It’s not every day that one of the world’s largest wine firms sets up shop in a small wine region in Canada. That wine region was not the Okanagan Valley or Niagara, two of Canada’s prestigious wine areas.
Instead Jackson Family Wines, owners of one of the finest collections of wineries in the world and a leader in sustainable practices set up shop in the quaint Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. And the winery they chose was a small family-owned winery, Unsworth Vineyards.
Last week I explored with the help of Unsworth tasting room manager Karen, four of their wines: The two bubblies, Charme de l'île Rosé and Cuvée de l'île, as well as their award-winning 2020 Chardonnay and their tasty 2020 Pinot Gris.
Today I explore more of Unsworth’s fine wines of distinction.
Unsworth 2021 Rosé ($26.90)
One of the most popular Unsworth wines, with 91 points from Wine Align. Add sunshine to any season with this dry rosé with wild strawberry and cranberry aromas and Rainer cherries on the palate along with rhubarb and apple. The colour is kept low to keep the tannins really low which keeps it smooth and the sugars low. Superb with salmon or halibut and delicious with salads, young cheese, or charcuterie.
Unsworth 2020 Pinot Noir ($38.90)
It's Unsworth’s flagship wine and the workhorse of their varieties. They craft sparkling wines and rosé from it but they save the best fruit for this wine that is picked from the best hillside blocks of the estate vineyard. Anthony Gismondi awarded it 92 points. It is aged in 10 per cent new French oak and is a light and vibrant expression of Vancouver Island Pinot Noir.
Enjoy the aromas of dark cherry, strawberry, and subtle baking spice with flavours of wild berries, forest floor, and cherries. Think rack of lamb, duck, or pork to pair with this red.
Unsworth 2020 Gamay Pinot Noir ($26.90)
Currently out of stock. A light and delicate red field blend of Cowichan Valley Gamay and Pinot Noir in a Beaujolais style.
Expect cherry, rhubarb, and white pepper aromas with wild berry and cassis flavours. A medium-bodied red, great with charcuterie, pizza and BBQ. The winery recommends serving it with unpasteurized Dutch Gouda-style Nailsea cheese from the local Haltwhistle Cheese Company.
Unsworth Ovation ($24.90)
And now for a standing ovation! A sweet treat in a Port-style wine. Chris Turyk describes it as a “hybrid Sangiovese.” Crimson red, rich, smooth, and balanced. It’s a blend of 10 plus years of estate-grown Marechal Foch aged in a Solera method.
The grapes are then fortified to 19 per cent with grape spirit from the Arbutus distillery in Nanaimo. Ovation is complex with vanilla, candy cherry, caramel, coffee, cocoa and raisin. There’s freshness and fruitiness of youth with the complexity of maturity.
Ovation is best served chilled and with dark chocolate, blue cheese, or poured over ice cream. Yum!
The tasting room is open Monday and Tuesday from 12 to 4 p.m. and Wednesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are a variety of tastings you can choose from:
Signature Tasting ($12 per guest) allows you to enjoy five classic wines.
Collector Tasting ($20 per guest) samples a flight of five-premium limited-production Unsworth wines with a guided education of the Cowichan Valley, history, and wines. This tasting will resume in Spring 2023 with the new releases.
Wine and Cheese Pairing ($25 per guest) Enjoy three handcrafted cheeses paired with three Unsworth wines along with crackers and accoutrements.
Guided Tour & Tasting ($25 per guest) Tour the vineyards and grounds with one of Unsworth’s wine ambassadors. Discover the history, growing practices, terroir, and winemaking methods and sample five wines. Available Fridays and Saturdays between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Winemaker’s Tour ($75 per guest) Experience an intimate tour and in-depth education into Unsworth’s winery and vineyards with winemaker Dan Wright. A premium limited production wine tasting follows. Available weekdays by request.
For online sales, Wine Club and Unsworth Restaurant information visit unsworthvineyards.com.
