Why a guided wine tour is better?
On all those gorgeous, but twisty and frequently poorly designated back roads in Kelowna, you won’t get lost. You’ll visit vineyards that match your personal interests, especially if you enjoy specific varietals or wine types. There will be no need for you to be a designated driver with a guided wine tour!
Your guide and designated driver
Be advised that impaired driving laws in BC are tighter than elsewhere in Canada – the limit is 0.5 in this province.
Most importantly, you can sit back and relax while someone else drives in a luxurious, air-conditioned van with plenty of room for your wine. The main advantages of a guided wine tour a fully stress-free experience!
Expert Planning
Because they know who is open early and late, your tour company can plan where to go first and last. Make use of this local knowledge and leave the legwork to the professionals. Most tour companies have a range of tours from which to pick. Having trouble deciding which vineyard to visit? Operators of guided winery tours can create a unique wine tour particularly for you.
Is a private tour for you
Look for a tour company that offers custom guided wine tour if you want book a wine tour private tasting or a one-of-a-kind experience. It’s worth noting that a custom tour and a private tour are not always the same thing. You may have to pay more if you want the vehicle exclusively. Utilize your time wisely. Return happy with all the appropriate wines and, most importantly, bragging rights.
Request a private, customizable tour if you want something truly unique. Many tour companies know who to speak with at the winery to get you a behind-the-scenes look at a barrel tasting or to ensure you meet the winery owner or winemaker.
Book and your itinerary is planned
Best of all, it’s simple. You can book a guided wine tour online or by phone with the tour company. They will pick you up from your hotel, rented condo, or bed and breakfast. Tours typically range from half a day to a full day, depending on where you want to go and how many wineries you want to stop at along the way. You might be able to arrange a tour of one or more of the wineries or vineyards.
What are the costs?
Tasting fees are usually included in the guided wine tour price, but make sure to ask when you book. Prepaid tasting fees typically include 2 to 4 wines and rarely include specialty wines. If you want to try Ice Wine (which you should), you’ll probably have to pay for it directly at the winery. When comparing companies, make sure to ask what is included in the price so you know exactly what you are getting for your money. Inquire about the number of wineries included in the tour, as well as the number of wine tastings at each. Ask if the guide provides information along the way. Inquire about the capacity of the van. All of these factors can have an impact on your experience, so it is best to be prepared.
Day – Afternoon – Dinner Tours.
Most tour operators will offer a variety of tours, so it is entirely up to you to choose which one you prefer. Afternoon tours are ideal, especially if you want to go on a tour today. Afternoon tours are the ideal compromise: you can sleep in and relax before leaving (or do something else in the morning), and you will not be exhausted when you return. Furthermore, you usually visit the same number of wineries as on a day tour, but it is less expensive.
Afternoon
Pickup from the hotel is usually between 1 and 2 p.m., allowing you to sleep in or do something else in the morning and have lunch at a restaurant of your choice before the tour begins. These guided wine tour usually last between 3.5 and 4.5 hours. As with a day tour, you will typically visit four wineries. Because the tour is shorter in length, you will be less tired and more likely to enjoy another outing in the evening. With the mornings free, you can go to the beach, go shopping, or do other activities before you leave. Some operators, such as Red Dog Wine Tours, allow tours to be booked the same day and up to 90 minutes before pickup time.
Morning pickup
The pick-up time for the day wine tour will range from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Typically, the tour will begin with a tasting at one or two wineries and end at a restaurant located at one of the wineries. Lunch will last approximately 1 to 1.5 hours and is not included in the tour fee. Lunch should cost an extra $30 to $50 per person. The tour will conclude with visits to one or two more wineries. The tour will last between 5 and 7 hours. Because lunch reservations must be made in advance, these tours usually require bookings several days, if not weeks, in advance. Due to their length, they will cost more than afternoon tours.
Dinner
Depart from your hotel between 2 and 5 p.m. The number of wineries visited and the location of the dinner vary; contact the tour operator for more information. Because dinner reservations must be made in advance, these tours are usually booked days or weeks in advance. Make sure to inquire about the cost of dinner with the tour operator so that you are prepared, as it will not be included in the fee.
Let a guide with local knowledge take you around to our Kelowna wineries, give you the story on each winery and Kelowna’s wine industry, and be your designated driver. You just can’t beat it.
Also see: Okanagan Wine Country: The Most Beautiful Undiscovered Treasure
