
Morning Bay Vineyards Pender Island
British Columbia's Gulf Islands
Off Canada's West Coast lie the Gulf Islands, they are comprised of about one hundred islands spread between Vancouver Island and the southern British Columbia mainland.
Thirteen of the islands are large enough to support homes and cottages. Saturna, Salt Spring, Quadra, Pender and Hornby Islands have wineries.
The Gulf Islands enjoy less than 30 inches of rain per year. Lying southwest of the Strait of Georgia, along the coast of Vancouver Island between Campbell River to the north and Victoria to the south, this necklace of islands is surrounded by sheltered waters, strong tides, and dramatic coastlines.
Saturna Island
The second largest of the Gulf Islands with the least population.
Saturna Vineyard
P.O. Box 54, 8 Quarry Road
Saturna Island, BC V0N 2Y0
(250) 539-5139 or (250) 539-3521
Toll Free: 1-877-918-3388
wine@saturnavineyards.com
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In 1997 Saturna became the first winery in the Gulf Islands;
owned by Lawrence and Robyn Page.
There are sixty acres of vines under cultivation in four designated vineyards, which makes Saturna Island Vineyards one of the largest estate vineyard and winery operations in the Province. Vineyards are situated on a bench of land nestled between the waters of the Pacific and a magnificent soaring sandstone and granite cliff face on the south side of the island.
There are four vineyards that comprise the 60 acre site. These are Rebecca, Robyn, Longfield, and Falconridge. Each one was established in different years, beginning in 1995 with the entire property completed in spring, 2000.
signature wines:
Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and limited quantity Gewürztraminer
Winemaker: Daniel Lagnaz
Philosophy: embrace the terroir of Saturna Island and to produce outstanding, fresh, clean, bright wines suited to our local seafood. Our wines are light in alcohol and bright with acidity
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Salt Spring Island
Largest and most populated of the Canadian Gulf Islands, 17 miles long x 9 miles wide. Salt Spring lies in the sheltered waters off the east coast of Vancouver Island, midway between Victoria and Vancouver BC. Salt Spring is accessible by three ferry routes and three scheduled airlines from Vancouver. Ganges is the primary village on Salt Spring and the location of most shops, stores, galleries and services.
Garry Oaks Winery
1880 Fulford-Ganges Road
Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 2A5
250-653-4678
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In 1999, Marcel Mercier and Elaine Kozak left the corporate world to turn their love of the country and good wine into a way of life. They purchased a hundred-year old farm on Salt Spring Island and began the long process of converting it from sheep-grazing to wine-growing vineyard. There were 10 acres planted in the year 2000.
Garry Oaks seeks to produce premium wines of character and complexity that are an expression of this unique Gulf Island site, and its winemaker's talents.
While drawing on long-established traditions, Garry Oaks also explores new directions in winemaking. Garry Oaks grows grape varieties such as Zweigelt and Leon Millot and is the first winery** in the province to age wine in Garry oak (Oregon White Oak) barrels.
Garry oaks, Quercus Garryana, also known as Oregon White Oak, is a species of oak unique to the Pacific Northwest region of North America including Vancouver Island
Their first release May 2003, Gewürztraminer 2002, Pinot Noir 2001, Pinot Gris 2002 and Labyrinth 2002
Winemaker: Ross Mirko & Elaine Kozak
Philosophy:
The essence of our wine growing philosophy is balance and harmony. We practice a total ecological approach, managing all of the elements in the vineyard, including the soil, water and vine canopy to ensure that they work together to optimize the ripeness of the fruit, minimize pests and disease, and enhance the beauty of the site. In the winery, we seek to produce wines of character and complexity that are classic in style, but offer something a bit different -- wines that blend tradition and adventure.
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Salt Spring Island Vineyard
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A well designed winery with beautiful vineyards and beautifully designed gardens located on the hillside over looking
Fulton Valley. Owners Bill Harkley and Janice (Shpak) Harkley fulfilled their dream by opening their organic winery in 2002.
The winery produces Kerner, Schonberger, Agria, Zweigelt
and other cool climate wines, it has a very distinctive label on its bottles. "Eartha", the earth goddess was chosen to be their label
Winemaker: Paul Troop
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Pender Island
Pender Island is located in the Gulf of Georgia, just north of the American San Juan Islands, and in between Vancouver on the mainland and Sidney and Victoria on Vancouver Island. The largest Southern Gulf Islands are comprised of Galiano Island, Mayne Island, Saturna Island, Salt Spring Island and the Pender Islands. These islands are accessible by ferries from both Vancouver (Tsawwassen) and Sidney (Swartz Bay). Airlines also service these islands.
The Pender Islands are made up of North and South Pender Island and are separated by a dredged narrow canal, linked by a one lane bridge. The canal was dredged in the early 1900's to enable the ferry to travel from Hope Bay on the Pender Islands to Victoria, thus avoiding the treacherous waters off the south point and trimming hours from the trip.
Morning Bay Vineyards
6621 Harbour Hill Road
North Pender Island BC V0N 2M1
250-629-8351
keith@morningbay.ca
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Keith Watt a former radio personality from Winnipeg
bought this rocky, steep 25 acre property in 1992 and spent most of the next decade deciding what to call it.
Living on an east-facing ocean front valley, and seeing 365 sunrises per year it became Morning Bay. The winery is owned by Keith and his wife Barbara Reid
They view Morning Bay as being a small vineyard with hand made wines. Gaining experience by working at Saturna Island Winery. Starting in 2001, Morning Bay Vineyard took 18 months to build. We had to clear a steep rocky slope, cut terraces, dig a 1-million gallon pond, build trellis and plant vines. By the Fall of 2002, 6000 vines were planted in two blocks, on on a steep, south-facing hillside, and another on an east-facing ocean front hillside.
Morning Bay believes, they are the only ocean front vineyard in North America. Their gravity-flow winery provides state-of-the-art wine-making conditions, with a perfect cellar temperature and conditions for moving wine with the minimum of disturbance.
Tours take place during the summer on Thursday and Saturday. The Farm Vine and Wine tour involves a 90 minute adventure with one of the winery owners, then a guided tasting of our wines paired with local foods
Winemaker: Tilman Hainle
Philosophy:
We make hand-made wines that are bold and expressive stylistically. We produce single-vineyard releases from prime growers in the Okanagan Valley and from our own 6-acre Island vineyard.
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Thetis Island
The smallest and least populated of the Gulf Islands only 4 square acres and 350 residents
Thetis Island Winery
90 Pilkey Point Road
Thetis Island BC V0R 2Y0
(250) 246-2258
csparkes@uniserv.com
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Owned and operated by Colin Sparks and his wife Carola. Colin was born in London, England but moved to Germany where he met Carola. After traveling to France, US and Canada they liked the life style on Canada's west coast and decided to start their new business adventure on Thetis Island.
They bought a small waterfront resort called Cedar Beach establishing a 10 acre vineyard further inland. The first planting was in 2002 and is one of only two wineries growing Pinotage
Winemaker: Colin Sparks
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The Island has about 900 residents.
Hornby Island also has more parks than any other Gulf Island including Helliwell Provincial Park, Big Tribune Provincial Park, Mount Geoffrey Regional Park and Fords Cove Marina.
Hornby Island Winery
7000 Anderson Drive
Hornby Island BC V0R 1Z0
(250) 335-3019
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Owned and operated by John Grayson who fulfilled a dream and a passion by starting his own winery The farm which he bought in 1999 has 19 acres on the south side of the island. There is very little rain here which makes it an almost desert-like climate. Currently the winery is producing only fruit wines, future plans call for Pinot Gris and Leon Millot
Winemaker: Ron Taylor
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Carbrea Vineyard
1885 Central Road
Hornby Island, BC V0R1Z0
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Owned and operated by Suzie and Stephen Bishop, it was a dream of Stephen to have a winery.
Stephen and Suzie grew up on the Island before leaving to pursue their careers. They returned in 1990
when the opportunity presented itself to purchase some
agriculture land they could not resist.
The 4 acre vineyard was planted in 2002 and 2003. A
selection of cool-climate varietals is grown here; Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Agria.
The tasting room opened in 2006
Carbrea is planning to attain 100% estate grown grapes for their wines which will include planting another 3 acres to augment the current 4 acres. The winery is named after their two young daughters
Carlyn and Breanna.
Signature wine: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer -
Blackberry Dessert Wine
Winemaker: Stephen Bishop
Philosophy: Producing small batches of handmade, quality wine using local fruit
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