This summer, Monte Creek Winery is proud to celebrate a major milestone — 10 years of crafting premium wines in the heart of BC’s Thompson Valley. As Kamloops’ largest winery, we’re marking the occasion with an afternoon of celebration on Sunday, June 15th, and you’re invited!
Set in our picturesque picnic area with sweeping views of the vineyard and South Thompson River, the event will feature live music from local band LooPS (2–4 PM), complimentary wine tastings, and a toast to our incredible journey so far.
Honouring a Decade of Growth
Over the past 10 years, Monte Creek Winery has evolved into a regional leader in cool-climate viticulture, with a clear focus on sustainability, innovation, and authenticity. This year, we’re continuing to push boundaries — not only with our winemaking, but also by introducing new and exciting events to the Kamloops area that highlight what makes this place so special.
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we’re also proud to share two major achievements:
Award-Winning Excellence
Our 2018 Riesling Reserve was named Best White Wine in Canada at the All Canadian Wine Championships — a true honour and a testament to our dedication to crafting exceptional wines that reflect the uniqueness of our terroir. At the 2024 All Canadian Wine Championships, we were proud to take home Double Gold and Best in Class for both our 2023 Frontenac Gris and 2023 Hands Up White, showcasing the strength of our cool-climate and hybrid varietal program.
Monte Creek Winery has also been recognized at the WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada, earning a place among the Top 10 Small Wineries in Canada and the title of #2 Winery in British Columbia. These prestigious accolades speak to the consistency and quality of our entire portfolio.
Rounding out this year’s honours, at the Wine Align National Wine Awards our 2022 Living Land Pinot Noir and 2022 Living Land Chardonnay were each awarded Gold medals with 93 points, further demonstrating the impact of our organic farming practices and our commitment to producing wines of elegance, balance, and place.
Now Certified Organic
In September 2023, Monte Creek Winery officially became Certified Organic. Our farming practices are rooted in permaculture principles, focused on soil health, biodiversity, and natural balance. By preserving the integrity of our land, we produce wines that are not only sustainable but rich in complexity and true to their origin.
“Our biggest priority in the vineyard right now is soil health. We truly believe that healthy soil leads to healthy fruit, which leads to better quality wine,” says Galen Barnhardt, our Consulting Winemaker. “We celebrate the idea that great wines only come from balanced vines and earth that is truly alive and thriving. Within our vineyards, we are farming for flavour.”
Cool-Climate Viticulture at Its Best
Monte Creek’s two estate vineyards are located in the Thompson Valley at 50.6 degrees latitude, where farming comes with unique challenges — and opportunities. To protect vines from harsh winters, our team uses techniques like burying vines and covering them with geotextiles. Thanks to our desert-like climate, we benefit from naturally low disease and pest pressure, which supports our organic efforts.
Our focus remains on cool-climate grapes such as Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, alongside cold-hardy hybrids like Marquette and La Crescent. We also farm a third vineyard in the Similkameen Valley, expanding our growing potential and diversity. In total, Monte Creek has over 120 acres of vineyard dedicated to crafting expressive, terroir-driven wines.
Resilience in the Vineyard: A Tale of Two Regions
This year, we were fortunate to be among the few wineries in the province working with our own BC-grown fruit, despite the challenges brought on by extreme weather. Our Keremeos Vineyard in the Similkameen Valley was significantly impacted by the cold snap this past winter, resulting in a minimal crop. However, our Thompson Valley vineyards thrived, thanks to the resilience of our cold-tolerant grape varieties and the proactive measures we take to protect our vines — including the use of geotextiles and vine burial techniques.
While our overall yield in 2024 came in at approximately 50% of last year’s tonnage, the vintage is shaping up with excellent potential. The lighter crop is reminiscent of the 2020 harvest, offering concentration and purity of flavour. Coming off a record-breaking harvest in 2023, this year brings balance, reflection, and renewed appreciation for the land’s natural rhythm.
We invite you to be part of our next chapter. Come celebrate with us on June 15th and experience the passion, purpose, and pride that fuel everything we do at Monte Creek Winery.
Cheers to a decade of discovery — and to the next one.
We’ll see you at the Winery