Cowichan Valley Wine Touring 🍷🍷

Last summer we spent a day touring around the Cowichan Valley. Being from the West Coast of BC, the Okanagan Valley, Similkimeen Valley, and Naramata Bench are some of the most well-known regions in the province, but lately there's been a boom in the wine industry on Vancouver Island. The Cowichan Valley is a fairly young wine region that has only gotten its stride in the past 4-5 years. We decided to check it out one day last summer and we're pretty amazed at the wines that these wineries are putting out!

Our first stop was Blue Grouse Winery. They had recently built a new tasting room and there was a ton of buzz about it, so we were excited to check it out.

View-of-the-main-floor-from-the-Blue-Grouse-Winery-mezzanine.jpg
Source: 30dayadventures.ca

The winery has 2 floors (3 if you count the lower level where they make the wine!), and the building is stunning! On the main floor is their tasting room, and the upstairs level is for special event dinners or brunches. I even planned a trip back when my husband and I took my mom there for a Mother's Day lunch.

Our next stop was Unsworth Winery. This winery has been on my radar for a long time and I've had the opportunity to get to know a lot of team there. However, this doesn't mean I don't get excited to visit every time I go! The property is set up like an old farm and carries with it an immediate sense of calmness when you pull into the property. At one end of the property there is what looks like a house, but is actually the estate restaurant. Every time I go here, I am blown away by the food!

At the opposite end of the property is the tasting room and a gorgeous pond. The pond is by far the most popular photo op spot, so we couldn't help ourselves 😁

As far as what wines are becoming popular on the Island, the ones that are making the most ground are Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Rosès, and SPARKLINGS! The island doesn't quite have the heat that the interior of BC has, so you're not going to see big Cabernets or Syrahs. The focus is on cooler climate varietals and yes it took a while, but they are starting to get the attentions they deserve! My go-to wine from the island is by far the Charm-de-Lile Sparkling from Unsworth. I buy this pretty often and usually have at least one bottle in my fridge :)

A question I get asked all the time? What is Charme de L'ile? Where did that name come from? The reason I get asked this is because it's not just the name of Unsworth's Sparkling, many other island wineries use the name for their sparkling wines as well. Charme de L'ile translates to 'Charming Island'. It's the term that Vancouver Island has chosen to signify a charmat method sparkling from Vancouver Island - a sense of place. The same way Champagne is used to signify a traditional method sparkling from the Champagne region in France!

Thanks for reading Steemians! I always appreciate your support!

Jen🍷