Gourmet Tour: Vancouver's Culinary Allure

OVERVIEW

Enjoy an extraordinary lunch thoughtfully paired with wines at a family-owned vineyard in the heart of the fertile Cowichan Valley. As an introduction to Vancouver Island, you will drive through an old-growth rainforest to the Malahat viewpoint, where you will gaze out over the Salish Sea and distant mountain peaks. The setting for Unsworth Vineyard is equally spectacular as it sits among rolling hills in a valley that has been celebrated as Canada’s Provence. Its coastal terroir is ideal for producing vibrant balanced wines as you will discover while enjoying them along with seasonal small-plate offerings. You might begin with a chilled salad roll delicately filled with raw scallop and lemon emulsion that complements the crisp minerality of a Pinot Gris. Another plate might feature beet-cured steelhead adorned with yuzu-green chili crema and trout roe. The plum-glazed duck is usually paired with an elegant Pinot Noir, while the Italian lonza pork goes well with a Gamay Noir.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dine at a family-owned vineyard in the Cowichan Valley wine-producing region.
• Savor a lunch of small-plate seasonal delicacies paired with wines that complement them.
• Gain an understanding of how the coastal terroir influences the grapes and resulting wines.
• Behold the natural beauty of Vancouver Island from atop Malahat viewpoint.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.