Burrowing Owl Estate Winery at ARC Harvey
Premium South Okanagan Wines with Depth, Polish, and a Sense of Place
Some wineries become part of the Okanagan story.
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery is a family-owned producer rooted in the warm, dry landscape of the southern Okanagan. From its dramatic vineyard setting near Oliver, the winery has earned a reputation for premium VQA wines that combine ripe fruit, thoughtful structure, and the confidence to stand beside a memorable meal.
At ARC Liquor Harvey, our Burrowing Owl selection offers four distinct ways to experience the producer: Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Cabernet Franc, Malbec 2022, and Chardonnay 2022.
Together, they move naturally from a rich, dinner-ready white to elegant and full-bodied reds for steak nights, celebrations, thoughtful gifts, and customers ready to discover a more premium expression of British Columbia wine.
A Family Winery Built for the Long View
The Burrowing Owl story began in 1993, when Jim and Midge Wyse purchased vineyard land in the southern Okanagan and began replanting it with grape varieties selected for the region's warm, dry conditions.
A winery licence followed in 1997, and construction was completed in time for the 1998 harvest. The estate was designed around gentle grape handling, gravity-flow winemaking, and extensive underground cellaring—bringing modern precision together with patient, traditional winemaking.
The result is a producer known for wines with generosity and structure, but also balance. Burrowing Owl bottles feel special at the table without feeling out of reach, making them natural choices for an important dinner, a meaningful gift, or a customer ready to explore the premium side of Okanagan wine.
Our Burrowing Owl Picks at ARC Harvey
ARC Harvey currently carries four Burrowing Owl selections. Each bottle brings a different strength to the table—from a polished, food-friendly Chardonnay to three distinctive red-wine experiences with increasing depth, structure, and occasion-worthy presence.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
A confident South Okanagan red for customers who enjoy dark fruit, savoury complexity, and firm, polished structure. This is the bottle to consider for grilled beef, roast lamb, slow-cooked meat, mature cheese, or a gift with genuine cellar-worthy presence.
The Classic Premium Red
Cabernet Franc
An elegant, aromatic red with bright berry character, floral lift, savoury herbs, pepper, and a silkier sense of structure. A smart match for roast pork, duck, ham, charcuterie, mushroom dishes, or customers who prefer refinement over sheer power.
The Elegant Savoury Red
Malbec 2022
Emily's bold premium red selection. Deeply fruited, polished, and generous, with the darker berry, violet, pepper, cocoa, and savoury character that makes Malbec such a natural companion for steak, roast beef, lamb, and special dinners.
Emily's Summer Select
Chardonnay 2022
A richer local white for customers who enjoy texture, ripe orchard and tropical fruit, subtle oak influence, and refreshing Okanagan acidity. Serve it with roast chicken, salmon, seared white fish, creamy pasta, grilled prawns, or a generous cheese board.
The Rich Dinner White
Premium Wine with Respect for the Place Behind It
Burrowing Owl takes a long-term view of both wine and land. The estate's gravity-flow winery allows ripe fruit to be handled gently, while underground production and barrel spaces support patient ageing and reduce the building's surface footprint.
That same sense of responsibility extends beyond the vineyard. The Wyse family's connection to the endangered burrowing owl grew into lasting support for owl conservation and rehabilitation in British Columbia.
For the customer, the story adds meaning without overshadowing the wine. These are polished, food-friendly Okanagan bottles made with care—and choosing one through ARC Harvey keeps that local story connected to a trusted local recommendation.
Warm Days, Desert Landscape, and Southern Okanagan Character
Burrowing Owl's vineyards stretch through the southern Okanagan, including sites near Oliver and Osoyoos. Long hours of sunshine, warm growing conditions, and naturally well-draining soils give red varieties the opportunity to develop deep colour, ripe fruit, and confident structure.
Several vineyard sites are influenced by deep sandy deposits left by glacial meltwater, while the proximity of Osoyoos Lake helps moderate temperature extremes. Those conditions support both the Bordeaux varieties behind ARC Harvey's three reds and the freshness needed to balance a richer Chardonnay.
The four wines at ARC Harvey show that landscape from different angles: Cabernet Sauvignon brings authority, Cabernet Franc brings elegance, Malbec brings dark-fruited generosity, and Chardonnay brings richness lifted by Okanagan acidity.
Not Sure Which Burrowing Owl Wine Fits? Ask Emily.
Tell Emily what you are serving, whether the bottle is for dinner or a gift, what style of wine you normally enjoy, and how much you would like to spend.
She can help you choose the richness of Chardonnay, the elegance of Cabernet Franc, the classic structure of Cabernet Sauvignon, or the dark-fruited confidence of Malbec.
That makes a premium producer easier to explore. You do not need to know technical wine language—you only need to tell Emily what would make the bottle right for your table.
Emily's Burrowing Owl Pick
Planning a steak dinner, choosing an impressive local gift, or looking for a bold red with depth and polish?
Ask Emily why the Burrowing Owl 2022 Malbec earned its place as the bold premium red in her Summer Selects Collection.
Discover Burrowing Owl Through ARC Harvey
At ARC Harvey, we want customers to understand the story behind a local producer without having to leave the ARC experience to find it.
This Burrowing Owl collection allows shoppers to explore the winery, compare four distinctive styles, ask Emily for guidance, and move directly toward the bottle that fits their food, taste, occasion, and budget.
From a rich Chardonnay and elegant Cabernet Franc to structured Cabernet Sauvignon and Emily's bold Malbec, Burrowing Owl offers four premium ways to bring the southern Okanagan to the table.
Explore Emily's Burrowing Owl Malbec Explore All Emily Selects