fruit wines-Van island- canada

[stovetop]

The convergence is happening on Vancouver Island this year- The Artisans are breaking out of the home kitchen and hundred of years of Canadian food Culture are being brought out to the Consumer. It is not only the convergence on Vancouver Island when it come to food but there is a huge growth in fruit wines, ciders, and meads in all of Canada and the Tourism and Local Agricultures are moving with the times. Many Canadian born and European trained chefs are also calling the Island home. Markets are bursting out with produce and food and arts and crafts. The big stores are not fulfilling any of our desires and are stuck in the past. The farmers and consumer are in a dance- tangoing across the pages but no big media is really there. They are touching the edges but when you go to all the great markets around Western Canada you see all the small producers moving forward without the help of the big five-We are here and now.

The Governments in all provinces in Canada are letting go of their old ways and letting the creative loose. The desire for local and fresh food and drink based on old tried and true recipes and pre prohibition days.

We have been making variations of fruit instilled concoctions for hundreds of years. The home wine maker has been busy and now they are let loose to fulfill our greatest wine fantasies. The wineries, bakeries, cheeses and food around Vancouver island is amazing, it is a food lovers dream; for me it is my convergence of years of work and research to finally get to live in the Cowichan valley, Duncan to be exact. I will be one of the chefs at a Pub called Blackberries opening around nov-dec on Beverley Corners in Duncan. There is also a liquor store that will focus on local brew and wine and will have the biggest floor fridge around – get this it is around a hundred feet long and is like 13 doors on it, very big.

Here is some links and WebPages to some amazing product like Thetis Island Blackberry port 2004- it has a really rich and desired aftertaste; smooth-rich-dry-and love those legs.

Ladysmith, Duncan, Cowichan Bay, Cowichan Lake, Salt Spring, The whole inside Passage, The Sanich Peninsula, the Malahat, Victoria and the whole West Coast. This whole area is overfilling with food and drink. It is just beginning- over the next ten years it will be overflowing with food.

http://pages.prodigy.net/sharonlance/ black diamond

plum- rhubarb-logon-strawberry-red current

http://www.wellbrookwinery.com/ -delta-fruit

http://www.westhamislandwinery.com/ delta- fruit

http://www.drinkfocus.com/apple-cider/history-of-cider.php

http://www.elephantislandwine.com/ naramata fruit

http://www.thefortwineco.com Langley fruit

http://www.blueheronwinery.ca/ pitt meadows fruit

http://www.bbwinery.com/ Cache creek fruit

http://eastkelownacidercompany.com/index.htm kelowna cider

http://www.hornbywine.com/ Hornby island fruit

http://www.middlemountainmead.com/ Hornby island dmead

http://www.k-l-o.com/ kelowna cider

http://www.silversagewinery.com/ Oliver raspberry

http://www.spillerestates.com/ Penticton fruit

http://www.thetisislandvineyards.com/ thetis island blackberry port

Rocky creek-Ladysmith

Malahat Estate Vineyard- Malahat

Glenterra Vineyards- Cobble hill

Victoria Estate Winery- Brentwood bay

Chateau wolf- Nanaimo

http://www.gbvineyards.com/

http://www.hornbywines.com/

http://www.marleyfarm.ca/index.cfm

http://www.churchandstatewines.com/index.php

http://www.winchestercellars.com/

http://www.morningbay.ca/events.php

http://www.echovalley-vineyards.com/

http://www.saltspringvineyards.com

http://www.merridalecider.com/

http://www.saturnavineyards.com/

http://www.averillcreek.ca/index.shtml

http://www.bluegrousevineyards.com/

http://www.chaletestatevineyard.ca/

http://www.chaseandwarren.ca/

http://www.cherrypointvineyards.com/

http://www.zanatta.ca/

http://www.venturischulze.com/

steve

[annanstee]

Those interested in fruit wine might also like to check out Forbidden Fruit near Cawston. They make an interesting asian pear dessert wine.

[*Deborah*]

I got some Crab Apple wine as a gift, I haven't tried it yet. Do you normally drink it with dessert?

[stovetop]

Quebec

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto.../TPStory/Travel

http://www.cidreduquebec.com/Historique_ang.htm

http://www.duminot.com/

http://www.cidrerie-michel-jodoin.qc.ca/site/project.htm

http://www.lacidrerieduvillage.qc.ca/

http://www.cidredeglace.com/index_fr.html

http://www.icecider.com/en/index.html

The Prairies

http://www.ddleobardwinery.com/

http://www.virtualsk.com/current_issue/battle_river_red.html

http://www.roamingriver.ca/wine.html

Banach Winery- North battleford

Aspen grove winery

Edited October 6, 2006 by stovetop (log)

[stovetop]

It can stand on its own

each has its own character

steve

[Sam Salmon]

Thanks Very Much for the fabulous post Steve!

Been seeing a bit more Fruit Wine here 'n there of late and am So Happy to see so much happening across the province/country.

From Bonaparte Bend Winery

Top quality fruit wines are quite difficult and expensive to make. Why? Because the cost per pound for the fruit is higher than grapes and the final yield is lower.

Never knew that m'self!

A pilot testing project at the University of Guelph has turned up some interesting results that link wines made from fruit other than grapes with positive health benefits. Although more in-depth studies are currently underway, fruit wines may be a wonderful way to enjoy the effects of plant derived anti-oxidants found in most fruits.

Celebrate!!!!

[Sam Salmon]

Continuing in a locally produced alcohol theme-

This new distillery in Vernon using Okanagan fruit to produce some intriguing sounding products.

Another distillery on Thetis Island

[annanstee]

I got some Crab Apple wine as a gift, I haven't tried it yet. Do you normally drink it with dessert?

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Most producers seem to produce both "table" wines and dessert wines. If it is in a standard wine bottle- I would probably drink it on its own. If in a dessert bottle, you could try matching it to a dessert.