Alderlea Vineyards
Alderlea Vineyards is one of Vancouver Island’s oldest and most respected vineyards, nestled in the Cowichan Valley, near Duncan on Vancouver Island. The estate-grown grapes produce a mix of dry white wines including Bacchus, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Red wines comprise Pinot Noir, Clarinet made from old vine Marechal Foch, Merlot, and a Cabernet Foch blend known as Matrix.
Zac and Julie took over in April 2017 from Roger and Nancy Dosman whose strong vision for an island vineyard and skilled winemaking made Alderlea one of the pioneers in Vancouver Island winegrowing.
Not long after getting married, Zac and Julie began entertaining the idea of retreating from an otherwise successful corporate life and owning their own vineyard one day. Over the years, they looked at a number of vineyards on Vancouver Island and in the Okanagan, in addition to properties in France, Italy, the US, New Zealand and South America. In the end, the pull of Vancouver Island was very strong, with Zac having grown up in Port Hardy and having family on the island still.
When Zac and Julie first visited Alderlea Vineyards in the fall of 2016, they knew they had found their dream vineyard. The considerable pride, care and attention with which Roger and Nancy founded and managed the vineyard, winery and Alderlea brand were palpable.
Zac and Julie are excited to be part of the history of Alderlea Vineyards and to continue to create unique, high-quality wines that epitomise the character and beauty of the Cowichan Valley wine region.
To learn more about winery options in the Cowichan Valley, please check out Tourism Cowichan
