Beaufort Vineyard And Estate Winery Newsletter 2022

Hello!

We’ve been busy at Beaufort Vineyard & Estate Winery.
Take a minute to catch up with us and hear about what’s new in 2022.

We don’t know how many times we can use the word “unprecedented” in a sentence, but it seems to be the word of the decade so far! This year was a roller coaster for sure, but we’ve made it through and are so excited for what the future has to bring. Here’s an overview of the 2022 season at Beaufort.
As always, we’re so pleased to be making delicious small batch wines from our certified organic estate vineyard and sharing them with you, our enthusiastic sippers who enjoy a good glass of local, sustainable wine with a wholesome back story to go along. Thank you for supporting organic agriculture and tasting our unique wine region.

Cheers,

The Beaufort Team

Our 2022 Winemaker’s Case is a curated selection from our cellars. In this exclusive case, you will find fan favourites, otherwise sold-out vintages, and a pre-release unavailable anywhere else! All at a discount of 20% off retail prices. For a full list and descriptions of the wines included in the case, click here. There is a limited number available, so don’t delay in reserving your case!

You can pick-up your winemaker’s case at the winery during our December openings or opt for FREE delivery within the Comox Valley and Campbell River. Shipping is available to eligible provinces (shipping fees apply).

Winemaker’s Case Order Form

List of wines included in Winemaker’s Case

In the vineyard…

The winter seemed to stretch along forever here in the Comox Valley. We monitor many things in our vineyard like soil saturation, temperatures, and frost days. With three times the usual frost days and not a day over 20°C until late June, to say this was a difficult start to the growing season is an understatement!

We planted just under an acre of Pinot Noir 114 to add to the existing clones at Beaufort (115, 82 and 828) and a small trial block of 250 Chardonnay vines in the vineyard this year. Both plantings have been establishing well, giving us lots of hope for great wines in the years to come. Vineyard plantings are a long game, as we won’t be seeing substantial harvests for a few years.

When the rains finally relented in mid-July, the vines wasted no time in trying to catch up. The long stretch of hot sunny weather boosted our Growing Degree Days and brought about a successful crop of grapes despite the shaky start to the season.

Harvests began October 5th and we’ve pulled a beautiful crop of grapes with our highest yields ever and ripe, clean fruit. Sunny warm days made for lovely harvests and laughter echoed through the vineyard as our super crew of Beaufort friends helped us get to the next step of our 2022 vintage.

In the winery…

BIG NEWS! Our 2022 vintage will be officially CERTIFIED ORGANIC! After our vineyard organic certification was completed in 2019, the next step was clearly to certify the wines (yes, it’s a different process). Freya was all prepped and ready, as she has been making the wines to organic standards for years now, but the final stamp of approval brings a culmination to years of hard work, planning and record keeping. This final step makes us the first fully certified organic winery on Vancouver Island, and we are glad to hear there are others making this commitment too!

Our third and final batch of our traditional method sparkling wine Stellaris was disgorged and released in August. The 4.5 years aging on the lees brought out some lovely quince and caramel notes to this dry bubbly. Stellaris is the perfect accompaniment to your holiday celebrations. Stock is very limited and the winery is the only place Stellaris is available for purchase, so be sure to stop by and grab a bottle or two before they are all gone!

In the Tasting Room…

Many regulars noticed a certain Irish lilt was missing from the tasting room chatter this season. Our Tasting Room Manager Katie was on maternity leave this year. Katie and her husband Cohen, our vineyard manager, welcomed a happy baby boy in June. Big cheers to their family!

While Katie is away, longtime Beaufort employee Jacinda and her tasting room dream team Maddy, Kristi and Lesley poured wines and told our stories out on the patio. The cool Spring was as much as of an impediment to outdoor tastings as it was to the grapes, but we had diehard Beaufort fans wrapped up in wool blankets out on the patio (when it wasn’t raining sideways) or tucked into our improvised tasting spots amongst the barrels in our barrel room. Once the weather turned for the better, our patio is one of the best places in the valley to sit and sip. Locals and tourists alike marvel at the spectacular views of the vineyard and the Beaufort mountain range beyond.

We were so pleased to bring back events at Beaufort Winery this year! We welcomed Merville’s own Luke Blu Guthrie for two free evening concerts. Luke’s deep and easy style of Blues fit the vineyard vibe perfectly and a great time was had by all.

We hosted our first Wine & Cheese pairing event in September in collaboration with LaLiberté Cheese Co., a local company specializing in high-quality international and domestic cheeses. Guests tasted through 5 wines with paired cheeses and enjoyed a sunny afternoon on the patio. It was delicious and generous event as guests helped us raise money for local food security non-profit LUSH Valley.

It was a great feeling to be able to host guests from all over the Island, the county and the world once again (we realized we had been a little cooped up when Saskatchewan sounded exotic!) We are planning for more concerts, events, and hopefully a food truck for the tasting room next year, so keep your eyes on our social media for announcements!

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Join us for tastings on weekends in December in our cozy tasting room. Sample our wines and choose your favourites for your holiday parties and meals. Tasting appointments can be booked through our website. While we do accept walk-ins when space allows, we recommend booking your tasting to avoid disappointment. If you can’t make it in to the tasting room, you can purchase our wines through our online store. Delivery within the Comox Valley is free! (6 bottle minimum)

Book a Tasting

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Our mailing address is:
5854 Pickering Road
Courtenay BC, V9J 1T4

250-338-1357
www.beaufortwines.ca

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2022 Winemaker’s Case

Our annual tradition of the Winemaker’s Case showcases some of the best wines of our estate’s cellars. This exclusive selection of 12 bottles for you to enjoy, share, or cellar is only available from the winery on a first come, first served basis. You’ll receive a collection of our favourites, some hard-to-find bottles, and even a pre-release not yet available for sale, all at a 20% discount off tasting room prices! Only a limited quantity is available, so don’t delay and reserve your case by filling out this short form. We will be in contact within a day or two to process payment, your case is guaranteed once payment has been received.

The Winemaker’s Case is offered at the very special price of $270.24 + tax, for a saving of 20% off tasting room prices*. Shipping IS available to eligible Canadian provinces (shipping fees apply). Pick-up at the winery during our open days in December, or opt for FREE delivery within the Comox Valley and Campbell River.

In our 2022 Winemaker’s Case, you’ll find:

1 x 2021 Borealis: A sipping favourite and the ultimate crowd pleaser, this vintage incorporates a touch of Pinot Gris into the light and floral Siegerrebe/Schonburger blend. Off-dry, with elderflower and lychee notes. A great wine to kick off an evening with friends. Serve with a roasted pepper and chili hummus for some fun back and forth between sweet and spice.

2 x 2019 Epic: Starting off bright and racy, this blend of Epicure and Ortega has taken a few years to slowly mature and develop more character in the bottle. Pear and green apple notes with a hint of honey, softer acids and a summery lemon tint. Try it with honey-miso roasted celeraic or a mild blue cheese.

1 x 2020 Ortega (Sold Out!): Proof that some good things did happen in 2020. This was Beaufort’s first vintage made with entirely estate-grown Ortega. We kept aside a few cases of this otherwise sold-out vintage for you to enjoy. The minerality and light salinity of our own terroir makes this bright and citrusy dry white wine one to savour. Enjoy a glass with pan-seared halibut with lemon and olives.

1 x 2021 Ortega: We love including different vintages of the same grape to show the changes that can come year to year in the vineyard. This 2021 Ortega is no exception. Honeydew melon notes lead the way in this light, clean and delicate 2021 Ortega. Dry and well-balanced, this is the perfect sipper to enjoy with scallops topped with an apple pan sauce.

1 x 2021 Petite Milo: This unique Island varietal has certainly captured the attention of local wine lovers. This 2021 small batch was a hit and we’ve stashed away the last few cases for our winemaker’s case. Dry and aromatic with notes of summer grass and guava. A more robust white in terms of flavour, structure and mouthfeel, this Petite Milo is a fantastic accompaniment to spicy meals, try it alongside a prawn vindaloo to give some kick to a chilly winter’s eve.

1 x 2021 Foch Nouveau: We hesitate to describe a wine as “crushable”, but if the cork fits… This light and bright red will show off some flashy colour and juicy, bouncy berry notes. The acidity makes it a fantastic meal date, washing down your grilled veggie pizza or cajun blackened turkey. Best served chilled.

1 x Cab Libre: Medium bodied and savoury – This Comox-grown Island hybrid had an extended oak-aging process that gifted some delightful coffee and tobacco notes in addition to rich cedar and tomato leaf. Drink this on a stormy evening with a roasted vegetable stew and hearty rye bread.

1 x 2019 Pinot Noir: A vibrant conversation between fruit and spice, this 2019 island-grown Pinot Noir has medium tannins supporting a union of plum and cherry notes alongside white pepper, nutmeg and a hint of pine. Aged in French oak. Allow this bottle to take you through a dinner of garlic confit chicken and into a spice cake dessert.

2 x 2019 Ça Beautage: Our flagship red blend continues along with its tradition of smooth and easy berry notes, a lovely deep hue and an earthy tone that reminds us of walking in the forest on an autumn morning. A year of aging in American oak added a lovely touch of smoke. Pair with a mushroom risotto and a good conversation.

1 x 2020 Ça Beautage (Pre-Release!): We’re keen for Beaufort fans to experience the evolution of our wines, which is why we’ve included a bottle of our 2020 Ça Beautage in an exclusive pre-release. Young gripping tannins and notes of cherry wood and red currant. Cellar for 2-4 years or open a ’19 and ’20 side by side and delve into the questions of age and wisdom.

* Sorry; no trade outs, and no other discounts apply on bottles in the winemaker’s case. Total $310.59 including taxes and deposits.

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