Category: Vancouver Island

As BC is large with a cooler coastal climate and a hotter, drier interior, our yearly vintages can cover a range from marginal to exceptional.  Luckily we have been closer to the exceptional end of the vintage spectrum these last years.  How was the 2018 vintage?  I attended a media preview of the 2018 vintage and had 4 winemakers from…

Valentine’s Day is near and sparkling wine to share with your significant other is probably in your thoughts.  But which sparkling wine?  Champagne or cremant from France?  Franciacorta or prosecco from Italy? Cava from Spain?  How about sparkling wine from BC? Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Vineyard Paula sparkling wine from Vancouver Island would be a nice choice. It shows…

If you have never tasted the wines from Blue Grouse Estate Winery, now is your chance.  I have reviewed this winery several times and quite enjoy their wines (my past reviews), in particular their Pinot Noir. This winery is located in the Duncan area of Vancouver Island.  Come and try their wines for free at Marquis Wine Cellars on Sept…

Although this press release from 40 Knots Vineyard & Estate Winery (with a few edits by me) came out in November, a deadline is coming up in January about their court case with Loblaws Companies Ltd.  Below is information about their dispute about their wine named Ziggy. Since February 2016, 40 Knots Vineyard & Estate Winery on Vancouver Island began their…

Whatever you are celebrating this December, it’s probably with family and/or friends for a meal at some point.  Food loves wine, so here are a few of my recommended wines that should go with many dishes, or to enjoy on their own before or after your meal.  Enjoy these BC wines! My Holiday BC Wine Suggestions Backyard Vineyards Blanc de…

2017 was a terrible harvest in France due to poor weather conditions through the growing season, producing the smallest grape harvest since 1945. In the United States, Napa and Sonoma Valleys were hit by forest fires which although was late in the harvest, still affected later ripening grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon. The Valleys were also suffering from a heat wave, causing…

Cool climate wines are where the vibrant acidity and tart fruit flavours. Citrus trending to stone fruits for white wines, and red fruits like strawberries, raspberries and red cherries.  A cool climate region to consider for wines is Vancouver Island.  There are a few wineries there, and one in particular, Blue Grouse Estate Winery in Duncan, has been producing some…

BC is a large province, with a varied climate from maritime to alpine.  Our grape growing regions for wine production vary from the coast, to slightly inland (think the Fraser Valley), to our hot interior (the Okanagan or Kamloops for example).  With all this variability in climate, you would think that grape harvests would all vary and the wines that…

The first modern winery on Vancouver Island is Vigneti Zanatta which is located 10 minutes by car southwest of downtown Duncan.  I think what sets them apart from the other wineries on Vancouver Island is their specialization on making sparkling wines. The winery was named Vigneti Zanatta after the Italian family who owned the farm since the 1950s, and still do through…

You may not have heard of Blue Grouse Estate Winery from Duncan before, but the winery has quite a history.  In 2012 the Brunner family took over the winery but it was owned for many years by Dr. Hans Kiltz and his wife Evangeline in the late 1980s, where they discovered several grape vines planted on their land.  The grapes…