Ron Kubek is the founder and winegrower of Lightning Rock Winery in Summerland, BC — a bold, boutique winery known for its precision-crafted sparkling wines and unapologetic transparency. A former top-tier real estate entrepreneur who built Keller Williams Canada from the ground up, Ron brings sharp business acumen, relentless advocacy, and a grassroots mindset to the Canadian wine industry. He’s as comfortable walking a vineyard row as he is walking into a political meeting — and just as likely to shake things up in both.
After retiring early, Ron returned to his agricultural roots and built Lightning Rock with his family, proving that world-class wine can be made with integrity, grit, and a whole lot of hustle. He’s a leading voice for industry reform, pushing for common-sense regulation, fair trade between provinces, and better support for small wineries. Through it all, he remains committed to keeping wine approachable, joyful, and community-driven — one bottle, one policy, and one conversation at a time.
Media Inquiries: ron@lightningrockwinery.com | https://lightningrockwinery.com/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, & memorable about your brand?
Lightning Rock Winery in Summerland, BC, was founded by a former real estate entrepreneur who left the industry at 49 to return to farming and family roots. Built from the ground up, the small, family-run winery farms organically, with every aspect—from planting to winemaking—handled by a close-knit team. In 2025, Lightning Rock was named one of Wine Align’s Top 25 Wineries in Canada, ranking #23 overall and #11 among small wineries, earning multiple national medals.
The winery is known for making wine approachable and welcoming, while also advocating for change in Canada’s wine industry. Its founder has spoken out nationally on interprovincial trade barriers, pushing for greater access and fairness for Canadian wineries. I began lobbying premiers, writing open letters, and speaking out in the media. Lightning Rock is small, but we’ve become a voice for change — for fairness, for access, and for Canadian unity in the wine industry.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained.
If there were no barriers, I’d build Lightning Rock into a truly national and international wine experience — one rooted in hospitality, transparency, and advocacy.
We’d open satellite tasting rooms in Vancouver or Victoria to bring the Okanagan experience closer to wine lovers in urban centers. I’d also create a wine and education studio — a place where people could learn, taste, and connect without ever feeling judged or out of place. Wine should feel like an invitation, not an exam.
Digitally, I’d invest in storytelling — launching YouTube videos, a podcast, and behind-the-scenes content that demystifies sparkling wine, showcases our team, and explains what it’s like to run a small winery that takes on big issues.
On the advocacy front, I’d expand my voice — building a national coalition of small producers to fight for interprovincial free trade and fairer tax policies. No other country treats their own wine like a foreign product across borders — Canada shouldn’t either.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
If you try just one wine from Lightning Rock, make it our Blanc de Noir Traditional Method Sparkling.
This wine is our identity in a bottle: precise, patient, and place-driven. Made from estate-grown Pinot Noir from the steep slopes of Summerland, it reflects the minerality and freshness that only our site can produce. We age it slowly on lees, in the traditional Champagne method, developing elegance and complexity rarely seen at our scale.
This wine also reflects our values: it’s handcrafted with care, released only when ready, and always made with full transparency about origin and process. While many in BC shy away from the time and cost of the traditional method sparkling, we’ve leaned in — and it’s become the cornerstone of our portfolio. Check out the BdN sparkling review here.
Bonus Question: What are your wholehearted convictions related to the wine business?
I believe wine should be fun, fair, and fully accessible to Canadians — no matter where they live.
Too often, wine is wrapped in elitism or trapped behind outdated regulations. I’m working to change that. Lightning Rock is proof that you don’t need a giant winery or a famous name to create award-winning wine — you just need heart, hard work, and the courage to do things differently.
I also believe Canadian wine deserves better treatment, especially within our own country. It’s unacceptable that BC wineries face up to 75%+ markup shipping to Ontario, while Ontario wineries ship into BC tax-free. That’s why I’ve become one of the loudest voices in the country for interprovincial wine reform. I’m lobbying premiers, writing open letters, and organizing winery coalitions — not just for my winery, but for every Canadian who wants to support local. This business isn’t just about wine. It’s about what kind of country we want to be.