Blue Grouse Estate Winery

Over this last year I have been lucky to discover new local businesses and fun activities that I can do close to home. Last summer I learnt about the wineries in the Cowichan Valley. Growing up on the Island I never knew about all the wineries I had so close to me! I thought this year I would share some of my favourite places I discovered and hopefully you can enjoy them as well!

Today I am going to share a bit about Blue Grouse Estate Winery which is located in Duncan.

About the Winery

Blue Grouse Estate Winery sits on one of the oldest vineyards on Vancouver Island. The winery itself is the second oldest on the Island. They released their first commercial vintage in 1990.

About the Wines

Blue Grouse produces a combination of white and red wines from vines that have been growing in the Cowichan Valley for more than 25 years.

The winery produces two wine labels. The Estate range wines are made only using grapes grown on the estate. The second label, Quill, was introduced in 2014 and uses a blend of estate and non-estate grapes. As much as possible grapes are purchased from vineyards on Vancouver Island and when necessary blended with specially selected grapes from the Okanagan Valley.

An Estate traditional method sparkling wine, named ‘Paula’ was released in 2015.

Our Visit

Upon our arrival we were greeted at the door and told while our tasting wines were poured and our table set up we could take a trip upstairs to the observation deck. It is a beautiful space to appreciate the views of the Blue Grouse vineyard and understand its layout. Inside on the upper floor there is some history about the vineyard.

Once our table was set up we were taken back downstairs to start our tasting. During the cooler months there are a few indoor tables where you can cosily enjoy your wine tasting. In the summer the outdoor seating with views of the vineyard is a stunning space to sip wine on a warm day.

We got to sample 3 whites and 2 reds during out tasting. Right now many wineries are pouring your wine then you sample them after on your own. Because of the space at Blue Grouse they can still guide you through your tasting from a distance. I liked this since it gave us a chance to get more information about the wines and ask questions. Overall this was a great way to spend an afternoon!

The winery also has a few food options including Charcuterie.

If you have followed me for a while you know I love sparkling wine! The Winery does have a traditional method sparkling wine which is delicious but at this time was not a part of the tasting.

For whites we tried the Bacchus, Quill Pinot Gris and the Estate Pinot Gris. I loved how light and crisp the Bacchus tasted. It would be perfect for a hot summer day. Both of the the Pinot Gris were great. The Quill Pinot Gris is aged purple in stainless steel white the estate Pinot Gris is 70% stainless steel and 30% Oak. I usually do not like oaked wines but surprisingly liked the richer flavour of the estate Pinot Gris.

For reds we tried the Quill Pinot Noir and the Quill Q Red. Personally I preferred the Pinot Noir, it was smooth and easy to drink. The Q Red would be great on a colder day.

I hope this post inspires you to try some of the local Vancouver Island wineries! I will be sharing more of my favourite local wineries over the next few months. For me Blue Grouse stands out not just because of the tasty wines or their lovely patio, but because they also do wine slushies in the summer! They are deliciously fruity with strawberries and can be topped off with some sparkling wine. I will have to make a trip back in the summer when they start doing them!

xx Sam

Disclaimer:

The wine tasting was graciously gifted to us, opinions are my own.

Our visit happened before the changes to indoor dining in BC. Starting April 2, 2021 the winery will have outdoor seating for tastings.

Photos: Paige Owen