How Much Time Do You Need at a Winery?
Plan on about 45–60 minutes at a winery for a typical Kelowna wine tasting. This gives you enough time to enjoy the tasting, listen to the presentation, ask questions and browse or purchase wine without feeling rushed.
The exact amount of time can vary depending on the winery, the type of tasting and how busy the tasting room is. A straightforward tasting can sometimes be completed in about 45 minutes, while a more detailed tasting or private experience may take longer.
How long should you allow at each winery?
- About 45 minutes — Enough time for a straightforward tasting when you’re primarily interested in sampling the wines.
- About 60 minutes — A comfortable amount of time for a tasting, presentation, questions and a little time to browse the wines.
- 90 minutes or more — More appropriate for a longer tasting experience, a winery meal, a private experience or a customized itinerary.
How much time do we allow on a Red Dog wine tour?
On our standard public afternoon wine tours, we visit 4 wineries and generally allow approximately one hour at each winery. This gives you enough time to enjoy the experience without constantly watching the clock.
There is more to a winery visit than simply tasting the wine. You may want to listen to the host explain the wines, ask questions, take a look around the property, photograph the vineyard or purchase a bottle to take home. Allowing about an hour gives you room to do those things without turning the afternoon into a race.
Why don’t we visit more wineries?
It can be tempting to try to visit five or six wineries in one afternoon, but adding more stops usually means spending less time at each one. We prefer 4 quality winery experiences over rushing through a long list of tasting rooms.
Short drives between wineries also help keep the afternoon relaxed. Our goal is to give you enough time to enjoy each stop while still experiencing a variety of wines and wineries.
For more information, see How Many Wineries Do We Visit on a Red Dog Wine Tour?.
What about a private wine tour?
Private tours give you more flexibility. If you want to spend longer at a particular winery, include a winery lunch or create a slower-paced itinerary, we can discuss those options when planning your private tour.
You can use our Private Wine Tour Planner to start designing a customized Kelowna wine tour.
Learn more about wine tasting in Kelowna
If you’re planning your first visit to Kelowna wine country, our Ultimate Guide to Wine Tasting in Kelowna, British Columbia covers what to expect when visiting wineries and provides practical information to help you plan your wine-tasting experience.
You can also learn more about how many tastings are included on a Red Dog wine tour.
The bottom line
For most Kelowna wine tastings, allow about an hour per winery. That gives you enough time to taste, listen, ask questions and enjoy the setting without feeling rushed. That’s also why Red Dog’s standard public tours visit four wineries rather than trying to fit as many stops as possible into one afternoon.