Drink local: April marks BC Wine Month, giving people a chance to learn about the liquid from the ground up

Spring is bud break in the province’s vineyards

SPRING IS BUD break in B.C. vineyards, and April is officially BC Wine Month. Now in its fourth year, the provincial-government proclamation encourages people to support local.

B.C. has nine wine regions, from Vancouver Island to the Thomson Valley, and four sub-regions. The province is home to 929 vineyards, with more than 400 independent grape-growers and 280 licensed grape wineries. The sector employs some 12,000 people and contributes $2.8 billion in provincial economic growth annually.

To celebrate this year, Wine Growers British Columbia (formerly British Columbia Wine Institute) has launched a campaign called A Year in the Life. Its goal is to give wine lovers a glimpse of everything that goes into a bottle, literally starting from the ground up, through the seasons.

The Wines of BC Explorer App is a way to discover new B.C. releases and stay up to date on virtual or in-person winery experiences throughout the province.

For more information or to enter A Year in the Life contest for a three-day BC wine adventure for two, visit Wine Growers BC.

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Gail Johnson

Gail Johnson is cofounder of Stir. She is a Vancouver-based journalist who has earned local and national nominations and awards for her work. She is a certified Gladue Report writer via Indigenous Perspectives Society in partnership with Royal Roads University and is a member of a judging panel for top Vancouver restaurants.

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