Wine has always been part of WL, from the earliest days. Back then, the options for the Western Canadian consumers were… sparse, but our esteemed columnists€”David Rodger and then Sid Cross€”made sure our readers knew the difference between brunello and beaujolais.

Credit: Martin’s Lane Winery/Western Living June 2018

A symbol of the new Okanagan, from our June 2018 issue: the Tom Kundig€“designed Martin's Lane winery, Anthony von Mandl's state-of-the-art temple to pinot noir and riesling.

But one of the most rewarding aspects was their chronicling of the then-burgeoning wine scene in the Okanagan by highlighting pioneers like Calona, Gray Monk and Gehringer Brothers, to name a few. Those trailblazers made room for a few more€”Mission Hill, Sumac Ridge€”and soon we were there waving the banner as the little wine region that could started to make a splash on the international scene. Today, the industry continues to grow and international accolades are the norm, not the exception, and as we look forward to the next five decades, we can€™t think of a region we're more bullish on.

Credit: Martin’s Lane Winery/Western Living June 2018

To read about more great people, designs, homes and innovations that shaped Western Living, click here.