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Ronda Payne
Blue Grouse Estate Winery
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Ronda Payne
Bailey Williamson and his dog Vinny
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Ronda Payne
Pouring wine in the Blue Grouse tasting room.
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Ronda Payne
Bottle Room
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Ronda Payne
Wine Tanks
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Ronda Payne
Blue Grouse Pond
Positioned on a sunny slope in Duncan, B.C., the people behind Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Vineyard made use of elements created by those who owned the land before and created an environmentally conscientious, delicious destination.
According to Blue Grouse winemaker Bailey Williamson, back in the late 70s, John Harper received funding from the Ministry of Agriculture to do grape vine testing on the seven-acre site. He planted approximately 150 different types of vines to see what would flourish in the damp island climate.
Come the 80s, the Cowichan Valley was taking hold as a micro-growing region for wine grapes and Dr. Hans Kiltz purchased the farm. After 10 years since the initial plantings, it became obvious what varieties were thriving and what was dying. He rejuvenated the plantings and by the early 90s was licensed to sell wine from the site, but it was a far cry from the typical vineyard experience enthusiasts and tourists seek out.
With grapes ideal for the climate, Kiltz installed a 2,000 liter stainless steel tank and started creating Blue Grouse wine in earnest. It was July of 2012 when Kiltz ended his time with the vineyard and Paul Brunner bought the property with visions of creating a tourism destination.
“Ultimately, at the end of the day, we aren’t a wine region, but a tourism region,” Williamson said of the challenges of wineries in the Cowichan area. “We aren’t an Italy or a France. We have an amazingly beautiful recreational component that allows us to offer the whole suite of enjoyment.”
This part of Vancouver Island features wine, golf, fishing, restaurants and other tourist activities and as Williamson explains, wine sales are driven by the whole spectrum of activities.
“Someone sells our wine at a restaurant in Victoria then they [guests] come up here,” he explained. “We entertain them as our guests here, then they go home and we ship our wine to them.”
More than establishing a tourist destination, the ultimate goal for the Brunners is to create a sustainable winery people can be proud of.
“Many times, Paul the owner has said, ‘We’re not the owners, we are the stewards of this land’,” Williamson noted.
This desire to be green took many forms when the renovations were in planning stages. Not only did the building need to be aesthetically attractive, but it also needed to be efficient and as green as possible.
This began by making use of the stainless tank Kiltz had installed as well as his original production area.
“This was part of the original winery,” commented Williamson. “We basically enveloped it.”
Upon entering the parking area a beautiful pond greats guests, but this is more than an attractive water feature.
“The pond out front, we have geothermal loops to heat and cool this whole building,” Williamson said. Pond water can also be used for fire suppression by the local fire department.
Rain water from the roof is diverted to the pond to ensure an adequate level and vast riparian areas are maintained to preserve the natural environment.
“That’s what Paul’s vision is, is keeping things natural,” Williamson added.
Three phase power runs the European equipment that produces the two Blue Grouse product lines: Blue Grouse Estate wines are made entirely from on-site grapes while the Quill line allows Williamson flexibility in his winemaking by making use of other B.C. grapes.
Making use of what was already on site may have been a challenge, but it was one that paid off for Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Vineyard.■
