No question, rain is in play on Canada’s west coast and a big reason why it’s so green and beautiful, but what makes Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley so special is best said by the First Nations Salish translation of ‘Cowichan’: warm land.

There’s a Mediterranean-like microclimate here that makes grapes (and winemakers) very happy—especially the mild, year-round average temperature that’s warmer than anywhere else in Canada.

As part of our commitment to sustainable vineyard practices, we grow varieties that are suitable for our unique climate and require the least amount of intervention. These include disease tolerant, early ripening varieties that have been developed in the coastal region, for the coastal region.

Committed to making wines that reflect the exceptional soil and growing conditions of the Cowichan Valley, winemaker Dan Wright and his team currently farm 12 acres of grape varieties at Unsworth Vineyards.