"There is no new world that you make without the old world."

~ Jane Jacobs

When Penelope Roche talks about wine, she isn't just describing a product. She's telling the story of a life that's moved across hemispheres, seasons, and generations, finally finding its home on a sun‑drenched slope along the Naramata Bench. 

"My husband, Dylan, and I are co-owners and co-winemakers at our lovely little winery just below Campbell Mountain. We're basically the third winery on the Bench, just where the vineyards become visible when leaving Penticton. It's very well located in a small loop of four wineries, and there's a nice view of the lake from the top of the vineyard."

Penelope, who was born and raised on her family's vineyard in France, speaks in a calm, lightly accented voice that carries flavours of Bordeaux, New Zealand, and the Okanagan all at once.

“Indeed, to be simple is to be great.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

On summer mornings in Naramata, before the village is fully awake, the first sign of life is often the magical glow from a special little kitchen on the main road. Inside, the counters at Just Baked are already full of freshly baked goods, and owner Ashley Selwood is in her happy place.

"My days start at about 7 am. The bakery fairy has been and gone by then, so I make myself a coffee and arrange everything so it looks pretty when people arrive."

What began as a late-night craving and playful idea evolved into something real, and in 2019, Just Baked was open for business.

Easter Weekend on the Naramata Bench: Wine, Views & Slow Spring Moments

Planning an Easter weekend in the Okanagan? Here’s why the Naramata Bench should be at the top of your list.

If you’re looking for an easy, memorable way to spend the long weekend, this stretch of wine country offers something that feels just right this time of year - unhurried, welcoming, and quietly coming back to life after winter.

Spring arrives gently here. Bud break begins in the vineyards, patios start to open, and there’s a sense that the season is stretching awake. It’s not summer busy - and that’s exactly the point.

"When we see a bicycle in the city, we rejoice as if we saw nature itself; when we see a bicycle in nature, we rejoice as if we saw two great friends!"

~ Mehmet Murat ildan

Kurt Flaman owns Freedom Bike Shop in Penticton. For him, bicycles are more than just transportation or exercise; they're the best way to experience a place he loves.

"For the past 25 years, my crew and I have been collaborating on everything from bicycle sales to service to rentals."

“Everything in moderation…including moderation.” ~ Julia Child

For Mark Morrison and Tanya Tougas, Modesta Winery didn't start as a business plan; it was a feeling. A story of a couple trading life in city life for a tiny, mid‑century farmhouse on the Naramata Bench, crafting low‑intervention wines with personality, patience, and a light touch on the land.