Awhile ago, I got to go on a wine tour of the Naramata Bench, and I have to say, it was a fabulous day! I’ll be honest with you, I am by no means a wine connoisseur, but I sure had fun anyways :).
Myself and a bunch of other wives from a firefighter training weekend (which all our husbands were busy with) went on this tour together and I didn’t know anyone else there. It was really nice and more fun than I expected and I got to meet new people, try new things, see new places.
I also had a blast taking pictures (both with my iPhone and my good camera) of everything, so if you feel up to it, scroll down as I give a little picture tour of some of the wineries we visited.
About Naramata
Before we go on about my wine tour, let me tell you a little bit about the Naramata Bench and why there are so many wineries here.
Thousands of years ago the Naramata Bench was the shallow shoreline of prehistoric Okanagan Lake gathering a wealth of rich sediments and soils.
Now with abundant sunshine, cooling lake breezes, and an optimal temperature range, the Naramata Bench is one of the premier grape-growing regions in Canada. The rolling hills and variable soils of the area create a range of microclimates and terroirs that allow experienced growers to produce a wide variety of grape crops.
Working with the terroir of the area the wineries are able to produce a wide range of wines including Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Malbec. Whites have also done well in the Naramata terroir including Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Semillon, and Sauvignon Blanc.
No matter what styles and types of wine you like, you will find it in Naramata.
Which Wineries Did I Visit?
In all, we visited eight out of the twenty-four listed on the Naramata Bench Winery website and one other that is not which is called Ruby Blues.
We also visited:
- La Frenz,
- D’Angelo Estate,
- Hillside Winery and Bistro,
- Laughing Stock Vineyards,
- Black Widow Winery,
- Lake Breeze,
- Elephant Island,
- and finally 3 Mile Estate.
Whew! That’s a lot of wine! And a lot of grapevines! Go grab a cup o’coffee or tea (or maybe even wine!) and get ready for some eye candy 🙂
La Frenz
The first one we went to was La Frenz and this is the entrance to the tasting room (I knew from this point on it was going to be a good day 😉 Rustic pergola, wine barrels and acres of grapevines…
This is the view from inside the tasting room. I wish we had more time and the weather was nicer (it was overcast). I would’ve loved to sit on that patio, drinking wine and soaking in the view. It was gorgeous!
In fact, little did I know at the time, but the day would be filled with beautiful views. 🙂
Ruby Blues
The next winery we went to was called Ruby Blues “where the tasting fee is a smile” 🙂 And I was definitely smiling at all the funky decor and artwork all around the tasting room, like this cow painting,
Hillside Winery and Bistro
The picture below was taken from the tower in the picture above.
And what did we spy? Cute little baby grape clusters!
After lunch we checked out Laughing Stock, where again I forgot to take photos 🙁
Black Widow Winery
Afterwards we went to the Black Widow Winery and I really liked their tasting room as you could see some of the inner workings of the winery including the big vats and barrels.
Moving on we came to Lake Breeze,
Lake Breeze Winery
It had some of the most beautiful buildings and landscaping.
Elephant Island Orchard Winery
And then we came to Elephant Island Orchard Winery, which is actually all fruit wines. And let me tell you, the Framboise wine is to die for!
They had a funky tasting barn 🙂
3 Mile Estate Winery
And last but not least was the 3 Mile Estate Winery. Inside the amazing carved doors of this winery there is another fabulous art gallery and again check out their website HERE to see more and find out more about the artist.
So, what did I come home with? Three bottles of wine (I could have bought so many more if I had more $, there were so many yummy wines) and some art cards from 3 Mile because the artwork is so funky 🙂
So, there you go. My little picture tour of only part of the Naramata Bench Wineries. If you made it this far, I commend you, way to stick it out! 😉 I had such a fabulous time and I urge you if you ever get a chance to take a wine tour, do it!
I also wanted to mention that although I tasted most of the wines available to taste at every winery (we had a couple nice young men drive us around) I don’t feel I have enough experience or the “refined palate” for giving my opinions of the actual wines (to me just about all of them tasted delicious.