Winery
Cerelia Vineyards & Estate Winery
Cawston, Similkameen Valley
Cerelia Vineyards & Estate Winery is a small, completely family-run winery on Ferko Road in Cawston, in the heart of the Similkameen Valley, a dramatic, mountain-framed region southwest of the Okanagan that has earned a reputation as one of Canada's organic farming capitals. The winery takes its name from the ancient Roman harvest festival honouring Ceres, goddess of agriculture, and carries the theme through to its labels, where vintages appear in Roman numerals, a distinctive touch shared by very few BC wineries. The operation was launched by two generations of the same family, brothers David and Dennis Mutch with their wives Peggy and Roxanne, along with David's daughter Megan and her husband Corey Witter, with Megan taking on winemaking duties after training through Okanagan College. The family handles everything themselves, from pruning and picking to winemaking, bottling and sales, and prides itself on quality wines at affordable prices.
The range includes whites such as Pinot Gris and Chardonnay and reds led by Cabernet Franc, along with Misceo, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Visitors to the tasting room are welcomed with free tastings, with regular hours Friday through Monday and visits by appointment earlier in the week; tours are welcome, and the family appreciates a day's notice for larger groups. Cawston and neighbouring Keremeos sit among orchards and vineyards on the valley floor beneath towering rock bluffs, and the Similkameen's wineries remain refreshingly low-key compared with the busier Okanagan routes. Cerelia fits that spirit perfectly: a hands-on family farm where the people pouring your wine are the same ones who grew the grapes. It pairs well with the valley's organic fruit stands and other small wineries for an unhurried day of touring in one of BC's most scenic agricultural valleys.
The range includes whites such as Pinot Gris and Chardonnay and reds led by Cabernet Franc, along with Misceo, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Visitors to the tasting room are welcomed with free tastings, with regular hours Friday through Monday and visits by appointment earlier in the week; tours are welcome, and the family appreciates a day's notice for larger groups. Cawston and neighbouring Keremeos sit among orchards and vineyards on the valley floor beneath towering rock bluffs, and the Similkameen's wineries remain refreshingly low-key compared with the busier Okanagan routes. Cerelia fits that spirit perfectly: a hands-on family farm where the people pouring your wine are the same ones who grew the grapes. It pairs well with the valley's organic fruit stands and other small wineries for an unhurried day of touring in one of BC's most scenic agricultural valleys.
