Kamloops | bc winery route

# of wineries: 3

Don't miss: Privato Winery

Common varietals: Riesling, Chardonnay, Maréchal Foch

Wine region: Thompson Valley

Kamloops is is situated in the Thompson Valley Geographical Indication of BC. Surrounded by sagebrush covered bluffs, flowing rivers and stunning hoodoos, Kamloops is full of rugged deserty terrain.

This is definitely a smaller wine region with only three wineries open as of 2023, but it is still very worth your time, I promise!

Only one hour from multiple wineries in the Shuswap wine region, and two hours away from the bustling town of Kelowna, you can explore multiple areas from Kamloops, or easily add Kamloops in as an extra leg of your next wine trip. 

I can definitely see this wine region growing more and more in the future so keep your eyes on it!

Kamloops is the heart of the Thompson Valley GI. The actual region itself is quite large running from Cache Creek, BC all the way east to the little town of Chase, a 130km stretch of land. But within this area, there are 3 active wineries with tasting rooms and around 100 acres of grapevines planted.

Kamloops doesn't get a tonne of rain, has hot summer days with cooler over night temperatures, and it consistently sees more sunshine than the Napa Valley! It's also a really windy area which helps to keep the vines dry and free of pests. These are all perfect markers of a great place to grow grapes.

This area is one of the most northern regions growing grapes. With climate change pushing the wine growing boundaries more north, Kamloops is certainly a place to watch in the coming years.

P.S. if you don't understand the bold italicized words, there are definitions at the bottom of the page to make it easier!

Privato Winery - a family run winery, Privato is producing stellar wine from grapes grown on their 6 acres of vines as well as additional grapes sourced from the Okanagan Valley. They have a big focus on community and are often throwing fantastic public events for people to enjoy. While you are here, taste some cider from Woodward Cider Co which is also owned by the same family! A 25 min drive from downtown Kamloops. 

Sagewood Winery - another family run winery, they produce wine only from grapes grown on their 3.5 acre plot in Kamloops. When you are tasting Sagewood's wines, you are truly tasting the terroir of their little spot in Kamloops. The tasting room is covered in family photos and everything has a meaning here. I guarantee that you will adore your tasting at Sagewood. A 40 min drive from Privato or 25 min from downtown Kamloops.

Monte Creek Winery - a big hitter in the Kamloops wine scene, Monte Creek feels fancy, but without the big price tag. They use grapes grown on their two Kamloops vineyards, their vineyard in Keremeos, as well as specially selected grapes from the Okanagan Valley. Their tasting room is beautiful and their wines are fantastic. Make sure to stop by the Terrace Restaurant for a bite to eat after your tasting! A 15 min drive from Sagewood or 25 min from downtown Kamloops.

While visiting Kamloops I stayed in the downtown area. This was perfect for accessing amazing restaurants, plenty of breweries and adorable cafés. Downtown is also quite central to the wineries and takes about 25 minutes to get to wineries in either direction.

Sandman Signature Kamloops: walking distance to the restaurants, breweries and cafés of downtown Kamloops, the Sandman Signature Hotel is a perfect central location. The service was wonderful and the beds were so comfortable that I slept in later than I have in a decade. 

GI: Geographical Indication; a specific wine region in BC which can be indicated on wine labels. BC has nine GIs as well as sub-GIs.  

Terroir: all of the environmental things that can affect the taste of grapes. These are things that make the vineyard or area unique such as the soil, climate, altitude, proximity to mountains or lakes etc. Basically, the unique parts of a vineyard can create distinct wines!