Cowichan Valley Wine Festival ready to showcase region's industry

If the Cowichan Valley is the island’s wine capital, the region wants to capitalize on more tourism dollars.

“Wineries are a major draw for visitors in this region,” said Brian Cant, acting president and CEO of tourism promoter 4VI.

“Cowichan means warm land,” said Julie Powell, a wine grower at Alderlea Vineyards in North Cowichan.

At Alderlea Vineyards, the 2021 heat dome proved to be a blessing in disguise.

“We get 30 tonnes of grapes on average,” said Powell. “Last fall we got 47 tonnes off of the same footprint.”

That set the winery up perfectly for this year's winemaking season.

“People are coming back out,” said Chris Turyk, sales and marketing director for Unsworth Vineyards. “People are enjoying experiences on the patio again.”

In Mill Bay, Unsworth Vineyards has also seen its share of successes and now it’s growing.

“We have 11 acres planted here on our estate vineyard,” said Turyk. “We have recently planted about 40 acres just west of the Duncan hospital.”

Unsworth and the rest of Cowichan Valley’s wine industry is classified in the boutique winery category. Next to the Okanagan’s industry, it’s small in size but the winter of 2021 had a devastating effect on vineyards in that region.

“Driving down the Okanagan is lushness and green and green vines and the assumption is that those vines are doing well and they are not,” said Miles Prodan, president and CEO of Wine Growers British Columbia, on June 22.

December's arctic outflow saw temperatures plummet in the Okanagan, killing off entire grape crops.

Wineries on the island were spared from that extreme weather event. “It’s terrible news for them but it’s also terrible news for the B.C. wine industry,” said Powell.

Wine regions throughout the province rely on each other for success. “For us, the wine tourism piece is a critical component to the attraction and the viability for tourism in Cowichan,” said Cant.

4VI is supporting an upcoming event showcasing the Cowichan Valley’s wine industry. It’s expected to bring hundreds of tourist to the region.

“The first part of the Cowichan Valley Wine Festival is the Sunset Soiree,” said Jill Nessel, general manager of the festival.

It's happening on the grounds of Brentwood College School in Mill Bay on July 27.

“People who come to that event get to meet 13 different wine makers from the Cowichan Valley,” said Nessel.

Following that is the Wine Passport Tasting Tour taking place throughout the month of August.

“You have the entire month of August to visit each of the wineries on your own schedule and do a tasting right in the winery," said Nessel.

Both Alderlea and Unsworth vineyards will be participating, showcasing some of their wines that are now garnering a lot of attention beyond our borders.

“This region definitely has a lot of opportunity for growth I would say,” said Powell.

Tickets for the two events can be purchased at Cowichanwineries.com.