Todd Heintz.
Launching a winery in British Columbia in 2026 might strike some as an unusual choice. The province’s wine industry is still navigating the aftermath of devastating cold events, ongoing climate uncertainty and shifting market realities. Yet for the founders of Spacedog Wines, the timing felt less like a warning sign and more like an opportunity.
The new Oliver-based winery, which opened its doors this month at the District Wine Village, is the creation of Todd Heintz, Jason Harding and Dean Prevost. Together, they represent an unlikely trio of founders for a winery making some very ambitious claims right out of the gate.
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Pénélope Roche.
The Okanagan wine industry has never lacked ambitious people, but few arrive with résumés quite like those of Pénélope and Dylan Roche. Before establishing Roche Wines on the Naramata Bench, Pénélope had studied viticulture and enology in Bordeaux, worked at Château d’Yquem and managed her family’s historic estate, Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion.
Dylan’s route was less traditional but equally impressive. A Vancouver native who discovered wine living in Burgundy, he studied winemaking in Beaune before working in New Zealand and several of Bordeaux’s most respected wineries.
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2022 Haywire Lunar Red.
There are wines that simply mark a moment, and then there are wines that mean something. Haywire Winery’s Lunar Red has always belonged firmly in the latter camp with an annual release that intertwines wine, culture, and community in a way few Canadian bottlings manage to achieve. With the arrival of the 2022 Lunar Red, Haywire once again ushers in Lunar New Year with intention and respect.
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A new journey begins.
In Surrey, British Columbia, a new chapter in the province’s wine story is unfolding. Once known as Cavallo Estate Winery, the property has been reborn as Gate 22 Winery—a sleek, modern destination where creativity and craft are setting a new standard in BC wine.
“When we took on the property, we wanted to create a destination that feels both modern and approachable,” says Christa-Lee McWatters, VP of the Gate 22 team. “Our goal was to make wines that express a true sense of place while inspiring curiosity for what’s possible.”
That philosophy has become the heartbeat of Gate 22, shaping not just its wines but every guest experience, from the first pour to the final sip.
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Winemaker Gary (Gennadi) Zhygailo.
Most people don’t think of the Fraser Valley as wine country. It sits in the rain shadow of Vancouver, where damp coastal weather keeps umbrellas permanently within reach. And yet, just outside Langley, Chaberton Estate Winery has been quietly challenging expectations for decades.
Founded in 1975 by Claude and Inge Violet, Chaberton holds the distinction of being one of the oldest estate wineries in British Columbia, and the very first in the Lower Mainland.
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