Enrico Winery

Enrico Winery sits on a 50-acre property in Mill Bay, in the Cowichan Valley about 45 minutes north of Victoria, and has become one of the standard-bearers for Vancouver Island wine. The land was purchased in 2000, with the winery completed in time for its first grape harvest in 2009, and the estate's favourable microclimate allows it to grow seven different grape varieties ranging from fruity whites to fuller-bodied reds suited to the island's maritime conditions. The Cowichan Valley's warm summers, consistent rainfall and gravelly soils have made it one of British Columbia's most exciting wine regions outside the Okanagan, and Enrico has helped prove the point: it was the first winery on Vancouver Island to win the prestigious Lieutenant Governor's Award of Excellence in British Columbia Wines, an honour earned by its Tempest Ortega in 2015, and its wines continue to collect medals across Canada and the United States. The business proudly describes itself as 100 percent local, family-owned and Canadian, with certification, lab testing and distribution all handled through BC-based organizations. Visitors will find the tasting room at 3280 Telegraph Road, currently open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 pm, pouring a portfolio that spans white, red, rose and sparkling wines. A wine club, gift selections and online shop round out the offerings, and staff are happy to help plan visits by phone or email. For travellers following the Cowichan wine route between Victoria and Nanaimo, Enrico makes a rewarding stop: an award-winning estate where you can taste island-grown varieties like Ortega alongside more familiar styles, all within sight of the vines that produced them.