The end of summer on the idyllic island of Vancouver Island, British Columbia was just perfect for a wine adventure. Over the years, I have visited Vancouver Island a number of times to check out the island's wine vibes. After we explored Vancouver Island wineries near Victoria, we headed to Comox Valley for the Labor Day Weekend. 40 Knots Winery was our Labor Day weekend wine outing. You might ask why continue exploring wineries when I have visited so many already. I not only love a wine adventure to a new winery but also, learning what is special about Comox Valley's 40 Knots Winery.
Welcome to 40 Knots Winery, Comox Valley
40 Knots, one of the larger wineries on Vancouver Island, is located in the Comox Valley near the Salish Sea. The winery was initially owned by a Greek restaurateur, and later a tugboat captain unsuccessfully tried farming before converting the land to vineyards in 2006. The current owners, Brenda and Layne, purchased the property in July 2014, and expanded the vineyard to nearly 20 acres. The winery offers tastings, classes, and more. It is a very welcoming place where you can picnic on the vineyard terrace, patio, or balcony.
The winery’s name, 40 Knots, is an ode to its marine history, and it is also the stall speed of a bush plane. Owner Layne is a pilot and was researching this topic when he happened upon the listing for this winery. The present owners impulsively decided to buy the vineyard, despite having no prior entrepreneurial, or winery experience. Today 40 Knots is a sustainable business, which is committed to limiting waste, using recycle and repurpose bins, and eliminating any environmental threats or hazards.
Welcome to 40 Knots Winery © Spaswinefood
Given the success of 40 Knots Winery, they have recently expanded to also producing cider from their on-site apple orchard. 40 Knots also makes a skincare brand called VinoSpa (organic, vegan, cruelty-free, and made with sustainable ingredients) utilizing the signature ingredient, the Pinot Noir grape. This red wine grape contains naturally occurring resveratrol and polyphenols, which are known for its antioxidant properties.
Wine Time and Explorations at 40 Knots Winery
Whether you’re looking for wine, cider, or a vino-therapy skincare product, 40 Knots is a winery with it all on Vancouver Island. I came primarily to learn about its wines. They produce sparkling wines, white wines, rosé wines, white and red wines, and sweet wines. We began with a sparkling wines followed by a selection of other wines. Here are some of the wines we tasted:
40 Knots, Soleil Rosé Extra Brut
After the wine tasting I explored a little. We took a stroll along their interpretive trail.
I managed to spot some Schönburger vines during my walkabout. For example, Home Block Row 4, Schoenberger 2012, and Home Block Row 26, Schoenberger 2013, indicated to me that this grape was planted on the estate in 2012 and 2013. The Schonburger grape, a hybrid grape (crossing of Pirovano 1 and Pinot Noir), originated Germany in 1979. It was created as a disease-resistant and cold-hardy variety. The result was a light red (almost pink), thick-skinned grape with low acidity. It was used to make light wines with floral aromas and a small amount of residual sweetness. While the grape originated in Germany, today it is more widely cultivated in England where it is use to make sparkling and still wines. It is still grown in Rheinhessen Pfalz, and Baden regions, Germany to make light wines with an off-dry style. It is also grown in western Oregon, Washington state, Canada and Tasmania where the wine typically has more body, is supple, and is vinified more often into a white wine than a light red.
I also spotted some Pinot Gris vines. North Block Row 2 Pinot Gris 2012 again indicted to me it was planted on the estate in 2012. Pinot Gris (aka Pinot Grigio), a pinkish grape mutation of Pinot Noir, is famous for zesty white wines however, it can also create fuller-bodied white wines, and be used for rosé. Northern Italy, Alsace, Oregon, and Germany are where it is widely cultivated.
Comox Valley Wineries, Vancouver Island
If you have heard of British Columbia wines, it is likely the Okanagan Valley, the region that put the Canadian province on the map, It is to British Columbia what Napa Valley is to California, but it is not the only wine region in BC. Today, winelovers can explore the unique terroir and award-winning wines on Vancouver Island. Winemaking began here in the 1920s, with fruit wine made from local berries, a traditional that endures however, not only fruit wine but honey wine (mead), still wine, and sparkling wine. It the1980's a provincial government research project, identified grape varietals that could thrive in this maritime climate (mostly hardy hybrid grapes). Today there are around 30 wineries, from the Comox Valley on the northeast coast down to the southern tip. Most are boutique-sized estates with grapes grown and wine made on site. Most are also family-run enterprises, offering tours and tastings only seasonally (June to September). For further info see Comox Valley wineries and distilliers.
Just in case you may wonder where Vancouver Island wineries fit within Canada’s viticultural picture. In this case Canada has two appellations, namely Ontario and British Columbia. British Columbia's appellation has four "designated viticultural areas" (DVA's). These DVA's include Okanagan Valley, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and Similkameen Valley. Both provinces participate in a Vitners Quality Allicance (VQA), an appellation of origin that is modeled after the European system. In this case a Vancouver Island VQA would certify a wine is from this region and meets the quality standards.
Getting to Comox Valley, Vancouver Island
Sharon
Comox Valley, Vancouver Island
British Columbia
