Naramata Private Wine Tour – Full Day

Naramata’s best wine experiences are often about the route between the bottles. This private tour gives you five winery stops, a guide who can adjust the day, and views over Okanagan Lake without asking you to drive after tasting. Guides Alan and Frank have both received warm praise for their local know-how and personal approach.

I like the private format, especially if your group wants to ask questions, buy a few cases, or change the pace. I also like that tasting fees at all five scheduled wineries are included, while lunch reservations can be arranged for you. The main drawback is the timing: this is advertised as a full-day experience but runs about five hours, and the $291.48 price per person does not include lunch or pickup surcharges outside Penticton and Summerland.

Key points to know before you book

• Five tasting fees are included: Poplar Grove, Hillside, Deep Roots, Nichol, and Laughing Stock are built into the price.
• Your route can be adjusted: Follow the planned itinerary or request alternate wineries, subject to availability.
• Private means personal: Only your own group takes part, making it easier to shape the pace and ask questions.
• Lunch is arranged but not included: Sagebrush Tours can reserve a sit-down meal, while you pay the restaurant directly.
• Penticton and Summerland are the regular pickup zone: Other areas, including Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, Vernon, and Osoyoos, may incur a transportation surcharge.
• The day is shorter than the name suggests: Expect about five hours, not a long morning-to-evening outing.

Five wineries, one compact Naramata route

The Naramata Bench is a good place for a winery tour because several producers are close enough together to limit time in the vehicle. That matters after your second or third tasting. You spend more of the outing with a glass in hand and less of it watching the road.

This route also gives you a useful mix of winery styles. You get a larger, established tasting room at Poplar Grove, intimate guided tastings at Hillside and Deep Roots, a short stop at pioneering Nichol, and a more premium seated appointment at Laughing Stock.

The scheduled tasting fees are included at every stop. If you want upgraded tastings, those cost extra, so ask your guide about the difference before ordering. The private setup means your group can also request alternate wineries, a useful option if you already know a producer you want to visit.

Poplar Grove begins with five signature wines

Poplar Grove Winery opens the day with a fully guided tasting of five signature wines. The stop lasts about 30 minutes, which makes it a brisk introduction rather than a long cellar visit.

I like this first stop because the five-wine format gives you a clear starting point. You can begin comparing grapes, styles, and personal preferences before the rest of the day unfolds. If you are new to wine tasting, this is also a sensible time to tell your guide what you enjoy, since the private itinerary can be adjusted around your interests.

The short appointment has a practical benefit: it keeps the tour moving. The drawback is that you may want more time if you prefer slow pours and extended conversation. The experience information does not promise a meal or a broader winery visit here, so think of Poplar Grove primarily as a guided tasting.

Hillside Winery brings a more intimate portfolio tasting

At Hillside Winery, you receive a 45-minute portfolio tasting focused on the latest releases. This is longer than the opening stop, giving you more room to compare wines and ask about the current selection.

The phrase latest releases matters. You are not simply working through a fixed list of older bottles. The wines available at the time of your visit form part of the experience, so this stop may appeal to you if you like trying what a winery is currently putting forward.

A longer tasting can also make the day feel less rushed. Still, five wineries in roughly five hours leaves little room for lingering at every stop. If you are most interested in Hillside, tell your guide early and ask how much time can realistically be devoted to it without cutting another winery.

Deep Roots offers a private tasting within a private tour

Deep Roots Winery provides a private wine tasting lasting about 45 minutes. The double layer of privacy is the attraction here: your vehicle and overall tour are private, and this winery appointment is also described as private.

That arrangement should suit a group that wants direct attention rather than a crowded room or a fixed public tasting. You can ask questions at your own level, whether you are learning the basics or already have strong preferences.

This is one of the stops where the tour’s design makes the most sense. A private tasting is easier to enjoy when no one in your group needs to hurry through it. As with Hillside, the 45-minute appointment is a useful block of time, but you should not expect an unhurried afternoon at every winery.

Nichol Winery adds history in only ten minutes

Nichol Vineyard is one of the first three pioneering wineries on the Naramata Bench. It works on a small scale, with close attention to grape quality and the wine’s development in the winery.

The scheduled stop is only 10 minutes, making it the outlier on this route. That short visit may be intended as a quick look at a small producer rather than a full tasting appointment. It gives the itinerary a sense of place and connects the modern wine route with the early days of the Naramata Bench.

You should set your expectations accordingly. If you want detailed production talk or a long tasting, Nichol is not the stop designed for that. Its value is in the brief visit and the chance to include a pioneering small-scale winery without sacrificing too much time elsewhere.

Laughing Stock finishes with a seated premium tasting

Laughing Stock Vineyards offers a 45-minute premium personalized tasting in a seated setting. It also provides access to limited-production wines, including bottles available only at the winery.

This is a strong final stop because sitting down can feel welcome after several appointments. The limited wines add a reason to visit in person, especially if you are looking for something you cannot simply pick up elsewhere.

The phrase premium personalized tasting also signals a possible cost question. The standard tour includes tasting fees, but tasting upgrades cost extra. Ask what is covered by the included tasting and what would trigger an additional charge before choosing a higher-level option.

If you plan to buy wine, the private vehicle is useful. One earlier booking specifically praised the guide for helping carry purchased cases. That is a small service, but it matters when several winery purchases start taking over your hands and your back seat.

A private guide can shape the day around your group

The biggest practical advantage is flexibility. You can follow the planned five-stop itinerary, or ask about alternate wineries. You are not locked into a large group’s fixed interests, and your guide can adjust some details to suit your preferences.

A previous booking highlighted Frank’s ability to change parts of the day to match the group’s wants. Alan was also praised for his understanding of wine and the Naramata area. Since guide assignment is not specified in advance, you should not book expecting one particular person, but the experience has a clear record of personal guiding from both.

This flexibility is useful for mixed groups. One person may want small producers, another may prefer scenic tasting rooms, and someone else may care most about lunch. You can discuss those priorities before or during the route, though the five-hour schedule still places limits on how much can change.

The private format also helps with wine buying. Your guide can help organize bottles and cases as you go, rather than leaving you to juggle them between stops. The experience is not just a driver service, but the driver must still keep the route on time.

The lunch plan adds value, but check the final bill

Sagebrush Tours can make a reservation for a sit-down lunch. That is helpful in a wine region, where a popular restaurant may be busy and where stopping for food gives you a needed break between tastings.

Lunch itself is not included in the $291.48 price. Treat the tour price as covering the private outing, transportation within the regular zone, and five tasting fees, not as an all-inclusive food-and-wine package.

A past booking praised a restaurant chosen for its view and food. That suggests the guide can make the meal part of the day rather than treating it as a rushed stop, but the information provided does not name a particular restaurant or promise a specific view. Ask where lunch will be booked, how long you will have, and what cost range to expect.

Is $291.48 per person a fair price?

The price is easiest to judge by looking at what it replaces. You receive private transportation, a guide, five winery tasting fees, chilled still and sparkling water, and help shaping the route. You also avoid assigning a sober driver within your group.

For two people, the cost is a serious splurge. For a larger group, the private format may make more sense, particularly if everyone wants the same wineries and the group discount applies. The exact discount is not specified, so confirm the final price rather than assuming a set percentage.

The price becomes less favorable if you add several tasting upgrades, a costly lunch, or a pickup outside the regular zone. Transportation from Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, Vernon, or Osoyoos starts at $49 per group, and pickup points outside the general area may carry an added surcharge.

I would compare this tour with the cost of separate transportation, five tasting fees, and a private driver before deciding. You are paying for convenience and control as much as for the wine. If you only want one or two tastings, this is too much tour. If you want a full Naramata tasting route without driving, the package is easier to justify.

Five hours means you should plan your priorities

The tour takes about five hours, despite being called a full-day experience. That wording could create the wrong expectation, so plan for a compact outing rather than a sunrise-to-dinner schedule.

Five hours can work well if you want a focused introduction to the Naramata Bench. You will visit five wineries with limited driving between them, and the scheduled tasting times total about two hours and 55 minutes before transfers and lunch are considered.

Lunch timing is the key unknown. A sit-down meal could make the experience feel like a fuller day, but it also has to fit within the available schedule. If lunch is important to you, ask how it affects the winery route and whether the total duration can change.

I would also avoid booking another fixed activity immediately afterward. Winery appointments can run slightly differently from the schedule, and a private tour is most enjoyable when you are not watching the clock every few minutes.

Pickup details matter more than they first appear

Regular pickup and drop-off coverage is Penticton and Summerland. Pickup outside that zone is possible with an added charge, but the exact amount depends on the location.

Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, Vernon, and Osoyoos are specifically listed as locations where transportation begins at $49 per group. Confirm the surcharge before booking if you are staying outside Penticton or Summerland, since it can change the value calculation for a small group.

Chilled bottled and sparkling water are included. That is a useful touch on a tasting day, though you should still treat lunch as a separate expense and ask about any tasting upgrade costs.

The tour is offered in English. A French-speaking group once requested a French tour but did not receive one, although the guide worked hard to help the group understand. If language is important to your booking, confirm availability before paying.

Who will enjoy this Naramata wine tour?

I would recommend it most strongly to couples, families of adults, or small groups who want a private wine day without planning every appointment themselves. It also suits people who care about food, since lunch reservations are part of the service even though the meal costs extra.

It works well for wine drinkers with different levels of experience. Beginners can ask basic questions without feeling out of place, while more experienced tasters can request alternate wineries or tasting upgrades.

You should think twice if you want a slow, highly detailed visit at every stop. The five-hour schedule moves along, and Nichol’s 10-minute stop is particularly brief. You may also find a self-drive visit cheaper if you only want a couple of wineries and already have a sober driver.

Most people can participate, and this is a private activity for your own group only. The exact physical demands are not detailed, so ask Sagebrush Tours directly if you have mobility or access needs.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want five included tastings, private transportation, and a guide who can adjust the day around your group. The route gives you a useful range of Naramata producers, from Poplar Grove’s five-wine introduction to Laughing Stock’s seated tasting and Nichol’s small-scale pioneering character.

I would skip it if you are seeking a very long day, a budget outing, or guaranteed French-language guiding. Before booking, confirm your pickup address, lunch plans, upgrade costs, and whether the five-hour schedule matches your idea of a full day. If those details work, Sagebrush Tours offers a practical way to taste across the Naramata Bench without putting anyone in your group behind the wheel.

FAQ

How long does the Naramata private wine tour last?

The tour lasts approximately five hours. Although it is described as a full-day tour, the stated duration is about five hours.

Which wineries are included?

The scheduled route includes Poplar Grove Winery, Hillside Winery, Deep Roots Winery, Nichol Winery and Vineyard, and Laughing Stock Vineyards.

Are wine tasting fees included?

Yes. Tasting fees at five wineries are included in the tour price. Tasting upgrades cost extra.

Where can I be picked up?

The regular transportation zone is Penticton and Summerland. Pickup outside that area may require an additional transportation surcharge. Transportation from Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, Vernon, or Osoyoos starts at $49 per group.

Is lunch included?

No. Sagebrush Tours can make a reservation for a sit-down lunch, but the price of lunch is not included.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded, and changes made within 24 hours are not accepted.