Alderlea Vineyards — Attraction in North Cowichan

This first rate and award winning local winery run by a husband and wife team who have dedicated themselves to learning the craft from home garage to full production winery including trips to vineyards around the world is worth a visit. The tasting room is by appointment when not regular season. The visit is worth the trip and the wine is worth the price. One of my favourite localy wine producers who pride themselves in local services and local hires as needed. Do yourself a favour and stop by and if you are not sure, pick up a bottle or order a case for delivery, you won't regret doing so.

Attached is a picture of one of my favourites brought home to pair with a...

Visited for the first time in August 2025 as part of the Cowichan Valley Wine Festival. It was a wonderful experience! We were met by the owners/wine makers outside the tasting room, where they gave us a mini-history of the vineyard before we headed in. Julie brought us through a tasting, teaching us about the winemaking process and the grapes they grow. I highly recommend the Contraband red, which was truly a stand out - although, to be clear, all the wines were lovely. Julie and Zac have put so much thought and expertise into their winemaking, and it shows! We will definitely we buying more Alderlea wines and sharing with...

I love visiting Alderlea because it’s refreshingly unpretentious—no swirling your glass with pinkies up required. Julie not only knows her wine, she’ll happily share the kind of food pairing tips that make you look far more sophisticated than you actually are at dinner parties.

Valerie is my absolute favourite white wine, and yes, I buy it by the case… not because I’m a wine hoarder, but because it deserves to be enjoyed all year long (sparingly, of course… most of the time).

Alderlea: great wine, zero snobbery, and plenty of reasons...