Naramata Half Day Wine Tour (Incl. Tasting Fees & Guide Grat!)

Naramata Bench is a fine place for a half-day wine outing, especially if you want door-to-door pickup and a guide who keeps the day relaxed. You’ll taste small-production wines, look across Okanagan Lake, and visit family-run wineries rather than spending your time behind the wheel.

I like two things right away: tasting fees and a 15 percent guide gratuity are included, and the air-conditioned van carries no more than 14 people. Gord, one of the guides, has earned praise for arriving on time, playing popular music, and helping box and label bottles for the ride home.

The main concern is timing. The tour lasts about four hours, yet the named route includes eight possible wineries, each with a 30-minute visit. Since one half-day cannot comfortably allow eight tastings plus driving time, confirm the actual number of stops when you book.

Key points to know before you book

• Penticton pickup is included: Your guide collects you at your hotel or vacation rental and returns you there.
• Tasting fees are covered: You receive 4 to 5 tastings at each winery visited, with wine purchases extra.
• A small group helps: The van holds a maximum of 14 people, and a smaller party may allow more personal attention.
• The wineries are family-focused: MOCOJO, Moraine, Three Sisters, Lang, Deep Roots, Serendipity, Wesbert, and Ruby Blues each offer a different story and style.
• The views are part of the experience: Moraine and other Naramata Bench wineries look across Okanagan Lake from elevated vineyard sites.
• The schedule needs checking: The tour is advertised at about four hours, so ask which wineries are operating on your date and how many stops are planned.

Why a four-hour Naramata tour works

A wine day in the Okanagan is easy to underestimate. The wineries are spread along roads above Penticton, and someone must handle the driving after several tastings. A guided half-day solves the practical problem without forcing you to rent a car or appoint one person as the sober driver.

You receive pickup in the Penticton area, bottled water, an air-conditioned vehicle, and an English-speaking wine concierge. That package matters more here than it might on a compact city tour. You can concentrate on the wine, the views, and the conversations instead of watching road signs or calculating who should skip the next pour.

The tour is not built around one large estate. Its appeal is the range of small wineries on the Naramata Bench. You might taste a crisp white at one stop, a fruit-forward red at another, and then hear about farming, winemaking, or family life from the people behind the bottle.

Each listed stop allows about 30 minutes. That is enough for 4 to 5 tastings and a quick look through the shop, but it is not enough for a long meal or a leisurely vineyard walk. Think of this as a tasting sampler, not a slow afternoon at one winery.

Pickup, group size, and the role of your guide

Pickup and drop-off are available at your Penticton hotel or vacation rental. You need to provide the pickup address when booking, and the guide texts the night before to confirm the time. That simple message is useful because hotel and rental pickup times can vary with the day’s route.

The maximum group size is 14. That is small enough to feel more personal than a large coach, though your actual group may be smaller. A small party can make a difference during a short tasting. You have a better chance of asking about a grape, a bottle, or a winery without holding up a crowd.

Gord has guided at least some of these outings. His approach, based on the details available, is practical and easygoing. He arrived early for one departure, played popular songs while collecting other members of the group, and helped initial and box six purchased bottles. Those little details matter when you are carrying several bottles and trying to remember which winery produced each one.

The included 15 percent gratuity removes an awkward end-of-tour calculation. You still pay for any wine you purchase, and GST is not included. Since tasting fees are covered, the value depends partly on how many wineries you visit and how much driving you avoid.

MOCOJO Winery and its fast-growing story

MOCOJO began in June 2014 with Gewurztraminer and Viognier. Marechal Foch and Malbec followed that fall, then Rosé and Merlot joined the range in 2015. The winery grew quickly enough to replace its bed-and-breakfast space with a larger tasting room.

At MOCOJO, you can expect 4 to 5 tastings and time to shop. The story gives you a useful sense of a young winery finding its footing and expanding with demand. If you enjoy seeing how a small producer develops a label over time, this is a more interesting stop than a polished tasting room with no sense of its beginnings.

The half-hour format keeps things moving. You will likely need to decide quickly which wines you want to remember or buy. Bottled water in the vehicle helps, but you should still pace yourself.

Moraine Estate Winery above Okanagan Lake

Moraine sits on the Naramata Bench above Okanagan Lake, near Penticton. Its position on a shelf-like site framed by pale glaciated clay cliffs gives this stop a strong visual reason for being on the route.

The winery was founded by Oleg and Svetlana, who moved from Europe to Canada in 1995 and later relocated from Edmonton to pursue winemaking in the Okanagan. They began their wine venture in 2009. That family story adds a human touch to the tasting, while the setting gives you a chance to look beyond the glass and understand the area’s vineyard geography.

You receive 4 to 5 tastings and time to shop. A portion of Moraine’s tasting fees supports Chalice, an international charity that helps cover medical expenses for children in need. That does not make every bottle the right choice for you, but it adds a charitable angle to the stop.

Moraine is likely one of the more scenic pauses. Still, thirty minutes passes quickly if you want both a full tasting and time for photographs.

Three Sisters and the family approach

Three Sisters Winery grew from a family project. Rebecca, her winemaker husband Matt, and Rebecca’s parents, John and Liz, worked on the first vintage in a barn. Family and friends helped label the bottles by hand, and the Three Sisters name reflects the sisters in both families.

The winery aims for wines that are elegant but easy to enjoy, with the fruit taking the lead. That makes this a useful stop for you if you want bottles suited to a relaxed dinner or a porch rather than wines that demand a long explanation.

You receive 4 to 5 tastings and a chance to shop. The family story is likely to make the tasting feel conversational, though the short visit means you may not hear every detail. If you are hoping for a long winemaker talk, ask your guide how much time is available at this stop.

Ruby Blues for a lighter, rock-and-roll mood

Ruby Blues brings a different personality to the route. It is a small boutique winery with a rock-and-roll feel, Okanagan-grown grapes, and local artisan products in the shop.

Owners Prudence and Beat previously sold Red Rooster Winery in 2008. They later created Ruby Blues to return to the vines, wine, and people rather than spend their days on paperwork. That background helps explain the winery’s smaller scale and informal character.

You can taste 4 to 5 wines and browse for a bottle or an artisan item. Ruby Blues may suit you if you like a tasting room with a bit of humor and personality. It may be less appealing if you prefer grand architecture, extensive grounds, or a formal tasting lecture.

The route information places Ruby Blues among the possible stops, but the tour’s four-hour duration makes it important to confirm whether it is included on your date.

Lang Vineyards and three decades of family winemaking

Lang Vineyards began when Guenther Lang started making wine in his garage. In 1990, it became British Columbia’s first Farm Gate Vineyard, and it has since grown into one of the older family estate wineries on the Naramata Bench.

That background gives Lang a useful place in the regional story. You are not just tasting a current release. You are visiting a producer with more than three decades of local winemaking experience and a long connection to the area.

The stop includes 4 to 5 complimentary tastings and time to shop. The word complimentary here means you do not pay an extra tasting fee. You still pay for any bottles you take home, and GST remains outside the tour price.

Lang is a good fit if you want a sense of continuity among the newer labels. The drawback is the same as elsewhere: half an hour allows a tasting, not a full historical tour.

Deep Roots and four generations of farming

Deep Roots began with farming rather than winemaking. The family has more than a century and four generations of agricultural experience, selling grapes to other producers before bottling wine under its own name in 2012.

The tasting room opened in 2014 on the clay cliffs above Okanagan Lake. That setting combines a family farming story with the familiar Naramata Bench views. The wines focus on the fruit from the family vineyards and the care invested in growing it.

You receive 4 to 5 tastings and time to shop. This stop should appeal to you if farming matters as much as branding. The family’s move from supplying grapes to producing its own wines gives the visit a clear purpose.

If you are sensitive to repeated tastings, use the water provided and take small sips. The tour is designed for several stops, not one large tasting, but the total can still add up.

Serendipity Winery, from orchard to boutique vineyard

Serendipity began with Judy Kingston discovering a Naramata orchard during an Okanagan holiday in 2005. She converted the property into a vineyard, planted Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, and Sauvignon Blanc, and harvested the first crop in 2009.

Judy’s daughter Katie is the head winemaker, so the family connection continues into the current operation. The property includes a wine shop and a bistro serving seasonal food. The bistro is an appealing detail, but do not assume lunch is part of this half-day tour. The experience includes tastings, not a meal.

Serendipity has received recognition including BC Winery of the Year. That award may draw attention, but the stronger reason to visit is the clear orchard-to-vineyard story and the mother-daughter team.

You receive 4 to 5 complimentary tastings and time to shop. If this is one of your scheduled stops, ask whether the bistro is open and whether you have enough time for anything beyond tasting.

Wesbert Winery near the Kettle Valley Rail Trail

Wesbert was started by the Joubert family in 2019 after they moved from South Africa. Their warm hospitality is part of the winery’s identity, while the location near the Kettle Valley Rail Trail connects it with hikers, cyclists, and people heading toward the beach.

The property has a wine shop, tasting room, and terrace. Its approach is hands-off winemaking, allowing the grape varieties and Naramata site to guide the finished wine. Since 2020, the family has added a second vineyard and more grape varieties.

You can taste 4 to 5 wines and shop for bottles. Wesbert gives you a newer perspective on the Bench, with a family that arrived from another wine region and brought its own hospitality traditions.

The terrace may be a pleasant place to pause, but the half-day schedule may not leave time for lingering. If you want to combine wine with a hike or rail trail outing, plan that for another part of your day unless the guide confirms extra time.

What the tour price really covers

No price is provided here, so I cannot judge the exact cost against competing tours. I can judge what you receive for the fee.

Tasting charges are included at the wineries. Bottled water, air conditioning, pickup and drop-off in the Penticton area, an English-speaking wine concierge, and a 15 percent gratuity are also included. That is a useful bundle because tasting fees can otherwise appear as small extra charges throughout the day.

Wine purchases and GST are separate. You should budget for bottles only if you want them, and do not assume the advertised price includes tax. The ability to buy directly from small producers is part of the appeal, but you are never required to purchase wine at a stop.

Value depends on the final route. Five wineries in four hours, as described by one past outing, makes practical sense for a half-day. Eight named wineries at 30 minutes each does not, once driving and pickup are counted. Ask for the expected number of visits before paying, especially if a particular winery matters to you.

Who should choose this half-day outing

I would choose this tour if you are staying in Penticton, want someone else to drive, and prefer several small tasting rooms to one large winery estate. It also suits couples, friends, and small groups who want a simple morning or afternoon without arranging transportation.

It is a good match for first-time visitors to Penticton wine country because the guide handles the route and the basic logistics. Gord’s habit of helping with bottle boxes is especially useful if you buy several wines.

You may want a different experience if you need a long lunch, a vineyard walk, a formal winemaker-led lesson, or a guaranteed visit to every named winery. The schedule is short, and the final stops may change with availability.

Service animals are allowed, the activity is near public transportation, and most people can participate. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you value easy transportation, included tastings, and a small-group feel more than a slow, highly specialized wine day. The family stories, lake views, and mix of newer and established producers give the outing more character than a simple sequence of tastings.

Before you commit, confirm the pickup address, pickup time, and exact winery route. If the operator can fit five well-spaced stops into the four-hour window, this looks like a sensible introduction to the Naramata Bench. If you are promised all eight named wineries in that time, expect very brief visits and limited time to shop or take in the views.

FAQ

Where does pickup take place?

Pickup and drop-off are offered at hotels or vacation rentals in the Penticton area. You need to provide the address when booking.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately four hours.

Are wine tasting fees included?

Yes. Tasting fees are included, with 4 to 5 tastings offered at each winery visited.

Is gratuity for the guide included?

Yes. A 15 percent gratuity for the guide is included in the tour.

Are wine purchases and GST included?

No. You pay separately for any wine you purchase, and GST is not included.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 14 people.