8th Generation Vineyard

8th Generation Vineyard sits along Highway 97 in the Trout Creek area of Summerland, an easy roadside stop between Penticton and Kelowna in the heart of the Okanagan Valley. The name is literal: owners Bernd and Stefanie Schales trace their family's winemaking back to 1783 in Germany, representing more than 240 years of continuous tradition. The couple left the Rheinhessen wine region and began growing grapes in the Okanagan in 2003, establishing their own winery a few years later, and they continue to farm and make wine with a quality-over-quantity philosophy that consciously avoids many of the additives and treatments available to modern wineries.

The portfolio spans whites, rosé, reds and cider made exclusively from British Columbia fruit, but the winery is especially associated with its frizzante, lightly sparkling wines that have become a signature of the brand. Visitors will also find Riesling, Pinot Meunier rosé, Pinot Noir and red blends among the releases. The tasting room welcomes drop-in guests, and the winery proudly notes its recognition as a top-ranked tasting room in 2025; staff pour through the current lineup in a relaxed, family-run atmosphere that reflects the owners' hands-on involvement. A wine club offers first access to new releases, a discount on orders and three temperature-controlled shipments per year across Canada. For travellers touring Summerland's Bottleneck Drive wine country, 8th Generation makes a compelling stop: the highway-side location is convenient, the sparkling wines are refreshing on a hot Okanagan afternoon, and the sense of deep family heritage gives the visit a story that few wineries in such a young wine region can match.