is flowing in tasting rooms across British Columbia! This is always my favourite time of year to travel in wine country, when I can briefly take my official sommelier hat off, and enjoy being a devout enthusiast taking in all there is to offer. In recent weeks I’ve spent time on Vancouver Island, the Fraser Valley, the Similkameen Valley and the Okanagan Valley.
A little insider intel? For many, autumn is the best time to visit BC wine country. The best thing though is that any time one has the hankering to go wine touring, wine country is open year-round! But the fall…
Fall is when the grapes become ripe, and harvest begins. This is the action you’ll see from Kelowna to Kaleden, from the Comox to Cawston. It’s also less crowded in fall than the heart of summer, so you can take your time, and the folks in tasting rooms are happy to go at a more relaxed pace.
I reached out to local producers, to get a some firsthand perspectives of what visitors can expect this season. To set the scene, I got in touch with Rhys Pender, who is an Okanagan Valley-based Master of Wine, educator, and co-proprietor of Little Farm Winery in the Similkameen Valley. He always has his ear to the ground, so I wanted to get his take on the vintage.
Rhys Pender, Master of Wine, educator, & co-proprietor
Little Farm Winery, Similkameen Valley
“First off,” he shared. “This is such a great time to visit the Similkameen Valley, where you have the organic agricultural capital of Canada, and all this amazing fruit and veg coming in that you can stock up on and enjoy in local restaurants. Also, the area is full of boutique, small-scale, family-owned wineries, so visiting this time of year, you really get a sense of harvest.
You’ll be surrounded by people picking, working with grapes on the crush pad, and tractors passing you on the street; you’re right in the heart of it.”
And on vintage 2026 in general? While I thought the fires affecting Summerland would have had a greater impact on the general mood and vibe, BC wine producers are a resilient lot. Will there be grapes that are smoke-affected? Here and there, it will be an issue, but we can all rest assured of many things. Smoke in the air does not necessarily mean it impacted the grapes. Any negative smoke impact is highly variable, based on which grape varieties are being grown, where they were in development when smoke was in the vicinity, and whether a specific block or vineyard was affected at all! This is a large province with nine grape growing regions, and if there are any negative affects they will be on a case-by-case basis, so any grapes deemed unsuitable will be the exception, rather than the rule. And ‘unsuitable’ is a key word, because no BC winery wants to release an impacted wine, jeopardizing their business and reputation. When you see Vintage 2026 on a label, you can be confident the quality will be there.
Rhys Pender of Little Farm Winery
“You know, BC wine producers have been through it all before,” Pender shared. “We’ve become quite nimble at adapting to these challenges. Unfortunately, there will be some smoke-affected fruit here and there, but that’s for us to deal with. You won’t have to worry about low-quality wine in your bottle. I think the important things for people to know are:
- BC wine country is open for business throughout the season.
- We can really use the local support, particularly now that any travel obstacles are out of the way.
- You really get the time to unwind and engage with producers this time of year; everyone will be so excited to share their new releases with you.
- Our regions, wines and experiences are so diverse, dynamic and enjoyable; there’s no better way to enjoy travel and the season. And you’re supporting local, too. You can’t lose!”
I mean, you could take my word for it, but c’mon – this is a Master of Wine with wise words!
Let’s check in with a few other vintners.
Taylor Whelan of Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
Taylor Whelan, Chief Winemaker
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, Okanagan Valley
“We kind of had a warm start to the season and then it cooled off for a bit, allowing solid vineyard development, and then the heat returned and has propelled us through the growing season to quite an early harvest; things are rocking and rolling! Beyond any smoke-affected fruit we will have to take out of production, quality looks very good; really nice balance in the vines. The quality had been on track to be one of the best vintages we’ve had, and hopefully we can still achieve that.”
OK, sounds good. But what can we expect when dropping by the winery?
“With Mission Hill, there’s a whole range of different experiences for everybody. So, it’s the kind of place where you can come and you can hang out for the afternoon, do some vineyard touring, and enjoy the restaurant. For those looking for more of a quick drop-in, you can just book a tasting, and come in to enjoy that, so it’s essentially a one-stop shop for whatever you’re looking for.”
Wes Hagenfeldt, Winemaker & Co-Proprietor
Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery, Kootenays
Unsung Kootenays wine region is a gem. Small-town charm, and epic scenery.
“The season’s been positive for us. In Creston, we don’t get the extreme heat, and everything just kind of keeps ticking along. The variables aren’t as extreme as they can be in other regions, so we’re happy with that slow and steady development of fruit, and consistency of vintage.”
“People really enjoy the leisurely wine tasting day when they visit, not only to catch up with our latest wines, but also the opportunity to have our charcuterie boards on the patio. We feature so many local producers from the Kootenays they might not otherwise encounter, like Jerseyland Organics, Kootenay Meadows, Crooked Horn Ranch, and Famous Fritz Meats.”
You want a hands-on experience? They’ve got you.
“My wife, Myran, also offers a legacy tour and tasting,” Hagenfeldt continues. “She takes everyone through the vineyard. They taste through the wines and have a winery tour as well. It’s a great opportunity to share the taste all the wines, they go through the winery. She talks about the history of Baillie-Grohman, how we started and why we’re excited about where we’re going.”
“We have six more acres on the property coming online this year, so that will be a little bit more Pinot Noir, a little bit more Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc, which is a newer variety for us to be working with. We made the first one last year, it’s still sitting in barrel, and it’s a lighter, fruit-forward style and easy drinking. We’re looking forward to releasing that one soon!”
And if you’re lucky, you may even get a sneak peek of what’s to come!
Wes Hagenfeldt of Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery
Mary McDermott of Township 7 Vineyards & Winery
Mary McDermott, Winemaker
Township 7 Vineyards & Winery, Okanagan Valley & Fraser Valley
McDermott has a unique position as a BC winemaker, crafting wines for Township 7 both in the Okanagan Valley and Fraser Valley.
“The fruit has looked amazing on the Naramata Bench, the vines are in great shape, and fingers-crossed, we’re looking for an average crop size. We were looking maybe a bit ahead of schedule, but things are easing into this part of the season.”
And on the outskirts of Vancouver, in the Fraser Valley?
“The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir we grow for our extensive sparkling program in the Fraser Valley is looking terrific. The crop looks great and super-clean, so we’re looking forward to producing another great vintage of traditional-method sparkling out of there.”
She invites you to visit!
“It’s so lovely here on the Naramata Bench now, plenty of blue sky, and it’s not as busy and hectic as the middle of summer, so it’s a good time to come and see us working on the harvest. The best thing on the Naramata Bench is you have over 30 wineries in such proximity to one another, all hands-on and we’re such a close community; I think visitors can really feel that. And at our Fraser Valley property, sparkling wines are the main show, so people always easily enjoy their time there.”
Chris Turyk, Sales & Marketing Director
Unsworth Vineyards, Cowichan Valley
The sun shines brightly on the Cowichan Valley, and with Hullo Ferries now departing from Vancouver to Nanaimo daily, it’s easier to get there than ever.
“2026 is shaping up to be a fabulous vintage. We had an early and dry start which gave the vines a headstart on the season. We had a bit of rain in June but the conditions around flowering were quite good. Yields will be a touch below average but that’ll lead to increased concentration in the wines. July was unusually cool but overall, we are ahead of what the average is these days by maybe two weeks, and the fruit is looking excellent.”
Their new dining room is a stunner; I’m still relishing my recent experience there.
“Whether it’s wild mushrooms, or the bounty of the local farms, the autumnal flavours of the Cowichan Valley will be on full display at The Restaurant at Unsworth. The Tasting Room and The Restaurant at Unsworth both have fall and harvest themed events planned throughout the season including dinners, and Wine Club parties (sign-up now!), so like other wineries, we recommend signing up for newsletters and following social media to see the great things we all have in store, because vintage 2026 is far from over!”
Chris Turyk of Unsworth Vineyards
One thing I always enjoy about a new vintage of wine coming out, is any time in the future I purchase a bottle of 2026 BC VQA wine, it will brings back memories of wonderful visits I’ve had in wine country this year, from the Cowichan Valley, to the Similkameen Valley, to Summerland, when those grapes were all on the on the vines and memories were being made. I look forward to those mini nostalgic vacations each time I pull a cork or twist off a cap!
So, there you have it. Close proximity, supporting local, and experiencing BC wine country during harvest, when the vineyards and wineries are bursting with activity. The Winery Finder is a great place to start planning your next wine route, and there’s no time like right now.
I’ll see you in wine country.
Kurtis Kolt
Kurtis runs restaurants around Vancouver, eventually receiving the ‘Sommelier of the Year’ award at the 2010 Vancouver International Wine Festival. He’s run the wine program for a couple evenings at James Beard House, had bylines in local and international publications, such as Vancouver Magazine, Decanter and Maclean’s. Kurtis has various certifications and credits through London’s Wine & Spirit Education Trust, the Court of Master Sommeliers & the Winemaking Program at UC Davis. He’s also the co-founder of Top Drop, a series of terroir-focused trade and consumer festival-style events, dubbed “the nerdiest, most awesome wine festival in Canada.”