The Best Kamloops Wine Tours and Wineries

Kamloops is a beautiful city in the interior of British Columbia, with four vineyards and wineries that are ripe for the picking. If you’re looking for some wine to enjoy or just want a day out on the town, Kamloops is the place to go! Here are our top picks for Kamloops wine tours and wineries.

Thompson Valley Wine Region

BC has nine wine regions. The Thompson Valley officially became a designated wine region in 2018, and it stretches 130 km along the South Thompson River, running east to west from Chase to Cache Creek. The majority of the activity is centered around the city of Kamloops.

The Thompson Valley is one of the northernmost wine regions in BC and is classified as semi-arid. It might surprise you to learn that this area receives more hours of sunshine than Napa Valley in California.

As you meander throughout the Kamloops Valley, take in its natural beauty and enjoy local wines from the region. Talk to your friends as you eat a delicious meal or snack while looking out at the South Thompson River. Whatever your choice, finish it off with a drink of award-winning wine at one of four wineries.

Related: Okanagan Winery Accommodation

Kamloops Wine Trail

The Kamloops wine trail consists of 4 licensed wineries and 125 acres of vineyards. The Thompson Valley region is easily accessible, only 350km from Vancouver or 100km from the Okanagan.

The best Kamloops wines and wineries are waiting for you. Explore the scenic vistas of this semi-arid wine region as you take in local flavors, enjoy a delicious meal, or just relax with friends. Choose from one of four award-winning wineries along the Kamloops Wine Trail.

Kamloops Wine Tours

DiVine Tours

DiVine Tours offers many different Kamloops wine tours, and the hardest part will be choosing which one to do. They offer the following Kamloops wine tours:

• Kamloops Wine Trail
• Wineries and Wildlife Tour
• DiVine Craft Beer & Wine Tasting Tour

The Kamloops Wine Trail Tour is a half-day tour of three different local wineries. The tour runs from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm, and includes an experienced driver and all tasting fees. The driver will pick you up at your home, hotel, or office to begin the tour.

If you would like to add the fourth winery, it will simply add an extra hour to the tour with a small additional fee. One of the best things about Kamloops wine tours is that everything is arranged for you, the Kamloops wineries are there to welcome you and your driver will load any wine purchases that you make into the shuttle for you.

DiVine Tours – My Kamloops Wine Trail Tour Experience

First stop: Privato Vineyard

I recently had the opportunity to experience the Kamloops Wine Trail tour with DiVine Tours. I invited my friend to come along and our driver picked us up from her home and our first stop was Privato Vineyard.

Privato Vineyard is located 15 minutes from downtown Kamloops. The wine tasting room is located in the barrel room with pretty gardens and a beautiful outdoor picnic area where you can enjoy your wine with a pre-ordered charcuterie board. We were whisked right into the tasting room when we arrived to try a variety of their red and white wines.

I have long been a fan of their Pinot Noir, which has won several awards and continues to be among their best sellers. While we enjoyed a few minutes outside in the gardens, our driver packed up our wine purchases and stored them for us in the back of the shuttle.

Second Stop: Harper’s Trail Estate Winery

The day I went wine touring with DiVine Tours was an extremely stormy afternoon. We arrived at Harper’s Trail in the midst of a torrential downpour, but we were safely tucked inside the outdoor tasting tents, and it made for a memorable tasting!

I am quite particular about which wines I drink as I definitely tend towards certain varietals. I appreciated that at Harper’s Trail, we were able to choose which wines we wanted to taste.

The girl who led our wine tasting was fantastic, and I learned a few new things about the terroir and history of Harper’s Trail. I enjoy a good wine tasting where dynamic conversation is encouraged.

Last Stop: Monte Creek Winery

Since the weather was so stormy, we didn’t linger long at Harper’s Trail, so we arrived earlier than expected at Monte Creek. The lovely part of being on organized Kamloops wine tours is that our driver went in ahead of us and arranged for our tour to begin early.

I really enjoy Monte Creek’s sparkling wine, and this tasting was no exception. I also finally had a chance to taste their blueberry wine, which is made from the blueberries grown on the owner’s farm on the lower mainland.

After our tasting, we browsed the wine shop, which has an extensive array of wine-related products. After our purchases were safely stowed in the shuttle, we sat outside and enjoyed a picnic lunch complete with a bottle of rosé sparkling wine. There really is no better way to end a day of wine touring in the Thompson Valley.

Tastefull Excursions

TasteFull Excursions provides Kamloops’ first transportation service providers in the Thompson Valley, specializing in guided wine tours and area attractions. They offer several choices of Kamloops wine tours:

• Wild West Wine Tour
• Wildlife & Wine Tour
• Kamloops Wine Trail
• Brew’d in the Loops
• Wine, Women & Song

Sun Star Shuttle

Sun Star Shuttle operates an 11 Passenger van with full air-conditioning. A minimum of 4 people is required (max seating at Locations is 6 people.) The cost is $125 + GST per person, which includes tastings at each location. All locations are available depending on their availability. The season begins May 1st.

Locations: Approx. 45 min at each location – Option of selecting 4 locations below:

1. Privato Vineyard &Winery
2. Monte Creek Ranch Winery
3. Harper Trail Estate Winery
4. Sagewood Winery
5. Woodward Cider (Same location as Privato – Less $20 per person)
6. Red Beard Cafe
7. Iron Road Brewing
8. Bright Eye Brewing
9. Red Collar Brewing Co.
10. Alchemy Brewing Company
11. The Noble Pig
12. Red Bridge Distilling
13. Gin Lane Distilling Co.(Same Location as Red Collar Brewing)

Kamloops Wineries

Monte Creek Winery

Kamloops’ largest winery, Monte Creek Ranch, has been open for five years with plans of expansion to continue the growth of this very popular vineyard. It is the perfect spot for a stop on your road trip, offering you a beautiful wine shop offering farm products, natural honey, a selection of gift items, books, and, of course, bottles of wine.

During the summer, you can enjoy lunch at The Terrace Restaurant or enjoy a picnic on the lawns of this stunning ranch.

Harper’s Trail Winery

Located on the outskirts of Kamloops, Harper’s Trail is set along the Thompson River with the stunning backdrop of hoodoo’s and rolling hills. There is a patio area where wines can be enjoyed by the bottle or the glass and you can bring a picnic to extend your visit.

Harper’s Trail Winery also has a beautiful tented area next to the winery where you can enjoy outdoor wine tastings. On the Kamloops wine tours, you will be welcomed by Harper’s Trail and enjoy your wine tasting while you take in the surrounding hoodoos.

Privato Vineyard

The inspiration behind the name of this family-owned boutique winery comes from the Italian word meaning private. It is a beautiful setting and one of Kamloops’ hidden gems. Privato offers a variety of wine-tasting options, local music on Sunday’s and a food truck on-site depending on the season. They also have a cidery on-site called Woodward Cider Co.

Sagewood Winery

Sagewood Winery offers the perfect place to spend an afternoon. With stunning views of Kamloops, this winery and vineyard are a breath of fresh air for wine tasting. The owners are passionate about their wine and are always happy to share their knowledge with visitors.

Related: The Best South Okanagan Winery Restaurants

Kamloops Wine Festival

Each year the Kamloops Wine Festival holds various events that focus on wine pairings and regional cuisine. It is a great time of year when the industry comes together to showcase local wines from the region. Their Facebook page is the best way to keep up to date on the latest events.

Family-owned Wineries in Kamloops

All of the wineries in Kamloops are family-owned and operated. One of the most notable things about the Kamloops wine tours is the laid-back, relaxed, and friendly vibe at each and every winery.

The best Kamloops wines come from the region’s wineries, and there are plenty of them to choose from. The wine-tasting season runs from April or May until September, and it’s always a good idea to call ahead to book reservations for tasting or Kamloops wine tours.

I hope this blog post about Kamloops wine tours has helped you decide what vineyard you would like to visit next! Whether it be for a leisurely afternoon or an out-of-the-ordinary night on the town, the possibilities are endless when visiting one of these Kamloops wineries.