Quails' Gate Estate Winery

The Stewart family has a deep history in the Okanagan Valley, beginning with Richard Stewart Sr. who emigrated from Ireland in 1908. In 1956, his son Richard Stewart purchased the Allison Ranch in West Kelowna, a site originally settled in the 1870s. Viticulture began in 1961 when the family planted some of the region's first grapes, including Chasselas and Marechal Foch. His son Ben Stewart formally incorporated Quails' Gate Estate Winery in 1989. The business remains family owned and operated, with Ben and Tony Stewart serving as proprietors and Jennifer Cudlipp as the chief executive officer.

The estate vineyards are situated on the Boucherie Bench, which follows the volcanic slopes of Mount Boucherie along the western shore of Okanagan Lake. The terroir is defined by volcanic rock, clay, and glacial till. These sites benefit from a microclimate moderated by the thermal mass of the lake. The family manages approximately 200 acres of estate vines, with additional holdings in the south Okanagan near Osoyoos. Winemaking is led by Senior Winemaker Jeff Del Nin and Winemaker Kailee Frasch, focusing on site-specific expressions. The production process emphasizes precision through the use of gravity-flow design and small-lot fermentation to preserve fruit quality.

The winery is best known for its focus on cool-climate varieties, particularly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Their flagship labels include the Stewart Family Reserve series and site-specific releases like Rosemary's Block Chardonnay. The winery is also noted for its Old Vines Foch, made from some of the oldest Marechal Foch plantings in North America dating back to the 1960s. As a pioneer of the British Columbia wine industry, the estate has received significant recognition, such as the 2026 Wine Growers Canada Award of Distinction given to the Stewart family. The producer is regarded as a benchmark for quality and sustainable viticulture in the Okanagan Valley.