Posts Tagged "oliver bc wine"

Black Hills Estate Winery: Looking Ahead

Posted on Jul 8, 2026

Ryan McKibbon.

The past two years have brought significant change to Black Hills Estate Winery. The devastating cold event that wiped out British Columbia’s 2024 grape harvest forced wineries across the province to rethink how they would navigate a vintage without local fruit.

At Black Hills, it coincided with another important transition: head winemaker Ross Wise returned to his native New Zealand in November of 2024, handing the reins to Ryan McKibbon, who became just the 4th winemaker in the winery’s history.

CheckMate: You Win

Posted on Jul 30, 2025

A clear vision.

Some wineries make great wine. A few shift the conversation entirely. CheckMate Artisanal Winery is one of those few. Situated on the Golden Mile Bench in the South Okanagan, it combines bold ambition with focused precision, and the results speak for themselves.

From the outset, CheckMate set its sights high: Chardonnay and Merlot crafted to stand alongside the best in the world.

It’s not just a standout in British Columbia; it’s one of Canada’s most ambitious wine ventures to date.