British Columbia is home to 136 licensed grape wine wineries, (with approximately 14 winery licenses pending). Over 60 wineries now produce VQA wines. The industry is growing fast; in 1988, there were only 14 wineries in BC. In 2004, a total of 16,642 tons of grapes were harvested from 5,462 acres. There is now 6,632 acres planted under vine in the province. (Source: BCWI, 2007)

In 2004, BC was home to 104 wineries with 14 winery licenses pending, compared to only 14 wineries in total in 1988. The number of wineries in and around Kelowna has grown dramatically in the last ten years. The Central Okanagan was home to 18 wineries at the end of 2004 compared to 60 for all of the Okanagan. The largest of the wineries include: Cedar Creek Estate Winery, Mission Hill Estates Winery, Quails' Gate Estate Winery, and Summerhill Estate Winery. In March 2002, the BC Wine Institute , which represents over 90% of the grape and wine producers in the province, relocated to Kelowna, further emphasizing the industry’s importance to the Okanagan.

Additional information on the wine industry can be found in our Economic Profile, at the BC Wine Institute and through the Okanagan Wine Festival Society.