Ancient Hill Winery

The Vibe

Ancient Hill is the kind of winery that rewards the visitor who takes the backroads and follows the signs — a boutique estate tucked into the rural Ellison area of North Kelowna that consistently earns descriptions like "a little piece of Italy," "old world," and "a must-visit hidden gem." Founded by Dutch-Canadian couple Jitske and Bert Blokzijl, who moved from the Netherlands to Kelowna in 1992 and spent years learning the land before planting their first vines in 2005, the winery carries a genuinely European sensibility — in the attention to rare varietals, in the hospitality philosophy, and in the beautiful English garden setting that greets guests with a fragrant welcome before they've even reached the tasting room door. The airport is visible across the road — and guests who notice sometimes comment that watching planes come and go while sipping a Baco Noir on the terrace is a strangely perfect Okanagan afternoon. There is no pretension here, no hushed reverence, no marble countertops — just good wine, spectacular views, and genuinely lovely people.

The Experience

Tastings at Ancient Hill are casual, affordable, and warmly personal — staff like Andrea and Jitske herself have developed loyal followings among visitors who return year after year specifically for the people as much as the wine. Guests are encouraged to take their time, move from the tasting room to the terrace, and settle into the picnic grounds with a bottle, a cheese board, and the kind of unhurried afternoon that the Okanagan does so well. The spacious outdoor area is one of the most relaxed and genuinely beautiful picnic settings in the region — surrounded by the estate vineyard, framed by valley views, and backed by the winery's extraordinary English garden which blooms with hydrangeas, lavender, and wildflowers through the summer months.

The Wine

Ancient Hill's portfolio is built on a deliberately adventurous varietal selection — the founders chose each grape based on its ability to grow and ripen beautifully in the estate's unique glacial-deposit terroir of sand and gravel left behind by retreating glaciers thousands of years ago. The result is a lineup of rare and fascinating wines that rarely appear elsewhere in the Okanagan. The Baco Noir is the undisputed flagship — a deep, complex, tobacco-and-dark-fruit red that has earned a devoted following and is consistently the first to sell out across every vintage. The Zweigelt delivers the bright cherry and spice character that this Austrian varietal does so beautifully in cool climates, while the Lemberger is one of fewer than a handful of plantings of this grape in all of BC. The Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer anchor the white program with crisp, aromatic cool-climate character, and the estate Rosé — a blend of Zweigelt, Gewürztraminer, and Baco Noir — is a perennial patio favourite.

Good to Know

• Best for: Wine enthusiasts, curious explorers, couples, families, visitors seeking a genuine and unpretentious boutique winery experience with rare varietal wines

• Don't miss: The Baco Noir — one of the finest and most distinctive expressions of this rare varietal in the entire Okanagan — and a spot on the terrace with cheese and crackers

• Signature wines: Baco Noir, Zweigelt, Lemberger, Pinot Gris, Estate Rosé

• Hours: Open daily 10:30am–5:30pm — tasting room closes for winter, call ahead for January and February hours

• Heads up: Ancient Hill is a little tricky to find — follow the signs carefully on Anderson Road in North Kelowna's Ellison area, and allow extra time on your first visit. It is absolutely worth the effort