Split Decisions, Hilltop Conversations

Up in the hills, where the breeze carries more than just birdsong and barrel notes, Black Swift Vineyards in West Kelowna is doing something a little different. Their new Side by Side tasting invites you to slow down, sip twice, and start noticing the details: the texture oak brings to a Chardonnay, the edge 34 months in cask gives a Syrah, the swagger of a youthful Meritage beside its brooding, cellar-aged counterpart.

The Side by Side tasting flight lines up six wines—three pairs, poured in tandem—so you can compare, contrast, and really get to know what makes a wine tick.

It’s a lesson in terroir, texture, and the winemaker’s hand, whether you’re sipping a bright, stone-fruit-driven Chardonnay beside its oak-kissed cousin, or weighing the punch of a youthful Meritage against the gravitas of an aged Cabernet Merlot. Syrah fans? Two wildly different expressions of the same grape will make you rethink everything you thought you knew.

Each pour is a conversation—between vintages, vineyards, winemaking choices, and maybe even your tasting table.

And if you can’t make it to the hill just yet? They’ve boxed the experience for you. Split Decisions is a six-bottle tasting flight you can take home, made for spirited evenings and curious palates. Two Chards. Two Syrahs. Two Bordeaux-style blends. All wrapped up in contrast, with free shipping.

This is tasting with a view. Bold wines. Laid-back vibes. No script, no snobbery—just you, the glass, and maybe a few surprises.

Side by side, and worth the pause.

Book the side by side tasting. $25

What’s Inside the Side by Side 6 pack

2024 Screaming Frenzy Chardonnay vs. 2024 Frenchman Hills Chardonnay
Two Columbia Valley Chardonnays walk into a glass… One zesty, bright, and stone fruit driven (Frenzy), the other rich, rounded, and oak-kissed (Frenchman Hills). A lesson in texture, balance, and how oak transforms a wine.

2021 Hans Estate Cask Syrah vs. 2021 Screaming Frenzy Syrah
Both South Okanagan Syrah’s, but aged with very different intentions: 34 months in oak cask (Hans) for depth and structure, versus 18 months in neutral barrels (Frenzy) for purity and punch. Same grape, same region, wildly different outcomes.

2020 Monarch Vineyard Cabernet Merlot vs. 2022 Screaming Frenzy Meritage
A Bordeaux-style showdown with vintage variation and shifting blends in the mix. Monarch brings a brooding, cellar-worthy energy; Meritage shows off its youthful swagger. Old soul vs. new school.

Free shipping included.
Bonus: Includes a complimentary tasting coupon for our side by side flight at the winery.