Unsworth Vineyards

We noted a unique rhythm and set of values throughout the time spent before, during and after the shoot. The Cowichan has drawn people from far and wide interested in living more sustainably. When you add all that to the region's propensity for mixed agriculture, mixed farms, artisanal foods and warmish winters, some would suggest it is more like Italy's coastal Mediterranean lands than anything in the rest of Canada.

However you describe the vibe of the Cowichan, it certainly caught the eye of two well-known California wine women. Julia Jackson and Barbara Banke, who personally purchased Unsworth Vineyards in 2020, stated they wanted "to be part of an amazing wine-growing community that has a chance to be one of the best in the world." Banke said, "We like the freshness of the wines and the liveliness in the pinot, especially." It's no secret the pair are part of the ownership group that manages the global Jackson Family Wines, and American wine giant Kendall Jackson, so shining light of that intensity on this tiny coastal community means its story is only beginning.

What the Jacksons liked most about the region was "the sense of the community and how close everyone is and how they share best practices and hang out together. It will be exciting to be a part of that community and where they think it will evolve."

Well, it is evolving. Our series begins at a sixty-acre plot that will soon be home to the most significant single planting of vines on Vancouver Island. But, more importantly, it's focused on pinot and chardonnay. It will be exciting to see how it all unfolds in the next decade, but that said, die has been cast for a while by the Turyks and a small group of locals that pioneered and uncovered this jewel of a wine region. We invite you to watch all three episodes of the Unsworth story past, present and future,. 

To learn more about Unsworth Vineyards, visit unsworthvineyards.com