Six BC Wines for White Wine Day

Happy National White Wine Day!

To celebrate, we’ve got a list of six exciting BC wines that will be perfect for your next occasion or dinner this summer.

White wines have been around for at least 4,000 years and through those years wineries have only gotten better at creating tastier vintages. With crisper tones, white wines have a more acidic, floral, and fruity taste, giving them a lighter flavour combined with subtle overtones.

Try these:

1.     Blue Grouse 2021 Ortega - $25.99 online or in select wine stores in BC. The wine reflects the best of Cowichan Valley’s warm summers. Ortega is Vancouver Island’s signature grape, and Blue Grouse is Vancouver Island’s signature winery, so this wine is the perfect representation of the region. Whole cluster pressed, this fruit-forward wine is bright, savoury, and well-balanced.

2.     Singletree 2020 Gruner Veltliner - $19.10 online or get it while you can at Vij’s Restaurant. Only 111 cases made. The wine was fermented in stainless steel to bring out delicious aromas of nectarine, pineapple, and melon. There are also flavours of Meyer lemon, apple, and citrus. Pair this refreshing white wine with some roasted asparagus and smoked fish.  

3.     Blasted Church 2021 Unorthodox Chardonnay - $22.00 online or at the winery in Okanagan Falls, BC. Its ‘unorthodox’ name is a nod to the wine being the only one made in Canada with Chardonnay Musque. This lesser grown in BC Chardonnay offers waves of bright floral and spice, and a splash of stone fruit, all supported by a vibrant undercurrent of fresh citrus.

4.     Haywire Switchback 2018 Pinot Gris - $29.99 online, at Legacy Liquor Store or Marquis Wine Cellars. A special wine from a special place lovingly organically farmed and tended to. This wine shows the adaptability of Pinot Gris to represent the region and more importantly its site and micro-climate. Truly a wine that can only be known as “Switchback”. Harvested in two batches and whole bunch pressed, it was naturally fermented before resting on lees for 10 months. The wine itself has a creamy mouthfeel along with lively acidity that displays citrus and stone fruit characters. Critics love this wine, and you will too.

5.     Chronos 2020 Riesling - $28.99 online or at Save-On-Foods. Crafted with precision by winemaker Lynzee Schatz at TIME Family of Wines, this unrushed wine brings out the Okanagan Valley terroir exquisitely. Fermented in two different tanks with different yeast strains, blending them together brought out their sweetness and acidity. To enjoy this vibrant, bright, and juicy wine, sip it during a meal with an orange-miso halibut and a beet carpaccio.

6.     Coolshanagh 2018 Chardonnay - $30.00 online. Our premium pick, nothing brings out Okanagan terroir better than this wine. The new world Chardonnay was handled with care, it was fermented through 25% new French oak barrel, 25% concrete tank and 50% stainless steel. The Chardonnay has a classic Okanagan mineral streak and integrates flavours of popcorn, wet stone, and rich ripe fruit flavours.

Island Winery celebrates 10 years of accomplishments

Wine lovers are invited to help Blue Grouse toast #TheBlueGrouchDecade

Blue Grouse Estate Winery credit Derek Ford

In short:

This summer the team at Blue Grouse Estate Winery commemorates ten incredible years since Paul, Cristina and Paula Brunner purchased the property from the Kiltz family, who owned and operated the winery from 1989 to 2012. Over the past decade, many things have evolved at this Island winery including a beautiful, modernized tasting room, vineyard expansions, and a celebrated visitor experience.

To mark #TheBlueGrouchDecade, special offers are available this summer including celebratory glasses of sparkling wine for only $10, a special flat shipping fee of $10 for online purchases, as well as, a “bubble bar” pop-up on the mezzanine in August. To keep up with all the offers, sign up for the newsletter or simply reserve a tasting and join the party.

A deep look into the last 10 years:

Paul, Cristina and Bailey at Blue Grouse's Grand Opening event in 2015 credit Derek Ford

A new Blue Grouse Winery

From 2012 to 2017 many renovations took place at Blue Grouse. In 2015 a bright, airy, modern tasting room that opens onto a sun-drenched patio was inaugurated. In alignment with the winery’s philosophy, many sustainable features were incorporated into the space.

Green touches include the thoughtful placement of windows that align with the sun/seasons and keep the heat out during summer but allow the sun to naturally warm the building in the winter. Barrel and sparkling wine rooms are placed underground to take advantage of the Earth’s natural cooling potential, and a geothermal system which captures the Earth’s energy potential for heating and cooling.

Water is drawn from two on-site wells for irrigation and potable needs. After use, the winery and domestic wastewater are processed through a series of in-ground bioreactors and allowed to percolate back to the aquifer. In addition, the roads and parking areas are not paved, to allow between 5% and 10% of rainwater to soak into the ground and help recharge the aquifer below ground.

A new winemaking program

Blue Grouse sits among one of the oldest vineyards on Vancouver Island. The Kiltz family released the first commercial vintage in 1992. After the Brunner family took over, a new label, Quill, was launched in 2014 to give winemaker Bailey Williamson a chance to experiment with other varietals and favour profiles outside of the Estate vineyard.

Over the past ten years, including many awards and accolades, Bailey has added special wines to the winery’s lineup. In 2015, Blue Grouse released its first sparkling wine, the Paula Sparkling. In 2021, for wine club members only, a special red blend was curated, and in spring 2022, Quill Rosé Frizzante was added to the portfolio. This pink wine is produced with 100% Cowichan Valley grapes and has become a best seller. Finally, coming fall 2022 will be the first vintage of the winery’s Cowichan-grown Chardonnay.

The winery team is also proud to have led the efforts to establish the first Sub-Geographic Indication (Sub GI) on Vancouver Island and they are now proud to label Estate wines as Cowichan Valley Sub-GI. A Sub-GI is an official and protected term in BC. Wines labelled with this indicator let people know that the wine was made with at least 95% grapes grown from the Cowichan region – a true commitment to the local-first focus Cowichan is known for.

A new way of caring for the land

The first new plantings in more than 20 years at Blue Grouse winery took place in 2017 under the supervision of vineyard manager, Michael Abbott. Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir were planted to increase the winery’s portfolio, and more plantings came along in 2021 and 2022.

Blue Grouse is proud to be transitioning from traditional agriculture to organic. All vineyard and winery practices will comply with the Organic Production Systems, General Principals and Management Standards by the end of 2023.

A new future

In 2021, the Brunner family purchased another 43 acres and a large barn approximately half a kilometre north of the winery. This property will be one more vineyard expansion with a focus on cool-climate whites and rosé.

The Blue Grouse team’s commitment to the future is to never stop learning or experimenting. They believe if they are not evolving, they are dying. Winemaker Bailey Williamson says it nicely: “Mother Nature is a fickle mistress. You don’t get the same results every year no matter how hard you try. You must plan to be flexible. You must be humble enough to learn and change.”

Blue Grouse Estate Winery credit Derek Ford

About Blue Grouse Estate Winery

Blue Grouse is a family-owned winery in the Cowichan Valley Sub GI on Vancouver Island, with a commitment to stewardship. The idea is that we leave everything we touch better than it was when we found it.

The lineup of wines are offered under the Blue Grouse and Quill labels from sustainably farmed estate-grown vines, as well as from partner grape growers. Quill wines, part of the Blue Grouse family, are fresh, approachable, and made to be enjoyed with friends. Varietal wines include Ortega, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir, as well as a traditional method sparkling wine, “Paula” named after the owners’ daughter, and on occasion small lot experimental wines. The wines are bright, crisp, and well-balanced, showcasing where they are grown.

The winery and surrounding vineyard are an awarded, sought-after destination. Visit this celebrated winery by booking your appointment to enjoy cool climate wines or tasting flights with cheese or charcuterie, and take in the surrounding views of nature and vines. Book online here.

Island Winery Calls on British Columbia to Help Feed Cowichan Families

One dollar from every Blue Grouse wine sold in April will go to Nourish Cowichan

After a successful campaign in 2020, Blue Grouse Estate Winery is doing it again. Through April, in honour of BC Wine Month, Blue Grouse Estate Winery is making the call to support local and buy their wine. In return, the winery will donate $1 for every bottle sold, and the Brunner family, owners of the winery, will match each donation, dollar for dollar.

Paul, Paula, and Cristina Brunner thank the community for helping feeding Cowichan families in 2020

Last year through sales and matching funds Blue Grouse was able to donate $10,000 to Nourish Cowichan and provide 5,000 meals to families in need. The team is hoping to exceed that this year with $1 per bottle of any Blue Grouse or Quill wines sold anywhere (winery, online, restaurants and retail stores) again matched by the Brunner family.

Nourish Cowichan was created to feed children in need in the Cowichan Valley where rates of child poverty rank as the second-highest in BC, a staggering 30%. Many of the children affected by hunger in the Valley were going to school without breakfast and the only food they would receive was through the Nourish Cowichan program.

A year into the pandemic, the number of families struggling with food insecurity has only increased with meals being distributed to children in 16 schools and one daycare center. Nourish Cowichan has also expanded the breakfast program to provide lunch and snacks as well as weekend bags that feed families of up to four people.

Many children are not back to school full time but still depend on these food donations. In 2020 alone, Nourish Cowichan provided 330,850 meals for families in need.

“While we are optimistic that we will soon be on the other side of the Covid-19 pandemic,” notes Blue Grouse Estate Winery owner Paul Brunner, “the Blue Grouse team and our family will continue to help our local community and those most in need in that community.”

The Nourish Cowichan Society works hard to protect and feed families at risk where parents may have lost their income, and provide emergency hampers with donated non-perishable items, supermarket gift cards, and more. They need your support whether through a wine purchase or otherwise.

About Blue Grouse Estate Winery

In the heart of Vancouver Island is Blue Grouse Estate Winery, a family-owned Cowichan Valley gem.

Winemaker Bailey Williamson creates the lineup of wines for the Estate and Quill labels from sustainably farmed estate-grown vines, as well as from fruit from partner grape growers on Vancouver Island and in the Okanagan.

Varietal wines include Ortega, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, as well as a traditional method sparkling wine, “Paula” named after winery owners Paul and Cristina Brunner’s daughter. The wines are bright, crisp, and well-balanced, showcasing where they are grown.

Respecting the guidelines in place to keep everyone safe from WorkSafe BC, the Provincial Health Officer, and local health authorities, the winery is open by reservation from 11am-5pm, Wednesday through Sunday.
Enjoy one of three wine tasting options including a sit-down guided tasting of three wines for $5, a sit-down guided tasting of five wines for $10, or book a table to share a bottle of wine.

Join the Fan Club today and receive complimentary tastings. To make a reservation, email tastingroom@bluegrouse.ca or call 250-743-3834 ext. 1 (tasting room).

To learn more about this biodiverse, progressive, eco-conscious winery and receive updates on Covid-19 safety protocols, visit bluegrousewines.ca.

Blue Grouse Estate Winery Releases Event Calendar

Blue Grouse is the official winery of a Vancouver Island Summer!

If you’re looking for enjoyable events that pair well with a staycation or Vancouver Island visit, Blue Grouse Estate Winery has you covered from sophisticated evenings to family fun.  

Blue Grouse visitors enjoy a glass in the sun. Photo by Derek Ford.

Summer Kick Off Party!

May 18 & 19

Celebrate warmer days ahead with music, food, wine slushys, and new vintages!

·      May Long Weekend (Saturday May 18 and Sunday May 19)

·      11-5pm each day

·      Live Jazz both days from 2-4pm

·      Wine Slushys made from Blue Grouse wines

·      2016 Paula Sparkling Release

·      Charcuterie and food specials all day

·      New vintages and a brand-new label look!

Friday Night Flights

June 7 – August 30

·      Winery open until 7pm on Fridays – just drop in

·      Order a flight of 3 wines only, or a food-paired flight from a rotating calendar of chefs

·      Our winemaker Bailey Williamson kicks off, by cooking June 7 – also on July 12 and August 2

·      Farm’s Gate Foods creates the pairings June 14, July 5 and August 23.

2nd Annual Father's Day Bocce Tournament

Spend the day with dad drinking wine and overlooking the vines, all while supporting the community.

·      Sunday June 16th from 12-3pm

·      Bocce balls provided

·      All registration fees and $5 per bottle of wine will be donated to Nourish Cowichan. Tickets can be purchased here online or at the tasting room.

A Jazz Evening with Misha Piatigorsky

New York resident and famed jazz pianist Misha Piatigorsky will be gracing Blue Grouse with a cabaret-style piano concert in our upstairs lounge. You won’t want to miss this intimate show. 

·      Saturday June 15, 7-9pm

·      Doors open at 6 pm

·      Tickets are $35 + GST

·      Charcuterie, cheese and vegan boards; wine by the glass or bottle are available to purchase all evening.

Concert in the Vines with Heartwood 

Heartwood is the new and perfect pairing of award-winning singer-songwriters Jack Connolly and Genevieve Charbonneau from our own Cowichan Valley. Jack and Genevieve are outstanding performers in their own right, but when their songwriting talents, charisma and musical chops are combined, the result is roots and folk magic. The duo are joined by a band for this special evening of music.

• Saturday August 17 from 7:30 to 9:30pm

• Doors open at 6:30pm

• Tickets are $20 + GST

• Wine by the glass and bottle available for purchase all evening. 

Cowichan Wine Festival

The Cowichan Valley Wine Festival is a tasting and touring event showcasing the best of Vancouver Island wine from 11 local wineries.

Kick-off Event, August 23rd: Start the weekend off right and join all the wineries for our evening tasting event at Shawnigan Lake School.   

Winery Touring, August 24th - 25th: Spend the rest of the weekend self-touring Cowichan's fabulous wineries with map and passport in hand. Visit the wineries and collect stamps to fill the passport. Collect all the stamps and you can enter the draw for a grand prize!

Tickets will be available for purchase on the Tourism Cowichan website closer to the event date, or simply purchase a festival glass and passport at your first stop and keep it with you. This glass is your ticket and entitles you to 3 free tastings at all 11 participating wineries!

Wine Slushys at Blue Grouse are incomparable!

Visit bluegrouse.ca for wine festival happenings TBA!

For further questions about these events or summer at Blue Grouse, contact jenny@bluegrouse.ca or look at the event calendar online.

About Blue Grouse Wines:  

In the heart of Vancouver Island is Blue Grouse Estate Winery, a family-owned Cowichan Valley gem. 

The estate-grown wines are made by winemaker Bailey Williamson from transitional-organic vineyards, and a second label, Quill, incorporates Island fruit and Okanagan fruit. Varietal wines include Ortega, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, and a traditional method sparkling wine, "Paula" named after winery owners Paul and Cristina Brunner's daughter. The wines are bright, crisp, and well-balanced, showcasing where they are grown.

Visit and pass by a pond with birds, tadpoles, and beehives in the background as you approach the winery. A bright, airy, sustainably-constructed tasting room opens onto a sun-drenched patio; the perfect spot for charcuterie and a glass of rosé. 

The mezzanine and its romantic views make this an essential stop in your Cowichan Valley visit, while the surrounding vineyards offer the perfect setting for weddings or special events. Make a stay of it with luxurious vineyard-surrounded accommodation in the Grouse House, open year-round.

Learn more about this biodiverse, progressive, eco-conscious winery at bluegrouse.ca

Wine and Food Event Season is Upon Us in BC

By the Town Hall team Events to celebrate - mark your calendar now!

Since March 25th's #bcwinechat was about events, we thought we should share our clients' events - but there is far to much to say for 140 character!

Check back often for updates...

Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store - BBQ Book Signing & Tasting - April 10 You are invited to celebrate the book launch of Grilling with House of Q, written by BBQ expert Brian Misko, at Well Seasoned in Langley, BC, on April 10th. Mark your calendar for a smoking hot evening of BBQ tasting and book signage by Brian.

 BC Wine Appreciation Society - 10th Anniversary Gala Celebration - April 16

Join the BC Wine Appreciation Society on April 16 at 7:00pm for their 10th Anniversay Gala celebration! While you walk around and admire the view that the Diamond Ballroom has to offer, you can sip on wine of over 35 BC wineries, savour some delicious cheese and socialize with your fellow BCWAS members.

And as a bonus it will be super easy for you to add new favourites to your cellar. Order as few as three bottles from any winery – an easy way to get a start on your summer sipping! Get your tickets here!

BC Hospitality Foundation - Dish 'N Dazzle - May 7 Taste more than 80 wines from Argentina and bites from some of Vancouver’s most celebrated chefs at the annual Dish N Dazzle party at the Convention Centre East. Presented by the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation, the annual fundraiser also includes a cocktail competition and an amazing silent auction. Reserve your tickets now.

Chefs' Table Society - Spot Prawn Festival - May 17 The Chefs’ Table Society of BC, in partnership with the Pacific Prawn Fishermen’s Association, and Fisherman’s Wharf, present the 9th annual Spot Prawn Festival May 17. The FREE celebration includes live entertainment, fun activities for children, and free cooking demos by top local chefs.

When the boats come in, live, local prawns are for sale at the dock, or buy tickets to the Prawn Boil or for local beer and wine, all while enjoying the dockside atmosphere and live entertainment.

Blue Grouse Estate Winery - Grand Opening - May 23 You're invited to attend the grand opening of Blue Grouse's new tasting room and winery facility. Nestled in the heart of Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley, Blue Grouse is one of Vancouver Island’s first wineries, working with vines originally planted in 1977. Winemaker and vineyard manager Bailey Williamson will be in attendance to showcase the latest vintages from the historic estate, and you will be treated to snacks and live music.

Okanagan Crush Pad - Mother’s Day Brunch - May 10 Mother’s Day is May 10 and Okanagan Crush Pad has teamed up with three Summerland businesses to provide a casual and fun Mother’s Day treat! They will be serving True Grain waffles, drizzled with maple Roch syrup, and My Chocolate Crush will be on-site providing luxury handmade chocolates. Enjoy all this with Haywire’s The Bub!

Bottleneck Drive - Wine in the Garden -May 28 Celebrate spring with Bottleneck Drive wineries on May 28th at 6:00pm in VanDusen Botanical Gardens (Vancouver) to taste over 75 wines with food pairings from Truffles Fine Foods. Enjoy live music, a silent auction and wander the beautiful gardens.

Wines of Provence Tasting - June 6 Get patio ready! Be transported to the beautiful, sunny south of France in a glass, at a complimentary tasting of rosé wines from Provence. Visit the 39th and Cambie BCLDB location on June 6 (exact time TBD) and sample a selection of refreshing and delicious rosé wines from Provence, on feature throughout BC in the month of June.

Bottleneck Drive - Heard it Through the Grapevine - June 13 – 14 Join Okanagan Crush Pad along with Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive members to kick off the summer tasting season! Enjoy live music throughout the day, free tasting and great deals on great wine. The tasting room will be open 7 days a week hereafter.

Mt. Boucherie Winery – Lobster Fest - June 27 Join Mt. Boucherie Winery on June 27th for Lobster Fest and enjoy the panoramic view of Okanagan Lake as you dine in the winery’s picnic area for a three course meal of fresh lobsters paired with Mt Boucherie wine. Please check back on the Mt. Boucherie's events page for more information.

Mt Boucherie Winery – Stretch, Sip and Savour - Every Sunday from May 24 to September 13 What’s more relaxing than unrolling your yoga mat, and getting out a glass of wine. Starting May 24th, visit Mt Boucherie every Sunday (11am to 12pm) for a relaxing outdoor yoga class followed by a glass of wine and a light lunch. To register, please call the winery at 250-769-8803 or email sales@mtboucheriewinery.com. 

Mt. Boucherie Winery- Mt. Boucherie Presents Becca T. - Second Saturday of Every Month from June 13 to October 10 Dance to the beat of pop and jazz singer, Becca T. as she performs live under the Mt. Boucherie white tent on the second Saturday of every month (1pm to 3pm). Starting June 13th until October 10th, bring a friend, your favourite snack and sip a glass of wine as you enjoy a musical afternoon out in the vineyard. Please check back on the Mt. Boucherie's events page for more information.

Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store – Weekly Cooking Classes - Weekly Well Seasoned offers weekly cooking classes with various exciting themes taught by professional chefs. See the full list of classes from Date Night to Modern Indian and many more!

Meet Bailey Williamson With Town Hall

By Leeann Froese It's Saturday - that means it's time to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall

This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes they are).

We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them.

This week #withTownHall we introduce you to Bailey Williamson.

Bailey is the winemaker at Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Vineyard, located on Vancouver Island in the Cowichan Valley.

Bailey has been with Blue Grouse since he and his family relocated to Vancouver Island in 2012, and before that he was at Road 13 in Oliver BC.

At Blue Grouse, Bailey oversees the production of a small portfolio of estate-farmed wines, including special and less common varietals that grow fabulously in the Vancouver Island climate, including Ortega, Bacchus and Siegerrebe.

He also makes a lineup of wines called Quill that are special blends made from grapes grown on both Vancouver Island as well as in the Okanagan.

These days, as everyone in western BC is reveling in the blossoms and preparing to welcome spring, Bailey and the Blue Grouse team are working hard preparing for the re-opening of the winery in a brand new, beautiful building set to open this summer. (Plan your visit to Cowichan now.)

And whether you know Bailey already or not, please help us say hello.  Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter.