Unsworth Vineyards & Blue Grouse | Pizza | Pinot | Pinball |

This past week I had the pleasure and opportunity to taste the wines from both Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Unsworth Vineyards.

The event was billed as Pinot & Pizza and held at Pinhalla (a pinball pizzeria) located in downtown Victoria’s Chinatown. It was indeed a rather intriguing approach and an interesting invitation for sure. I think both the venue and the casual invitation set the scene for a memorable wine tasting event. The afternoon was fun and relaxed, even before we tucked into the array of Cowichan Wines available to taste.

The event hosted a large and slightly boisterous crowd, mostly hospitality and wine shop people, plus me, to the best of my knowledge the only “media” type there. Boy, was I glad to be there and very much appreciated the invitation.

This was a pleasant, laid-back way to be introduced to some favourites, and some new to me vintages and varietals. The friendly approach was a big hit, and so were the wines.

The format allowed for a help yourself method of tasting paired with a wide selection of delicious, piping hot pizzas. Needless to say the wines were up to the task and I enjoyed every one. Here is what I tasted:

Unsworth Charme de l’Île

Charme de l’Île is casual patio bubbles at their finest. Vancouver Island can craft exceptional sparkling wine for everyday celebration.

A vibrant blend of mostly Sauvignette and Pinot Gris, with a smattering of Pinot Noir and other cool climate grape varieties. Made in the Charmat Method of sparkling wine production, Charme is our local alternative to Prosecco. It is fruit forward on the nose and dry on the palate resulting in a quintessential island bubble!

I firmly believe every event should start with a glass of bubbles and these were the perfect start.

Soft effervescence that tingles the nose and teases the palate. I genuinely love this wine. Charme de I’lle goes with everything and makes everything it pairs with all the better. Dry with quiet fruit notes and a delicious brioche touch to finish.

Along with it’s companion Charme de I’lle Rosé you have the perfect pair to start your own soiree.

Unsworth Charme de l’Île Rosé

The rosé counterpart of our iconic Charme de l’Île is packed full of red berries fruit. It is dry on the palate and with smooth persistent bubbles. It pairs seamlessly with an array of appetizers and can be perfect as an aperitif.

The Charme de I’lle Rosé is just a bit more fruit forward with soft red berries that tantalize and tease. A very similar level of effervescence that keeps it from being too bold. It is perfectly subtle and will pair with a variety of dishes from seafood to pizza. 

Blue Grouse 2024 Chardonnay

CELLARING

100% Chardonnay grapes for this Cowichan Valley blend were hand harvested and fermented in new and used French oak barrels and puncheons, 10 months on lees, full malolactic conversion. New oak 13%.

VINEYARD

Blue Grouse Estate Vineyard, Enrico Vineyard

VINTAGE NOTES

The 2024 season started with a bit of warm weather around budbreak, weather shifted to cooler temperatures and canopy growth slowed. Warm sunny days finally came back around in late June and continued into July, not quite catching up from the cool spring, but grapes ripened enough to produce a vibrant, racy Chardonnay.

First impressions gave some scent of brioche, as it opens up some subtle oakiness, with star anise and cloves as well as stonefruit aromas. A light to medium bodied wine with a pleasant citrus finish. This wine is very nice. A lighter alcohol content of 11.5% is a plus.

Blue Grouse 2024 Rosé

This light Rosé blend is bursting with grapefruit peel, rosehip and red berries, with crisp acidity and a soft, textured finish.

CELLARING

Grapes for this blend were sourced from both estate-grown and grower vineyards across the Cowichan Valley. Each variety was harvested and fermented separately to preserve nuance and balance in the final blend. Fermentation and aging took place in a mix of stainless steel, neutral French oak barrels, and concrete tank. A portion of the wine underwent partial malolactic fermentation to enhance mouthfeel and balance the wine’s natural acidity.

VARIETALS

63% Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Gris, 12% Gamay Noir, 10% Chardonnay

VINTAGE NOTES

A cool spring in 2024 delayed bud break, followed by a similarly cool summer that brought slow, steady ripening across the Cowichan Valley. Weather shifts kept both vineyard and winery teams on their toes, making 2024 a vintage of precision and adaptability. The result is a bright, expressive rosé with lifted aromatics of grapefruit peel, rosehip, and red berries. On the palate, zesty citrus and floral notes meet a creamy texture and crisp acidity. This vintage captures the freshness and energy of the island in every glass.

Opening with stonefruit aromas that are fresh and at the same time light. This Rosé is a delicate expression of it’s inticing fruit blend with an emphasis on the citrus notes. A light and refreshing wine with an envious alcohol content of 11% which makes it so drinkable.

Blue Grouse Rosé Charme De L’Île

Made with Cowichan Valley Gamay Noir, this sparkling wine has vibrant colour, red fruit aromas, juicy flavours and a dry finish.

CELLARING

100% Vancouver Island grapes from our Blue Grouse Estate and Grower partners make up this blend of Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, and Pinot Gris. Each lot of grapes is vinified separately and selected to blend into a juicy, vibrant wine. Once the blend is made, the wine undergoes a second fermentation in stainless steel tank – the result is a sparkling wine that captures the

“Charm” of our wine growing region. A sugar dosage is added before the bottle is finished with a cork.

VINEYARD

Vancouver Island is a cool wine growing region with a short and intense season. The maritime influence form our close proximity to the Pacific Ocean helps protect vineyards from hard freezes in winter and cool during hot summer days. Our vineyard soils originate from both volcanic and ocean sediment that has further evolved through glacial fluvial activity over many millennia.

Blue Grouse 2023 Pinot Noir

Fermented in amphora and stainless steel, then matured 18 months in new and seasoned French oak barrels and puncheons.This Pinot Noir captures the nuance of Cowichan’s maritime climate and our hands-on winemaking approach. The clay amphora fermentation contributes textural depth, while the oak maturation adds structural elegance without overpowering the fruit. A wine of intrigue, this vintage balances richness with finesse — ideal now, but with aging potential ahead.

WINEMAKING

Fermented in amphorae and stainless steel before being aged for 18 months in a selection of new and neutral French oak barrels and puncheons.

VINEYARD

100% Pinot Noir –Cowichan Valley vineyards from our own Estate and valued Growers

VINTAGE NOTES

Despite a winter cold snap, our coastal climate protected the vines, leading to a normal to slightly late budbreak. Warm spring temperatures encouraged early flowering, and a hot, dry summer created ideal ripening conditions to develop flavour concentration without compromising acidity. Grapes were harvested throughout October from our estate vineyards and grower vineyards. The 2023 vintage was exceptional for Pinot Noir, producing wines with structure, vibrancy, and intriguing aromatics.

Tantalizing aromas of ripe fruit. A young wine with a clear ruby colour. The wine has a light to medium body with good acidity. A very nice wine, somewhat lean but very drinkable. I enjoyed the wine with a slice of cheese pizza. 

Unsworth 2024 Allegro

Our unique Vancouver Island white blend crafted from unique varieties to coastal British Columbia, it is Vancouver Island in a glass.

A quintessential medium bodied white made from exciting Vancouver Island grape varieties Sauvignette and Petit Milo. Allegro is our most dynamic wine for pairing with food and is sure to impress both the casual wine drinker and sommelier alike. Notes of grapefruit, key lime, and white peach complement its bright mouthfeel and generous length.

Some stonefruit aromas along with apple and some citrus notes. This is a really nice wine, crisp and lean with great acidity. Very flavourful, a dry wine that makes a good pairing for cheese and lighter fare.

Unsworth 2023 Auxerrois

With notes of white melon and red apple on the nose, gentle acidity and flavours of pear and honeycomb this wine is something of a departure from the trademark Unsworth.

Dry with round mouthfeel and ripe orchard fruit aromas. Auxerrois was once underappreciated but is now enjoying a resurgence of popularity in BC.

Opening scents of apple and citrus with some tropical notes. Fresh with pleasant floral scents. This is a light wine that is easy drinking. The wine is lean with the citrus following the nose to the palate, in a good way. Nice acidity.

Unsworth 2023 Cowichan Valley Pinot Noir

With aromas of opulent red fruit, violets, and baking spice on the nose, the palate continues to impress revealing notes of cherries, wild berries and notes of fall forest.

Bright mouthfeel and velvety tannins add to the layers of complexity.

Scents of Greengage plum and red apple. A dry wine that exhibits maximum flavour. Smooth with medium body. Rich, mellow and at the same time lean with a lengthy finish.

Unsworth 2023 Pinot Noir Unsworth Vineyard

We are exceptionally excited by our 2023 bottling from our Estate Vineyard in Mill Bay! Classic Cowichan Valley red berry fruit notes give way to a notably savoury, earthy complexity and a supple finish.

This wine opens with fresh, rich scents. The wine is smooth with medium body. The level of acidity is medium suggesting it would be an ideal pairing with Coastal fish such as ling cod or salmon.

Unsworth 2023 Pinot Noir Zanatta Vineyard

Our second bottling from Pinot Noir exclusively sourced from Zanatta Vineyard.

The fruit is sourced from a block in Zanatta Vineyard from some of the oldest Pinot Noir vines in the Cowichan Valley. Distinct woodsy and dark ripe berry fruit notes distinguish the wine style from Zanatta Vineyard.

This wine opened with scents of cranberry and dark fruits. In the mouth the richness shows itself along with ripe fruit. Smooth with medium body. Finishing with notes of tobacco, spice and a touch of black pepper. A very nice wine.

Unsworth 2023 Pinot Noir – Bohemia Vineyard

Our second bottling from Pinot Noir exclusively sourced from Bohemia Vineyard.

Planted in the early 2000’s, Unsworth Viticulturist Felix Egerer and team have been meticulously farming this site for a few years and we felt that the 2023 was a standout vintage to bottle this vineyard on its own. Distinct supple, ripe tannins and perfectly ripe cherry fruit notes lead to a polished mid-palate and long finish.

The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard of only two acres. Pleasant fruity scents open the wine. The wine continues with fruit notes on the palate. Slightly lighter with some rich notes and light to medium body with spare tannins. 

Unsworth 2023 Pinot Noir – Saison Vineyard

The pinnacle of Pinot Noir production for Unsworth.

Pinot Noir is very close to our hearts at Unsworth Vineyards. When our blending team is crafting the 2022 Pinot Noir, we selected a few highlight barrels which show the nuance, spice, length and supple tannins which we come to expect from this standout vineyard.

Interesting opening scent of fresh fields of cranberry plants, somewhat peaty aromas. Expressions of richness, very nice. slightly light and lean but developing.

Blue Grouse 2020 Traditional Cuvée

A traditional method sparkling wine with a blend of traditional varieties with Muller Thurgau frame. Versatile, well balanced and able to enhance many food pairings. Light bubbles make way for lively freshness, pink lady apple, candied pecan, apple crumble and a streak of seashore brininess.

VINEYARD Blue Grouse Estate – Lakeside and Petrolas Creek Vineyards

CELLARING

Blend Composition: 55% Müller-Thurgau, 17% Pinot Meunier, 15% Pinot Noir, 13% Chardonnay Grapes from our Estate Vineyards were harvested throughout September 2020. Gentle, whole-cluster pressings were fermented in stainless steel. After primary fermentation concluded, the base wine was blended then bottled under crown cap with the addition of a bit of yeast and sugar and allowed to ferment and aged on lees for over 4 years. This blend was disgorged in March of 2025, 4g/L dosage.

VINTAGE NOTES

2020 was slow to start with cool weather early in the season coming off a wet winter. Summer dried up a bit, but the season was cooler than average. At the end of summer, the sun came out and the days were warm, ripening a generous crop.

Opening with distinctly fresh scents like the beach, some celery, stonefruit and a bit oaky, fairly herbaceous. On the palate flavours of Chardonnay stand out. Some clay, limestone and notes of minerality.

Also tasted, the Blue Grouse Cuvée magnum:

Some slight differences between the Traditional Cuvée and the Traditional Cuvée when bottled in magnum.

Scents of brioche and stinky cheese, some oak on the nose. Light and refreshing with very good acidity. Some ripe plum on the palate. Less herbaceous than the 750 format.

BLUE GROUSE ESTATE WINERY

PHILOSPHY

At Blue Grouse, we believe wine should be a true reflection of its origin. Our approach is rooted in the Cowichan Valley, where we farm with care and intention, allowing the land to guide our process. Vancouver Island offers a wild and layered landscape, shaped by ancient seabeds, volcanic shifts, seismic activity, and glacial movement. The Mediterranean-like climate encourages slow, even ripening and helps preserve the bright natural acidity that defines our wines.

UNSWORTH VINEYARDS

Wine notes and bottle shots courtesy of the wineries. Other images MyVanCity. My notes (in italics). The wine tasting, including Pinhalla pizza was complimentary for myself and a guest.