6807 Highway 97
Summerland, BC
As this winery’s name suggests, there is history here. An ancestor of Bernd Schales began growing grapes in Germany in 1783 and Schales’ family operates a substantial winery there now. Stefanie, his wife and an architectural draftsperson, recently discovered her family began growing wine grapes 10 generations ago. Weinsberg-trained Bernd worked in the family vineyards for about 10 years until he and Stefanie bought an Okanagan Falls vineyard in 2003. After selling grapes for several years, in 2006, the couple began making wine and planning a winery in their home. Then, in the fall of 2007, they were able to buy the former Adora winery and vineyard near Summerland in time to make that vintage there. The Adora vineyard’s red grapes (pinot noir, pinot meunier, syrah) neatly complement the riesling, chardonnay, pinot gris and merlot at their Okanagan Falls property.