JoieFarm Winery — Attraction in Area E (Naramata/Greyback)

Great wines, excellent service, beautiful setting. We were there to celebrate a birthday with a group, we had a private tasting, they waived the 15 per person tasting fee as we bought several bottles of wine. Brian was our private tasting person, he was awesome and fun. Explained how many of the wines came to be and how they were designed to fit with food and mostly sold to restaurants. I have to agree with him on those points, NO BS there. They were organized at the tasting, nice glasses, it was a busy day with lots of people, all seemed happy The main reason we were going was for the catered lunch in the adjacent picnic area which is next to an orchard, this was done by Joy Road Catering. The catered lunch for $45 per person was good but,,, a few things. The cutlery was plastic fork and a wooden knife. Meaning more in the bin vs using proper cutlery would be nice and less waste. We sat around a round table that was leaning a bit too much, steep enough wine glasses would slide where it got wet or where wine spilled. the mains were served on a nice wood board however the chicken was a bit greasy and the grease flowed over the edge and down the table and onto one of the ladies pants, I got some on my pants too. Knowing it had juices flowing it should have been on a plate It did taste good and our server was super. No huge deal but think they might want to make the tables more level. No wine was included in the 45 buks which all of thought it was a bit overpriced, . had they served a glass of wine price would be ok, we all had a good time but wanted to point out possible improvements as its a nice place in a cool setting. We did not mention the grease to anyone . We would go back but not for the catered part. Now knowing they offer Pizza next time that is what we would eat Id given 5 stars if the grease had not got on...

Was here and greeted by a student who was studying to be a winemaker. While we didn't have reservations she stated that she would be able to fit us in as it wasn't busy. It was a $25 non-refundable tasting fee (5 different wines) to enter. So even if we bought a bottle, it would cost $25 on top of the price of the wine we wanted.

You know, we're on vacation, we've been to the Okanagan a half dozen times over the past 20 years and COVID restrictions are being lifted so we thought, sure, why not split a tasting to see what they have. But that was not allowed either. Mandatory $25 per person.

So for the privilege of being able to taste their wine, a couple has to spend $50 on top of whatever they want to purchase.

I want to be clear, this is not a wine tour or a seated tasting of their most expensive wines. According to their website the most expensive wine they have is $42.51. If we were trying some $200+ dollar bottle(s) this might be different. But this $50 is to stand at their wine bar and taste their wine. The two wineries within walking distance from here we were able to share a $10 tasting and the fee was waived with the purchase of a bottle.

I wanted to wait until I was done my vacation until I wrote this as I wanted to see if any other wineries use this pricing model. We were on the Naramata bench, Cawston and West Kelowna and did not see any other wineries use this kind of pricing. I have never posted a negative review before, and while I'm sure they make great wine this pricing model is out of touch. To the owners, please do not reply to this comment unless your pricing model has changed for the tasting fee to be refundable...

I’m so disappointed with my experience at Joie. I was there for a friend's birthday, and the tasting and overall environment were a major letdown, ruining the vibe of our day. As a local who regularly visits wineries in the Okanagan, this was one of the worst tastings I've ever had.

Upon arrival, a young girl yelled at us before we even reached the steps. While I understand she was trying to be welcoming, it was overwhelming and confusing, making us feel unsettled from the get-go.

During our tasting, the atmosphere felt cold, and my party of three seemed like a bother to our host. She was busy chatting and laughing with other groups and would the. approached us with no smile and minimal interaction, simply asking, “Do you want this one?” without any explanation about the wine. She poured and then walked away, and leave us waiting very long for her to return. Despite being the first group to start, we ended up being the last to leave because she rarely returned, and we waited about 10 minutes just to settle the bill.

The patio felt cramped and noisy, which made it difficult to relax and enjoy our wine as we had planned so we went down the road and enjoy a glass on a different beautiful patio on the bench.

Overall, I don’t think we will be returning to Joie and definitely won’t be recommending...