Black Swift Vineyards
Highlights:
Sleek, modern tasting room perched at the gateway to the Westside Wine Trail with panoramic Okanagan Lake views
Part of the Jason Parkes Customs collective alongside The Hatch, Crown & Thieves, The Hatching Post, and Truck 59 Ciderhouse
Bold, single-vineyard wines showcasing the best vineyard sites across the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys
Two distinct wine lines — Black Swift (single-vineyard, small-lot) and Screaming Frenzy (approachable, everyday drinking)
Five-wine tasting flight — $15 per person, or walk-in tastings waived with any bottle purchase
Curated comparative tasting available — six wines from both labels tasted side by side
Vineyard-side picnic area for bottle purchases and casual afternoon sipping
Consistently praised staff — knowledgeable, passionate, and genuinely invested in each guest's experience
Dog friendly and open daily — walk-ins welcome, reservations encouraged on summer weekends
Two wine club options — one for each label — through the Jason Parkes Customs fan club
The Vibe
Black Swift Vineyards started life incubating inside The Hatch — one of several labels Jason Parkes was quietly developing alongside his award-winning small-batch program. When it finally flew the nest and opened its own tasting room on Boucherie Road in 2020, it arrived fully formed and instantly distinctive. Described by Parkes himself as "The Hatch in a tuxedo t-shirt," Black Swift occupies a more refined and focused creative space than its rowdy sibling — a sleek, modern tasting room perched on the hillside at the gateway to the Westside Wine Trail, with some of the most breathtaking views of Okanagan Lake on the entire trail. The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious, but there's a quiet confidence here that signals something serious is happening in the cellar.
The Experience
Tastings at Black Swift are unhurried, seated, and guided by some of the most consistently praised staff on the Westside Wine Trail — guests regularly call out individual team members by name in reviews for going well above and beyond. The standard five-wine tasting covers both the Black Swift and Screaming Frenzy labels, while the curated comparative tasting takes guests deeper — six wines poured side by side to highlight the contrast between the two lines. Walk-ins are always welcome with a tasting fee waived on any bottle purchase, making it one of the most flexible and accessible stops on the trail. After your tasting, grab a bottle and settle into the vineyard-side picnic area — a sun-drenched patch of grass with unobstructed lake views that is among the finest spots in wine country to simply sit and savour.
The Wine
The Black Swift label is Jason Parkes at his most focused and ambitious — single-vineyard expressions sourced from carefully selected sites that Parkes and his growing partners have cultivated trust with over many years. The philosophy is simple: find the best spot for each grape, let the vineyard do the talking, and give the growers the spotlight and respect they deserve. Syrah, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir are the flagship varieties, each reflecting the unique character of their individual sites across the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys. The Screaming Frenzy label runs alongside as a playful, approachable counterpart — lighter in tone, but no less carefully made — offering everyday bottles with irreverent labels that poke gentle fun at the wine industry while delivering genuine quality in every glass.
Good to Know
Best for: Wine enthusiasts, couples, visitors seeking a sophisticated yet relaxed experience, fans of single-vineyard and terroir-driven wines
Don't miss: The comparative tasting flight — experiencing Black Swift and Screaming Frenzy side by side is a genuinely illuminating and fun way to understand the range of Jason Parkes' winemaking
Signature wines: Hans Estate Syrah, Desert Valley Cabernet Franc, Chablis-style Chardonnay, Screaming Frenzy Rosé
Tasting fee: $15 per person for a five-wine flight — walk-in tastings waived with any bottle purchase
Reservations: Walk-ins welcome daily — book ahead for summer weekends and large groups
Pro tip: Black Swift pairs perfectly with The Hatch and Crown & Thieves for a full Jason Parkes Customs day — three wildly different venues, one brilliant creative thread connecting them all
