On any given day you’ll find Richard da Silva in his regular uniform: a pair of Carhartt overalls. He’s a farmer first, winemaker second, and proprietor of Da Silva Vineyards & Winery along with his wife, Twylla. And at six-five, he’s pretty hard to miss.

Born and raised in Oliver, his family has farmed the South Okanagan for the last three generations. Originally from Portugal, Richard’s family arrived in Canada in 1955 when they took a journey of over 7,000 kilometres from the Azores Islands to the Naramata Bench, arriving with only a suitcase in hand. After four years of hard work the family purchased a farm, becoming one of the first Portuguese landowners in the valley—a legacy Richard and Twylla continue today. It’s what sets Da Silva Vineyards & Winery apart: the heritage of working this land for the last seventy years, understanding the many unique and diverse aspects of the terroir, and where to plant the best varietals for premium quality wines.

The winery itself sits at the tail end of Penticton, on Upper Bench Road, just before the turn towards Naramata. Built from an old farmhouse, it’s the perfect melding of contemporary architecture and modern elements. When you walk into the tasting room and wine shop, you find original wood floors, crisp white accents, impressive wine bottle racks laid out like half walls, and rustic glass top tables with varietal specific stemware. To the average wine enthusiast, the glasses might seem daunting—but thought went into every aspect of a Da Silva tasting, and proper stemware enhances the natural characteristics of each grape, giving you the best impression of Richard’s winemaking capabilities. 

Twylla, who manages the Wine Club and the tasting room, wants to ensure that guests have an exceptional experience whenever they visit. “We want people to feel welcome and offer the best hospitality we can,” Twylla says. “So everyone feels like a part of the family.”

Da Silva wines hold unique characteristics that bring a little taste of Portugal to the Okanagan Valley. Their ‘Tradicional’ Series of red, white, and rosé blends are an homage to Richard’s heritage and follow a traditional Portuguese field blending style where the grapes get sent to the same tank and undergo co-fermentation. “That’s what they did in the old country,” Richard says. 

Their ‘Vinhedo’ Series, meaning vineyard in Portuguese, is place specific. On the back of each bottle you can find the vineyards geotagged, a detailed description of the soil components, and even the growers themselves labelled—because Richard is a farmer first, and honours those he works with. In fact, on the back of the 2022 Chenin Blanc, you’d be surprised to find the line: Hand harvested by our wine club members. 

Their third series, ‘Legado,’ is a passion project for Richard; meaning legacy, it’s the expression of his family’s cumulative years of farming and winemaking. Each year, Richard blind tests barrels of Chardonnay, Merlot, and Pinot Noir in search of a specific flavour component, and only if that vessel reaches his level of excellence will he set it aside for extra barrel-aging, and later craft a singular ‘Legado’ series out of it. Each Legado is hand-dipped in wax and numbered so you know which bottle you’re getting out of that series—a specific touch that speaks to its exclusivity and elegance.

While you’d be hard pressed to find a wine you don’t like when you visit Da Silva, there are some notable ones to try: take their Pinot Noir—a more medium- to heavy-bodied red with notes of Kirsch cherries, cranberry jam, and just a hint of earthiness; well known for his Chenin Blanc, Da Silva is one of two wineries in the South Okanagan who produce a single varietal wine from this grape; however, we highly recommend his ‘Nobreza,’ an elegant Bordeaux blend that translates to nobility—one of Richard and Twylla’s personal favourite wines to craft. “It showcases the very best that we can do,” Richard explains, “and that we can compete with the highest quality wines around the world.” 

Both Richard and Twylla play an active, hands-on role in the day-to-day of the business. Twylla oversees administrative tasks like tasting room and wine club management while Richard tends to the vineyards and winemaking. These days, however, you can find both of them out in their latest acquisition—a vineyard just across the road from the winery—doing their own survey work, pounding the posts into the earth, and setting up the wires to plant new grapes. It’s a busy time of the year at the winery, with both owners working fourteen hour days to replant vines damaged by last winter’s frost.

Richard and Twylla da Silva have a pragmatic approach to this latest curveball in the wine industry. Thanks to his farming background, Richard’s able to list plenty of years in Okanagan history with crop loss, and he knows this is all a part of farming. “I remember one winter hearing the apple trees split because of the cold,” Richard says. “This has happened before, and it will happen again.” Rather than panic, Twylla and Richard have taken the opportunity to re-train certain vines originally planted in the 90s, and reshape their vineyards for the next five-years. A natural problem solver, Richard knows this area and how best to find solutions. 

A product of farming, Richard always keeps a pragmatic approach to his business. “The family was always one month away from losing the farm to the bank,” Richard says, “or one natural disaster from ruin.” That’s why he understands there’s got to be a stoicism to winemaking, and a touch of resilience, stubbornness, and vision. 

“There is a romance to the shitshow,” Richard admits.

The winery is open seven days a week, from 11am to 5pm. While walkins are allowed, reservations are highly encouraged since the tasting room is a small, intimate space that only seats a handful of groups. And don’t miss out on Portuguese tapas out on their patio restaurant, The Kitchen. Lunch service is 11:30am to 3pm, and dinner service 5:30pm to 9pm. 

But if you’re looking for an extra special way to visit Da Silva Vineyards & Winery this summer, sign up for their monthly terroir talk series. For just an hour and a half on Sunday, you can learn the secrets of grape varietals, terroir intricacies, and global wine regions while sipping on premium-quality wines and enjoying small bites of “jarcuterie.” It’s a great way to elevate and empower your palate, and learn more about your favourite grapes!

Proprietor & Vigneron: Richard da Silva

Proprietor & Wine Club Manager: Twylla da Silva

Cellar Manager: Kate Jorgensen

Vineyard Manager: Darrian Knight

Office Manager: Sheila Abel

Winery Hours: Monday-Sunday, 11am – 5pm 

The Kitchen Hours: Monday-Saturday, lunch 11:30am – 3pm; dinner 5:30pm – 9pm