Le Vieux Pin

Le Vieux Pin takes its name from an old pine tree standing in its vineyard, and the winery has become one of the South Okanagan's most respected addresses for French-styled wines. Located at 5496 Black Sage Road south of Oliver, in the heart of the famed Black Sage Bench, the winery sets out to capture the essence of French winemaking tradition with the fruit and character of the New World, producing elegant, intensely flavoured wines from one of Canada's warmest and most gravelly vineyard areas. Syrah is a particular calling card: the winery's 2009 Equinoxe Syrah earned recognition at the Judgement of Montreal international blind tasting, and Rhône-inspired bottlings remain central to the portfolio, alongside Sauvignon Blanc, the Vaïla rosé, and reserve cuvées such as Cuvée Dorée.

A visit to Le Vieux Pin feels appropriately focused and intimate. Tastings are offered by online appointment only, booked through the winery's reservation platform, so travellers should plan ahead rather than drop in. The reward is a guided experience through wines that consistently rank among BC's finest expressions of Syrah and Rhône varieties, tasted steps from the vines that grow them. The Black Sage Bench setting is part of the appeal: this sandy, sun-soaked stretch between Oliver and Osoyoos sits within Canada's only semi-arid desert region, and the concentration it gives the grapes is evident in the glass. For wine tourists touring the Oliver area, often called the wine capital of Canada, Le Vieux Pin makes an ideal pairing with its Osoyoos sister addresses and neighbouring Black Sage Road estates, especially for those who favour savoury, structured reds and polished, French-leaning whites and rosés.