FAQ
Curious about what we do?
Find the answers to our most frequently asked questions here:
What is Honey Wine?
Honey wine, or Mead, is an alcoholic beverage made using honey. Yeast processes the sugar and the bi-product is alcohol- different alcohols are made by using different sugars. Grape wines use the sugars in grape juice, we use the sugars in honey.
So there aren't any grapes in your wines?
There are only grapes in Ostara and Lux, our pyment style wines. The other wines have no grapes in them.
What goes into making honey wine besides honey?
We make our wine by combining water, honey and yeast in stainless steel tanks. During the wine making process, we may add fruit(s) and/or spices to create different styles.
Are your wines gluten free?
Yes! All of our wines are gluten free except the Pictish Beast Braggot, which contains a small amount of gluten.
Where can I buy your wines?
Our wines are available at the Winery in SE Kelowna as well as most Save-On-Foods and private liquor stores across BC. If your local liquor store doesn't carry Meadow Vista, ask them to bring it in!
You can also purchase our wines through our online store and have them shipped anywhere in Canada– use code SHOPLOCAL to save 15% on your purchase of $100 or more!
What do Honey Wines go with?
We pair our honey wines with foods just as you would grape wine.
Cloud Horse pairs well with light pastas, Indian dishes & seafood
Mabon pairs well with lamb, traditional turkey dinner, & pumpkin pie.
Rubus pairs well with tomato based dishes & beef.
Ostara pairs well with strong cheeses, stone fruit & white chocolate.
Lux pairs well with dark chocolate, velvety cheesecake, or local soft cheeses.
Bliss Cherry pairs well with grilled meats, fresh fruit salad & brunch.
Bliss Apple pairs with smoked chicken, apple pie or in a mason jar filled with ice.
Bliss Blueberry Haskap pairs well grilled meats and your favourite cheese.
Are all your wines really sweet?
A common assumption is that honey wines must be sweet, but that isn't the case. While we do have some sweeter wines such as Ostara, Lux and Bliss Cherry, we do have wines on the drier side as well. Cloud Horse is quite dry and although Ostara is a dessert wine, it is light and delicate.
What would they be on the sweetness scale?
Cloud Horse: 1, off dry
Rubus: 1, off dry
Mabon: 2-3, medium
Bliss Cherry: 2, medium
Bliss Apple: 0-1, off dry
Bliss Blueberry Haskap: 0-1, off dry
Ostara: 4-5, sweet
Lux: 3-4, sweet
For more information see The BC Liquor Store Scale
Where do you get your honey from?
Everything that goes into our wines is from Beautiful British Columbia. We try to source everything as locally as possible including our honey. We have approximately 150 hives of bees but we also work with local bee keepers.
Where does the fruit in your wines come from?
Everything that goes into our wines comes from the province of British Columbia. We source our fruit as locally as possible with much of it coming from the Okanagan Valley. Grapes come from local wineries, cherries are an Okanagan blend, apples come from an organic orchard in Vernon, and our hasps come from our SE Kelowna neighbours Haskap Farms.
How long is the fermentation period?
The fermentation period varies depending on the wine. Typically we ferment for 6-8 weeks.
What is the shelf life of the wines?
We recommend drinking our wines within 2-3 years of purchase.
Are there any health benefits to drinking mead vs grape wine?
We try to use as few additives as possible in our honey wines, which appeals to many consumers.
How does drinking honey wines support the bee population and its dwindling numbers?
By drinking mead you are supporting the bee keeping industry that supports the pollination of Canadian crops. Bee pollination equates to better fruits and flowers "Lack of bees for pollination can mean a loss for the farmer of maybe 75 percent of the crop " (Bradbear, 2009).
Is honey wine fundamentally different than grape wine?
Fundamentally, honey wine and grape wine are the same, they share the same process. The difference is the ingredients.
Can I bring my dog up to the winery with me?
While we are all dog lovers, we don't allow dogs in the winery, however you are welcome to tie your dog up outside. Registered Service Dogs are always welcome.
Are you open year-round?
Yes! The Wine Shop and Tasting Room are open year round, but we do close for a few weeks around the Christmas holidays. Watch our social channels for updates!