Wine and Karaoke: A Winning Combination in the Cowichan Valley
Yervana Explorer, Lauren, shares her experience on adventure with Cowichan Valley Local, Erika!
With more than a dozen wineries in the Cowichan Valley and more continuing to pop up, it’s no wonder that it was recognized as an official sub-geographical wine region in BC last year.
We caught up with Yervana local Erika to tour four wineries in the region with her Nothin’ to Wine About Wine & Karaoke Adventure.
First Stop – Alderlea Vineyards
First up she arranged for a private visit with Alderlea Vineyards where we got to chat directly with winery owners and operators Julie & Zac. Here we were able to taste two whites and two reds that were mostly estate grown.
Next Stop – Cherry Point Winery
Next, we went to Cherry Point Winery where we tasted a white, a rose, two reds and a dessert wine. Owner Xavier walked us through the difference between old world and new world winemaking and gave us a passionate education on why you should always ask for your cork when ordering wine at a restaurant.
Curious to know why? The reason is because you should look at how high up wine is soaked into the cork. A bottle of wine is considered not good anymore once wine soaks all the way to the top of the cork because of the elements that can get into the bottle.
On to Rocky Creek Winery
Third on the tour was Rocky Creek winery. Owner Linda Holford gave us the option to customize our tasting where we ended up tasting one sparkling wine, three whites, and their blackberry wine. Here we learned about how this family run winery has a friendly father – daughter winemaking competition and that each family member has a wine named after them.
Final Stop – Blue Grouse Winery
Lastly, we ended up at the architecturally stunning Blue Grouse Winery. Here we tasted a white, a rose, and a red seated on their patio overlooking the vineyard. As we were seated at this winery, Erika provided us with some tasty snacks that our winery host said would pair well with the wines in front of us. We lingered a little longer after our tasting to order the famed rose slushy and capture some photos of the grounds.
Ending the day on a high note
Erika took care of all the details from ensuring we had safe, timely, and attentive service, to providing us with secure storage for our wines on the bus. She kept us hydrated, happy and entertained along the scenic drive. After learning that a member of our group had never sang karaoke, we ended the tour on the bus belting out some pop hits terribly out of tune with a little buzz and a lot of laughter.
Great year-round Adventure
Although most wineries operate with seasonal hours, many are open year round making this an ideal adventure for any season or occasion. Better yet, take this tour each season as you are bound to end up with a unique and memorable adventure each time.
Looking for more things to do on Vancouver Island?
Vancouver Island is filled with outdoor adventures at every turn. Explore more ways to Adventure on Vancouver Island and neighbouring Salt Spring Island.
This article was written for Yervana by guest writer Lauren Gaultier of @winethenfood
