#ShiptoSip with Blue Grouse Estate Winery

We welcome Blue Grouse to our #ShiptoSip group of participating wineries. Blue Grouse is also offering shipping incentives and discounts.

Wine lovers can order their wines online and get them delivered to their doorstep for free when ordering 6 bottles or more. Enjoy a special discount on Q Quill White. Cases are 25% off now.

QUILL GAMAY NOIR 2018

Gamay Noir 100% | Vancouver Island – Cowichan Valley

Vineyard Notes

The growing season started wet and cool, with a delayed bud burst. However, this was followed by plenty of sun for flowering and July had enough days over 30°C to make for good grape development. Veraison occurred in late August and harvest took place in October making for excellent phenolic development.

Winemaker’s Notes

Fermentation was completed in 10 days after two days of cold soaking the must. The wine was pressed to tank, settled and then transferred to neutral French oak barrels to commence malolactic fermentation. It was aged for 10 months in barrel before aging a further 6 months in tank.

Profile & Food Pairing

This wine is fresh and lively, sporting aromas of black currant, cherry and red plum. On the palate, it is light and juicy with moderate to low tannins. For winter and early spring we recommend you serve this wine at room temperature with roast chicken or charcuterie. In summer serve it slightly chilled with lighter fare such as grilled fish and vegetables.

QUILL Q WHITE

Pinot Gris 32% | Cowichan Valley 

Schönburger 30% | Comox/Cowichan Valley 

Gewürztraminer 24% | Cowichan Valley 

Siegerrebe 14% | Cowichan Valley 

Winemaker’s Notes 

Each lot of wine for this assemblage was fermented separately, allowing enough time to construct just the right flavour profile to ensure it would possess both aromatics and vibrancy. In order to maintain freshness, malolactic fermentation did not occur. 

Profile 

A food-friendly Vancouver Island blend, this lovely wine exhibits notes of orange blossom, peach and lemon zest. 

Food Pairing 

Unpretentious, this easy-going wine wants to be loved with seafood or on its own. 

Classic wines from established vines

Blue Grouse Estate is comprised of 65 acres tucked away on a sunny Vancouver Island slope in the Cowichan Valley, named from a Salishan First Nations word meaning “the warm land”.

The warm, dry summers and mild, moist winters make the Cowichan Valley Canada’s only “cool” maritime Mediterranean climate. The Valley records sufficient growing ‘degree days’ during the Spring and Summer which provides good conditions for many vitis vinifera grape varietals that bud late and ripen early. The influence of global warming appears to be influencing the ripening prospects for grape growing, but varietal and site selection, combined with our vineyard management practices, remain critical to our success.

Tasting notes, bottle shots and image courtesy of the winery.

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