Naramata Bench 5 Winery Tour

The best part of this tour is the mix of wine tasting and scenery. In about six hours, you visit five Naramata Bench wineries, from friendly small rooms to a farm-to-table patio overlooking Okanagan Lake. I like the included tasting fees and the reserved lunch stop at Lake Breeze, where the break feels like part of the day rather than an afterthought.

I also like the small group limit of 14 and hotel pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle. Guides Vicki and Don are both singled out for being friendly, helpful, and fun. The main drawback is that lunch costs extra, and the winery lineup can change, so you should treat the named stops as a strong plan rather than an absolute promise.

Key points to know before booking

• Five wineries in about six hours: The route gives you several tasting styles without turning the day into a rushed race from one room to the next.
• Lake Breeze includes the longest stop: Plan on 90 minutes for lunch, local food, views, and a little breathing room.
• Tastings are included: You will not need to pay separate admission at each winery.
• Pickup saves you a driving decision: Hotel or accommodation pickup and drop-off are included in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• The group is capped at 14: That is small enough for a more personal day, though it is not a private tour.
• Lunch is not included: The winery bistro reservation is arranged, but you pay for your meal.

What a day on the Naramata Bench feels like

The Naramata Bench is one of the Okanagan Valley’s best areas for combining wine with wide views. Vineyards sit above Okanagan Lake, and the route gives you both tasting-room time and a look at the place where the grapes are grown.

This is not a single-estate tasting with one winemaker explaining every bottle. It is a full half-day circuit through five different wineries. That variety matters. You get to compare winemaking styles, room atmospheres, views, and the way each property presents its wines.

The tour starts around 10:30 a.m., although that is a guideline rather than a guaranteed door-to-door time. Your final pickup time arrives by text the day before. If you are staying outside Penticton or Naramata, expect an earlier pickup so the vehicle can reach the bench and return you afterward.

Be ready 15 minutes before your confirmed time. That small bit of discipline helps the whole group keep its tasting appointments. Pickup from Vernon or Sparkling Hill is not available on this tour. Those areas require a different full-day wine tour.

Ruby Blues Winery starts the tasting day

Ruby Blues Winery is the first stop, with about 45 minutes set aside. Its character is fun and inviting, and the description of the place points to approachable wines made for broad enjoyment rather than ceremony.

That makes it a sensible opening stop. You can settle into the day without feeling that you need to know every grape, vintage, or technical term before the first pour. If you are new to Okanagan wine, this sort of relaxed beginning helps you get comfortable asking questions and noticing what you like.

The 45-minute visit is enough for a tasting and a short look around, but it is not a long winery visit. You should expect an introduction to the wines rather than a detailed behind-the-scenes production tour. The larger promise of learning winemaking from scratch is spread across the day, not necessarily delivered in one long session at each property.

Bench 1775 brings the big Okanagan views

Next comes Bench 1775 Winery, again for about 45 minutes. This stop is especially strong for scenery, with views toward the lake and mountains from the bench.

The setting helps explain why this area is more than a collection of tasting rooms. You can see the relationship between the vineyards, the elevated bench, and Okanagan Lake. It is a good place to pause with a glass in hand and pay attention to the setting instead of rushing straight to the next sample.

Bench 1775 presents refined wines that have received national recognition and awards. That does not mean every bottle will suit your taste, of course. Wine is personal. It does mean the tasting offers a chance to compare polished, recognized styles with the more minimal-intervention approach you encounter later at Wesbert.

The short stop also keeps the route moving. If you want long vineyard walks or detailed production talks at every winery, this itinerary may feel brisk. If you prefer several focused tastings in one day, the timing works well.

Lake Breeze is the day’s real pause

Lake Breeze Vineyards Tasting Room gets 90 minutes, making it the centerpiece of the route. The property overlooks the Naramata Bench and Okanagan Lake, and its farm-to-table patio uses local Okanagan food.

This is where the tour shifts from a series of tastings into a proper midday outing. Lunch is reserved at the winery bistro, so you do not have to spend the day deciding where to eat or worrying that a busy restaurant will disrupt the schedule. The meal is not included in the tour price, so budget separately for it.

I like this arrangement because a wine tour needs a real pause. Five tastings in succession can blur together, especially if you are trying to remember which bottle you preferred. A 90-minute stop gives you time to eat, enjoy the view, and reset before the afternoon wineries.

Lake Breeze also has resident chickens and pigs, plus house-made lattes. Those details give the stop a farm setting rather than a polished tasting-room-only feel. The local food focus is useful if you want to connect the wine with the products grown and served in the same region.

Because this is the longest visit, it is also the stop most likely to matter to people who want a relaxed day. If you are mainly interested in cellar technique and production equipment, the lunch and patio time may feel like less tasting instruction than you hoped for. The itinerary is designed to balance wine with food and place.

Wesbert Winery lets the fruit speak

Wesbert Winery offers a different winemaking point of view during its 45-minute visit. The winery uses minimal intervention and aims to let the fruit, growing year, and Naramata terroir shape the finished wine.

You do not need a technical background to appreciate the contrast. Earlier in the day, you may taste wines presented for refinement and broad appeal. At Wesbert, the focus is more directly on fruit character and the conditions of the year.

The winery aims for balanced, full-flavored wines suited to many occasions. That makes this a useful stop for comparing style rather than simply collecting more samples. Pay attention to how the wines differ in weight, flavor, and finish, and ask the guide or tasting-room staff what comes from the grape and what comes from the winemaking choices.

Again, 45 minutes is a compact visit. You will have time to taste and learn the basic approach, but you should not expect a long technical class. The value comes from seeing another side of Naramata wine before the final tasting.

Three Sisters finishes with five wines

The final stop is Three Sisters Winery, with access to the vineyards and patio, wine purchasing, and a flight of five wines included.

That five-wine flight gives the last stop a clear finish. After tasting at four other properties, you have a useful basis for comparison. You may find yourself deciding which style suits you best, which bottle you would buy, or which winery had the most appealing setting.

Access to the vineyards and patio adds some outdoor time at the end of the day. It also means the final stop is not limited to standing at a counter. You can take stock of the day, enjoy the property, and make purchases if you want to take wine home.

Wine buying is optional, and you should not feel pressured to purchase at every stop. The tour includes tastings, but the bottles themselves are extra. If you plan to buy, ask the guide about how much room is available in the vehicle and how purchases are handled, since the supplied tour details do not specify a bottle limit.

Is $164.10 a fair price?

At $164.10 per person, this tour is not the cheapest way to taste wine in the Okanagan. But the price includes five tasting fees, guided transportation, bottled water, and pickup and drop-off at your accommodation.

The transportation is a meaningful part of the value. You do not need to drive between wineries, plan a route, appoint a designated driver, or work out how to get back after a day of tasting. The air-conditioned vehicle also gives you a comfortable base between stops.

Lunch is the main extra cost. Since the Lake Breeze reservation is part of the plan but the meal is not included, you should account for food in your total budget. Any wine purchases and gratuity are also separate.

I would call the price reasonable for someone who wants a structured day with several tastings and no driving. It is less attractive if you only want one or two wineries, plan to drive yourself, or prefer choosing your own lunch and route. The value improves for visitors staying in Penticton or Naramata, where the pickup plan is most straightforward.

How the small group and guide affect the day

The maximum group size is 14. That is not a private tour, but it is small enough to avoid the feel of a large coach outing. A group of this size also makes timing important. One late person can affect every tasting appointment, which is why the 15-minute early arrival request matters.

Vicki and Don are the named guides associated with this experience. Vicki is described as friendly, helpful, and fun, while Don is noted for being informative and good company. Those qualities matter on a wine tour because the guide handles the practical details while helping the group move from one tasting to the next.

The tour is offered in English. Most participants can take part, and the pickup location is near public transportation, although the experience itself includes vehicle transfers between wineries. A mobile ticket is available, which keeps check-in simple.

The route may not always follow the exact winery order or the exact properties listed here. One direct account of the day noted that the wineries visited were not precisely the same as expected, but still found the replacement stops friendly and the wines enjoyable. I would treat that as a practical warning: book this for the overall Naramata Bench experience, not because one specific bottle or property is guaranteed.

Who should book this Naramata wine tour?

This tour suits you if you want to sample a broad range of Okanagan wines in one day, especially without driving. It also works well for couples, small groups, and visitors who appreciate scenery, a proper lunch break, and a guide managing the schedule.

It is a good match for wine beginners because the day moves through several styles and settings. You can learn by comparison without needing to arrive with a detailed knowledge of Okanagan grapes.

You may want a different option if you want a private guide, a slower visit at each winery, or a tour focused mainly on winemaking equipment and cellar access. The 45-minute stops provide a taste of each place, but they do not allow unlimited time for long conversations or extended vineyard walks.

The tour is recommended by all current ratings provided for it and carries a 4.9 rating from 18 ratings. The strongest praise centers on the guides, the friendly wineries, the quality of the wines, and the overall value of the day. Those are the parts I would prioritize when deciding.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a well-organized introduction to the Naramata Bench, with five tasting stops, lake and mountain views, a reserved winery lunch stop, and transportation included. The combination of included tastings and no need to drive makes the $164.10 price easier to justify.

Before booking, confirm that you are staying within the pickup area and are comfortable paying separately for lunch. Also remember that the final winery lineup can change. If those conditions work for you, this is a practical, scenic way to spend a half-day tasting Okanagan wine with Vicki, Don, or another Vivid Tours guide at the wheel.

FAQ

How long does the Naramata Bench 5 Winery Tour last?

The tour lasts approximately six hours.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 10:30 a.m., but the actual pickup time is confirmed by text the day before. You should be ready 15 minutes before that confirmed time.

Are hotel pickup and drop-off included?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off at your hotel or accommodation are included. Visitors staying outside Penticton or Naramata should expect an earlier pickup time.

Are wine tasting fees included?

Yes. Tasting fees at the wineries are included in the tour price.

Is lunch included?

No. The tour includes a lunch stop with a reservation at a winery bistro, but you pay for the cost of lunch.

How many wineries does the tour visit?

The planned route includes five wineries: Ruby Blues Winery, Bench 1775 Winery, Lake Breeze Vineyards Tasting Room, Wesbert Winery, and Three Sisters Winery. The exact winery lineup may change.

Can guests from Vernon or Sparkling Hill book this pickup?

No. Vernon and Sparkling Hill pickups are not available on this tour. Pickup from those areas is available only on the separate Vernon Full Day Wine Tour or Sparkling Hill Full Day Wine Tour.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations and changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.