Desert Hills Estate Winery

Desert Hills Estate Winery is a family-run producer on Oliver's famed Black Sage Bench, established in 2003 by the Toor brothers, Randip, Jessie and Dave, whose name has become closely tied to this celebrated stretch of South Okanagan vineyard land. The winery sits at 4078 Black Sage Road, on the east side of the valley where deep sandy soils, intense sunshine and some of Canada's warmest growing conditions produce the ripe, concentrated grapes that have made the bench a benchmark for BC red wine. Desert Hills has built a reputation for award-winning wines drawn from this distinctive desert-edge terroir, and the family's hands-on farming remains at the centre of the operation more than two decades in.

For visitors, the winery makes a rewarding stop along one of the Okanagan's essential wine roads. Black Sage Road strings together a remarkable concentration of vineyards between Oliver and Osoyoos, with sweeping views across the valley to the Golden Mile Bench opposite, and Desert Hills places travellers in the middle of it all. Guests can taste through the portfolio at the winery and experience first-hand why this corner of the South Okanagan, with its sagebrush hillsides and near-desert climate, grows such powerful wines. The surrounding area offers plenty to round out a day: Oliver's wine-village restaurants, the hiking and cycling routes that thread the valley, and Osoyoos Lake's beaches are all within an easy drive. As with most wineries in the region, hours vary seasonally, so checking ahead by phone or online before visiting is recommended. For anyone building a Black Sage Bench itinerary, Desert Hills offers a long-established, family-owned perspective on one of British Columbia's most important vineyard areas.