Ex Nihilo Vineyards & Tasting Room

What a little gem of a location. I stopped in with my girlfriend and her family for a tasting. Everyone was so nice and the space was really cool. We tried the tasting and grabbed the cheese platter. Just to die for!! it really is the little touches that people add that make or break an experience. This place has a ton of charm and I can’t wait to come back again and see what they’ve got in the summer.

Had a great experience here ! The hosts had been very kind and provided great wine! The cheese board was delicious. We had the signature tasting which includes 5 tastings & a cheese board with chorizo which was delicious. The property is very nice and the seating area is shaded. I highly recommend this winery!

Had a great time being hosted by Kayleen, Trevor and the team! It was great to share the excitement of the wine season and get to know about the winery! It was a great Mothers Day experience!

Our group had an incredibly upsetting experience at this winery, one that left us shocked and disheartened. Friends had flown in from across the country to Kelowna to celebrate Pride Month and honor a close friend who has been a tireless advocate for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. This was meant to be a joyful reunion—our first stop of the evening. From the moment we were seated, our server (Cara) treated us with hostility and judgment. Her demeanor was rude, condescending, and dismissive. Despite being a group of eight adults, she refused to let us order wine right away, insisting we order food and water first. She claimed it was because we arrived by cab and “must have been drinking,” though we explained that we took cabs specifically so we could enjoy the winery responsibly and safely. It became clear her behavior was rooted in bias. Her discomfort with our group—especially our queer friends—was palpable and discriminatory. After two shared bottles of wine (total) over the course of dinner, with no incidents, we were abruptly told we would no longer be served. When we asked why, we were given no clear explanation. Instead, we were threatened with police involvement if we didn’t leave immediately. This was not just poor service—it was blatant discrimination. We were calm, respectful patrons who came to enjoy a meal and support a local business. Instead, we were humiliated, targeted, and made to feel unwelcome because of who we are.

Aesthetically, it’s a beautiful spot. We really enjoyed the charcuterie board — a thoughtfully curated selection of mostly local cheeses, jams, and meats. However, points off for customer service and the wine pours. They serve the bare minimum (and to be clear, I’m not asking for a full glass — just a centimetre more to actually taste it properly) and seem reluctant to pour anything extra. It feels unnecessarily stingy and makes it hard to get a real sense of the wine before committing to a purchase.

Ex Nihilo was one of our stops during our wine tour and we had a good experience. The venue is beautifully maintained and the wines were good. We were happy to try their reds as Lake Country is more known for whites. I am not sure if they were just short staffed or if it’s common practice but our wine guide was shared with another group that was there and it just didn’t flow. Will be back.

My experience with Ex Nihilo years ago was great, did the wine tastings, had even signed up for their wine club membership for wine shipments. The reason for this low review is my current service now. After multiple shipments I decided to cancel my wine club membership to have more wine shipped over due to budget cuts in the household. Part of the membership gets you a discount off the wine and requires a minimum amount of wine shipments to continue which their guest services team mentioned to me and I agree is fair and at the time they delayed a shipment to help me out. After receiving the last shipment about a year or so ago, I called in to cancel my membership and guest services complied. During this time frame my credit card on file also expired so the “break up” should’ve been fairly clean. This week I received a charge on my card for another shipment. I quickly called Ex Nihilo and left a voice mail to contact me back. That was Monday. Thursday I left a second voicemail expressing my concerns as I’ve in no way expressed permission to update my payment information on their profile for me. At this point the ball is in Ex Nihilo’s court to contact me back as this all can be resolved with one call. You have my contact information, and it’s now 6 days and two voicemails with no correspondence. I will update this review or escalate accordingly. I look forward to hearing from the management team at Ex Nihilo Vineyards.

Nice location, friendly staff, good service. We enjoyed the wines we tried. Specifically the pinot noir and the sparkling. Happy hour made the price appealing as well. We sampled a salad, pizza, and main (short rib). All were well prepared and delicious. Comfortably casual attire was the norm. I would definitely go again.

The first winery we hit in BC this trip and it was awesome. The view is great and what I would call the tasting patio is beautiful as well. Sat in the shade, tried some really good wines and had a nice chacutire board. Yes thats spelt wrong. The service was great, fast, friendly and knowledgable. I didnt end up buying a bottle but should have. I would stop in here again!!

Amazing! We stopped in while touring around the area and fell in love! First impressions were high when we arrived and were greeted with champagne and a gorgeous view! As well as a super cute dog (labradoodle - we later learned is a diva- but still so cute!) We were seated and well taken care of by our server who not only gave us some great suggestions but passionately told us the beautiful story of how the vineyard came to be! (I'll save that surprise and interesting story for you to discover!) We loved the open air patio so much we visited the great gift shop and peaked at the dinner menu that had us booking a reso before we left! We returned that evening for an amazing dinner! We started and shared the charcuterie- lots of great choices even for the one none cheese lover in the group! I had the ceasar salad with some of the best prawns I've ever tasted- they were juicy and garlic flavored- my favorite. My partner had the Ragu and he's still talking about it weeks later! The steak our friend had was perfectly cooked and came with a lot of tasty smashed potatoes and veg- enough he was able to share (yay me!) We were too full for dessert so had more wine instead! Now Lakeland country is awesome for white wines but of all the reds I had in this region, the Pinot here was my favorite! We definitely reccomend the vineyard and Chaos, the restaurant! Can't wait for our next Vernon/ Kelowna adventure!

Horrible experience, we're VIP members for years. Won't ever be back and cancelled membership over todays experience . Arrow leaf, Gray Monk and Intrigue treat us way better and deserve our local business. "Out of nothing" alright. You've lost us as a customer- Boo! Wine is over priced anyways. There are so many other local options that are top notch. Stay away- it's nothing!

We had an amazing tasting here and can't wait to go back to eat. Met the owner who shared with us some private wine that is part of the "club" you can join

The wine at Ex Nihilo Vineyards is more on the pricey side. However, you really do get what you pay for. The wine is excellent and the staff are knowledgeable. The layout and beauty of the winery will blow you away. You'll be surrounded by art while you're tasting. There's also some jewelry for sale made by a local artist. Outside the main tasting room, there is a bistro with outdoor seating. They serve a variety of wood-fire oven pizzas. They're only open in the summer, so check the website before you decide to have lunch here. It's called Chaos Bistro and they have officially closed for the season - October 9.

Not very friendly or welcoming. Wasn't greeted or welcomed at the door. Went to the wine shop/tasting room and felt like they we not interested in walk ins. They have great wines, but would not recommend buying them at the winery. Go to a liquor store, where you will have a better experience. Or book ahead.

This is a bookmark for a longer review, but let me just quickly say that Ex Nihilo was one of our favorite stops in Okanagan. The reds are good here, tasty, and one wine they were tasting, Night, really was a big red that was enjoyable and bold. This is a small spot in Lake Country, out very close to Gray Monk. I wasn't as big a fan of their Rolling Stones Ice Wine, which we paid $10 to taste, but not having had an ice wine on the visit, we were good sports about giving it a go. While I understand there is an exacting process to pick grapes in winter, for $150 a bottle for ice wine (which to me is similar to a dessert wine or port) well, I'm not sure I get it. I don't know, but suspect those willing to grab a $150 bottle of ice wine may more be Stones fans, and the wine in the bottle is just a bonus. There was a bit of a smooze in the tasting room, but good for them for being hospitable & promoting their business. For us, though, the wine spoke for itself. No regrets though about tasting any of the wines here, particularly the reds, and buying a few bottles of red wine. I recommend stopping in here to see if this spot is up your alley.

Terrible service at the restaurant. Unprofessional waiters. Wood oven pizza is so far from good oven pizza! The only good thing is wine !

Spent $80 on 2 bottles of yummy Pinot noir but still had to pay for our tasting!?!? What?!?! When I asked about it the lovely girl behind the counter said "yah, we changed that about a month ago" I've never had to pay for a wine tasting after spending money on buying bottles

A wonderful winery, with excellent blends of wine, knowledgeable and friendly staff and the new dining room is top-notch! A definite must for lunch or a wine tour.

After being introduced to Ex Nihilo by a friend, it's been a favourite of mine. Their Pinot Noir is amazing - it's one of those red wines that can drink all day and all night and not feel sick of it. They recently opened Chaos Bistro that serves up a variety of wood-fire oven pizzas. I had their Pizza Del Chaos which includes: caramelized onion cream sauce, roasted local apples, blue cheese crumble topped with arugula. The dough was amazing - the right amount of crunch without being dough-y combined with the tang from the blue cheese and sweetness of the apple paired with Ex Nihilo's Reisling. I can confidently say that this pizza is in my top three ever (the top two I had in Italy). Would definitely recommend and will be coming back again!

I absolutely love this beautiful spot. Not only are the wines amazing but the restaurant is fantastic. The best vibe GOTO for my sunny luncheon moments. They even have yoga afternoons sometimes. I am so lucky to live so close by so I frequent often.

Our favorite stop of the day. We sat at the bistro and had a wine and food tasting. The wines and small bites were thoughtfully paired. Everything was wonderful. We'll definitely be back!

5 stars from me! This place has fantastic Red wines and very different whites. They are a little bit on the pricier side, but they are delicious. The staff were extremely helpful and very forgiving in their tasting samples, in fact she even let me try a red twice! I love the way this place is built. Very quaint and it definitely has a clean minimalist feel to it. I love it. The story behind Ex Nihilo is a classic love story that ended up in a couple getting married and buying a winery. I loved hearing the story while I tasted my wine and the lady was very easy to chit chat. The decor of the bottles are amazing. So simple, yet riveting. This is definitely one of the bottles I will keep. Check this place out, you won't be disappointed!

We arrived here just after a rainstorm and they weren't exactly set up for outside tastings and the inside was full. There was a host getting things set up again and gave us a great description of the wine and the history of the winery along with how it got its name.

Ex Nihilo, one of the best wineries in the Okanagan. Situated in Lake Country, between Kelowna and Vernon, this winery is a delight to go to. They now have a restaurant available which serves wood-fire oven cooked pizzas - the Chaos Bistro. The wine tasting does cost money ($5 i believe) but the wines are worth it. The wines are delicious, not overly sweet but are all complex. By far, my favorites have been their Riesling and Pinot Noir. I also believe if you buy a bottle, the tasting is free. All the wines start at $20 but it's well worth it. The reds are ageable as well. The Chaos bistro serves pizzas that are plate sized - perfect for sharing. Sitting out on their platform, you can't go wrong spending an evening here. The place just screams italian/french vineyard and is an amazing way to spend a romantic evening with that special someone. We got their margherita and their chorizo pizzas. The margherita was good (not the best) but the chorizo pizza was a delight. With goat cheese, chorizo, onions, arugula as your toppings and drizzled in a balsamic glaze, this pizza surprised me. Really the best thing about Ex Nihilo is the atmosphere. The staff is very nice and chatty, and will tell you the full story about all their wines. If you can make it for a tasting, come here.

Our last winery stop on the way out of Kelowna... Oh how I miss the wineries already! Ex Nihilo is a quaint winery with a great spot on the hill and a new building that is very well done inside. The inside felt cozy and un-pretentious, offering a nice sized tasting room and plenty of beautiful art displayed on the walls. We were greeted right away and helped with our tasting by a polite young lady. There was also a guy working there who was helping another group who seemed a bit more passionate about the wines, but both staff members were very helpful. I tried the Riesling and the Pinot Gris for whites and the Merlot and Night for the reds. The Riesling was nice and light, a flavourful white wine, while I quite enjoyed the Night probably due to the blend of red grapes. This is a great little stop on your way in or out of Kelowna and if you have a few extra dollars in your pocket ($125) you might want to grab a bottle of the Rolling Stones Icewine... comes in a great wooden box, if you like those kinds of collectors items.

Elitist or racist, can't decide. I asked the old man if they had a gallery and he said, "no but you can walk around this floor". Moments later I saw him explaining to another couple- with a lot of detail- that they support local artists and how they have three room displaying their artwork etcetra etcetra. Mediocre wine with so much attitude- not going there again.

Wow, what an experience. The wines are so multi faceted and the owner made us feel right at home immediately, so hospitable and educated on the different grapes used in the line up of wines they make. It actually made a perfect stop on our first official date. We enjoyed it so much we bought 1 bottle each. Try that riesling & guwerts blend. Holy union. Say hi to my friend Jeff there. Lovely time, looking forward to the next visit. Thank you for a memorable afternoon.

I was the designated driver so must accept my friends' assessment that the wines were very good. Love the space, designed by the original (and current) owner. Love the concept of an art collection as part of the winery experience. Love the fact that it was the only winery we visited where clean glasses were used for every taste. A bit disappointed with the woman doing the tasting - her stories were too rehearsed and too complex - the story of the winery and its inspiration could be covered in a written piece and be more interesting.

While waiting in line to get in, I heard the female host (owner) offer two types of wine tasting to the previous customer who was white. When it wasn't turn the host only offered the cheaper wine tasting. When I asked about the other one, she said it's not good your kind of people,I'll feel more comfortable with the cheaper tasting. When I asked what she meant, she said I can have the more expensive one if I want. I persisted and she said it's up to me which one I want. We simply left after that. The owners don't need our non white business it seems. But there's plenty of kkk ready to be there customers.

A Stunning vineyard with excellent wine(Pinot Gris so easy and lovely to drink- we bought a case) and amazing fire roasted pizza and salads from Chaos Bistro. My husband and I both said it is some of the best pizza we've ever had. The warm beet and verde salad were soooo good as well. We were staying in Lake Country and were looking for a vineyard that could accommodate two families of four with young kids (ages 6mos-5yrs) and they were more than happy to have us. They didn't have a highchair or booster seat, but had a large table prepared on the terrace for us and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with the atmosphere, the wine, the food and the service by Carol. It really made our trip to visit this vineyard and we highly recommend it. We can't wait to return;)

What a wonderful place to meet friends for an enjoyable lunch! The Chaos tasting is great...the placemat with the food pairing /wine selections was fun to compare what we were eating to description of the wine. The staff were fantastic and very personable. Did I mention the food was reasonably priced and so delicious!!! The wine was very easy on the palate and what I enjoy!!! A definite stop on the Lake Country wine stop.

Ex Nihilo is my favorite wines I love the bottle with the writing all over it the Riesling, Alll their wines are amazing.

We were blown away by the beauty of Ex Nihilo and the wonderful food in the bistro. We had a fabulous time sampling wines. The server was very knowledgeable and fun. There is a nice little gift area with some art and other unique products for purchase. The bistro was outside with comfy seats and great wait staff. The servers were attentive and efficient but gave you plenty of room and time to relax and enjoy the sun. While we were there a helicopter landed with some people and they had a reservation for another 13 people (movie production perhaps??) They went from no people in the bistro to 100% full in a matter of 30 minutes. You would never know they were that busy, they were still laid back, friendly and everything came to the table in a timely fashion. Way to go Ex Nihilo. A great assortment of lighter fare foods, which compliments a day of tasting wonderfully. I would recommend going here for your lunch break before you hit the bigger wineries.

Sure the building is nice as are the grounds but as for the wine, there's more sizzle than steak. I think it's time for them to greatly reduce the price of their 2009 Merlot so that they can 'dump' the inventory before it's too late. It's flat and is beginning to turn brick in colour. Overall, their wines are just OK.

Friendly staff, awesome food, and excellent wines in a beautiful setting. Make sure you plan to visit this winery on your next tour of the Okanagan!

Ex Nahilo is a fantastic little gem staged full of beautiful oak casks & remarkable artwork. The wines have great flavours & this winery has a great story about how they got their name. There are friendly staff & a great tasting menu. Stop by & check it out.