Though still relatively young as a wine region, British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley has come into its own and firmly established itself on the world wine stage. We recently visited the region for the third time in two years and we continue to be surprised and delighted by both new finds and old favourites. On this trip, we explored Mission Hill Estate winery, Checkmate Artisanal winery, Martin’s Lane and CedarCreek Estate winery, along with the new District Wine Village – all of which provide fantastic wine tasting experiences. Here’s a taste of what we experienced:
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Our latest video AdVINEture features one of the most interesting and more surprising regions we’ve explored yet: British Columbia’s Cowichan Valley. Tucked in the southern part of Vancouver Island, the Cowichan Valley is BC’s newest sub-Geographical Indication (GI) and for good reason. Despite this region being one of the most demanding growing areas in the world, we visited 4 wineries (Venturi-Schulze, Blue Grouse Estate Winery, Averill Creek & Unsworth Vineyards) who are proving that making great wine there is possible. This video shows just a few highlights, click on the individual links for the full story on each…cheers!
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Bailey Williamson.
The Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island is the most challenging wine-growing district in British Columbia, Canada. Earlier this year, it was named the Province’s newest Sub-GI (Geographical Indication) for its unique terroir consisting of Canada’s only cool Mediterranean Maritime climate, mild and damp winters, and distinct soils. Blue Grouse Estate winemaker Bailey Williamson not only helped lead the charge in getting the Cowichan Valley officially recognized, he along with a handful of wineries in the area, is proving that this demanding growing area is capable of producing very good wine.
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Delicious lunch and view at Kismet’s Masala Bistro.
One of the pleasures of visiting a wine region is that wine country is farm country. Farm-to-table eating is the norm and there is always a good array of choices ready to provide the very best that the season has to offer. British Columbia’s wine country is no different. From high end winery restaurants to casual lunch spots, we found something to please every palate, all paired with a stunning view of the Okanagan Valley.
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The original OMG Sparkling label.
When Blasted Church Vineyards first burst onto the Canadian wine scene in 2002, the BC winery instantly turned heads with the colourful and irreverent labels that adorned its bottles. From the “OMG” Sparkling Wine to the “Unorthodox” Chardonnay, it was clear from the start that the winery was willing to poke a little fun at themselves. Their wine on the other hand, is no laughing matter.
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