British Columbia wine facts for kids
British Columbia wine is a special type of Canadian wine made in the province of British Columbia. These wines are made from grapes grown right here in BC.
There are different ways to classify BC wines. The best ones, called VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance), are made entirely from BC grapes. They follow strict rules to make sure they are high quality. There's also a "Wines of Distinction" label. These wines also use 100% BC grapes, but they have slightly different rules. Some wines might even use grapes from outside BC, especially if they are labeled "Cellared in Canada."
There are different sizes of wineries in BC. The smallest ones are called "farmgate" wineries. Mid-sized ones are known as "land" wineries.
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Why BC is Great for Grapes
Even though Canada can be cold, many parts of the British Columbia Interior have a mild or dry climate. This weather is perfect for growing grapes!
The Okanagan Valley is especially famous for its high-quality wines. More and more great wineries are popping up there. Other smaller areas like the Creston Valley are also starting to make excellent wines.
Near the coast, places like the Cowichan Valley and Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island also grow grapes. The Gulf Islands and the Fraser Valley in the Lower Mainland are wine-growing regions too. People are even trying to grow grapes in other southern parts of the province.
Types of Grapes Grown
Many different types of grapes grow well in British Columbia. Here are some of the most popular ones:
For red wine and rose wine:
For white wines:
- Pinot gris
- Chardonnay
- Gewürztraminer
- Sauvignon blanc
- Pinot blanc
- Riesling
- Viognier
- Ehrenfelser
- Semillon
- Bacchus
Where Grapes are Grown
British Columbia has five official wine-growing areas. These areas are recognized by the VQA because they have unique soil and climate conditions. If a wine has the name of one of these areas on its label, at least 95% of its grapes must come from that specific place.
- Okanagan Valley
- Similkameen Valley
- Fraser Valley
- Vancouver Island (this includes the Cowichan Valley and Saanich Peninsula)
- Gulf Islands
There are also new areas that are starting to grow grapes:
- Kootenay
- Thompson/Shuswap
- Lillooet
About BC Winegrowers
The Association of British Columbia Winegrowers (ABCW) is a group for winemakers in BC. Most of the wineries in this group are small. They are often family-owned and make less than 5,000 cases of wine each year. All their wines are made from 100% BC-grown grapes. This association has 57 members, which is more than 70% of all the wineries in the province.
