Little Straw Vineyards

The Slamka family’s is a tale of devotion, tradition, and oodles of heart. Emigrating from Czechoslovakia, the Slamkas originally planted their first vineyard in 1969 to sell grapes onto larger commercial wineries. But this family’s love for the land and passion for winemaking couldn’t be contained. Until 1996, three of the brothers made the bold jump and opened Little Straw Vineyards. Their first release, the 1994 vintage, bottling this bright, sundrenched fruit into each West Kelowna summer grape; then Little Straw is known far and wide, putting out wine after wine as reflection to many family years of experience in that passion with excellence.

Little Straw Winery stands out from other wineries in that perfect balance between tradition and innovation. Over the years, it expanded with a few new vineyard blocks added, along with improvements and new techniques in winemaking. Their 12-acre parcel produces everything from the lively Auxerrois in their Frizzante to the smooth, bold Foch. One of the flagship creations in their portfolio is the Tapestry wine, a beautiful blend that fully reflects the region’s character. Each bottle from Little Straw brings along with it the rich flavors of the Okanagan Valley, the result of years of experience and a family attached to the land they farm. The Slamka brothers have built a legacy, which now forms part of each wine they produce.

In 2021, after more than 50 years of building the Little Straw legacy, the baton was passed on to Kalala Organic Estate Winery to carry on, so their commitment to quality and sustainability would live on. The family may be gone, but they’ve left their mark on the local wine industry. Little Straw Winery wines are varietals of hard work, passion, and a deep understanding of the unique terroir of the Okanagan. Be it sipping a glass of Foch or enjoying their signature Frizzante, every sip is raised to toast the journey of the family and the mark they have left on this earth. Cheers to the Slamkas, who proved that with a little bit of passion, hard work, and lots of love for wine, you can create something special!