Summer Visit to Blue Grouse Estate Winery

This week I had the opportunity to visit Blue Grouse in the Cowichan Valley. Such a beautiful area it is a pleasant drive of about an hour from Victoria via the Malahat.

The architecture of the estate is what initially takes your breath away. Set in an ideal location with beautiful and welcoming landscaping. You can take the stairs to the left which will end in the outdoor pizza area with seating under large umbrellas, practically sitting in the vineyard. Take the path to the right through the garden and into the Tasting Room.

We enjoyed our tasting in the Mezzanine for the Mediterranean North Food and Wine Pairing. The bites curated to match the wines. This is what we enjoyed.

Ortega 2024

Ortega has been part of Vancouver Island winegrowing since the first commercial vineyards were established in the 1980’s. Its parentage is Germanic in origin and is a cross of Muller Thurgau and Siegerrebe. Varietal Ortega wines from the Cowichan Valley are aromatic and crisp – expressions of our cooler growing region.

CELLARING

Made from 100% Ortega grown in the Cowichan Valley. This wine was fermented and aged

for 11 months in neutral French oak barrels and puncheons. No malo-lactic conversion.

VINEYARD

Blue Grouse Estate Vineyard, Enrico Vineyard

VINTAGE NOTES

The 2024 season was a cooler and wetter season through and through. Our patience was rewarded when the sun came out in the late summer, ripening Ortega before the heavier rains came in early fall. Ortega offers a lot in the way of texture but the skins can be a bit phenolic. Gentle whole-cluster pressing allows for careful extraction of flavour and aroma precursors while preventing extraction of bitterness or harsh tannin.

With alcohol at 11.5% the Ortega is very fresh with delicious fruity notes. A scent of fresh sliced peach hits the nose with a wow factor. In the mouth the wine confirms the freshness caught on the nose and mingles with the stone fruit notes with just a touch of pleasant minerality. 

This is a delightful wine that refreshes and satisfies, slightly more than light while just less than medium body the wine is just right. The wine was served at a not too coolish temperature that allowed it’s notes to come to the fore. 

Always a favourite pairing the melon which was sweet and crunchy with the salty proscuitto. This is a pairing I will be repeating throughout the summer.

$29.99 available online or at the winery

Rosé 2025

WINEMAKING

Grapes for this blend were sourced from the Cowichan Valley. Each component was harvested, fermented, and aged separately to preserve nuance and balance in the final blend. Fermentation and aging took place in a combination of concrete tank and stainless steel, with partial malolactic fermentation used to enhance texture and roundness while maintaining the wine’s freshness.

VINEYARD

Sourced from Mildenstein, Deol, and Doman Vineyards, Cowichan Valley

VINTAGE NOTES

The 2025 Rosé is a vibrant blend of 50% Gamay Noir, 40% Pinot Noir, 5% Pinot Gris, and 5% Chardonnay. It opens with inviting aromas of strawberries and orange zest. The palate is generous yet fresh, showing notes of creamy orange, peach, and fleshy Bing cherry. Subtle texture and lively acidity bring balance and energy, leading to a clean, vibrant finish that captures the charm of a coastal rosé.

The Rosé was light in both scent and body which makes it an ideal sipper when the weather turns warm. A pleasant option that is refreshing and a more subtle choice. Intensely drinkable the wine is deceiving based on your first few sips.

This is wine that you could return to again and again because it is a consistently good choice that pairs well with a wide range of bites. 

The ideal wine for this pairing of fresh mozzarella, garden tomatoes and a generous portion of fresh basil topped off with a Balsamic glaze. Such a terrific combo and another one I will be duplicating at home.

$29.99 available online or at the winery

Pinot Noir 2023

Cowichan Valley | Vancouver Island | VQA

WINEMAKING

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

VINEYARD

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

I always enjoy the Pinot Noir from Blue Grouse and this one is no exception. Lovely ripe fruit on the nose with a vibrancy that draws you in. The notes continue to the palate in a pleasant mellow mouth feel. Smooth and slightly rich with very integrated tannins leave you wanting to further explore the nuances of the wine.

The pairing for the Pinot Noir was a bit more challenging and the wine was certainly more than capable of matching the earthy mushrooms and aioli served on a slice of rustic bread.

A savoury wine that was served at a slightly coolish temperature which allowed the flavours to develop and integrate with the dish. This Pinot Noir is also ideal to enjoy on its own.

$39.99 available online and at the winery

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.

Mediterranean North Food and Wine Pairing

Food and wine pairing experience highlighting the Cowichan’s unique Maritime/Mediterranean climate classification paired with Italian inspired bites from Quattro Bambini. This seated and guided experience on our beautiful mezzanine highlights three thoughtfully curated bites paired with Blue Grouse’s classic wines. $45/person plus tax and gratuity

Signature Tasting flight at Blue Grouse