mmm... free wine and food!!!

There we were, Tanya and I, driving down through Cowichan Bay and as we were driving back towards the Trans-Canada Hwy., we discovered Vancouver Island Wine. This was last summer, we were touring around the various local places between Victoria and Nanaimo when we came upon Cherry Point Winery (http://www.cherrypointvineyards.com/). It is a local winery run by the Cowichan Tribes First Nations (Duncan Area) and has some of the tastiest wine I've tasted. Not that I'm a wine expert or anything, but boy is it good, especially for estate grown grapes and a local winery. The best part about the winery and the others we eventually discovered is that their tastings are free!!! Yup, free wine tastings. We also discovered Merridale Cidery on the road to Shawnigan Lake, and Marley Farms winery which makes fruit wine blends from estate grown and locally grown fruit. Yes, Marley as in Bob Marley. His cousin is the farm owner. Well, as I digress... We have gone back a few times, our last being with Gloria and Devon last September.

Our first trip back this spring, we ventured out a couple weekends ago and ended up buying a case of wine. Some Pinot Gris (estate), Coastal Red and Coastal White (both of which are a composite of estate grapes and imported Okanagan grapes). Their award winning Gewurtztraminer wine was sold out and their new stock wasn't going to be available until after Mother's Day. However, seeing as how we purchased a case, they invited us to their special 2006 wine tasting event at which time they unveil their new vintages but only for their case members. So, we got a free pass for three people and after wrangling a co-worker, ventured back to Cherry Point Winery this past Sunday to taste buy and taste and buy and eat!!

We got there around 2pm (started at 1pm) and were shocked to see at least a couple hundred people there. We assumed maybe 50 or so, but wow... Cherry Point Winery is huge!!!

We got in line and it was awesome. First they sampled their white wines with various types of fish, oysters, and mussels, then the red wines with pulled beef, cheeses, roasted vegetables, pita, humous, roasted pig, pasta, and with their special Blackberry Port, they served it in Bernard Calebaut chocolate cups. Did I mention the wine was pretty much all you can drink and the food was all you can eat and it was all free!!!!

Oh, and we also ended up bumping into an old High School friend by the name of Richie Overgaard. He was there doing the same thing... tasting and buying. And we also agreed that Gloria would have to move back to Vancouver to help Jeremy plan our 10 year high school reunion.

So if anyone out there ever visits Vancouver Island, I highly recommend Cherry Point Winery in Cowichan Bay.

Cheers!!