Island-Sity

Greenhouse grapes are part of the hardscrabble story of winemaking on British Columbia’s coastal islands, where a blend of determination, ingenuity and luck can sometimes lead to impressive results.

Located at about the 49th parallel, the region sits at the northern extreme of the grape-growing map. Summers are short, but the days are long. In mercifully dry, sunny years, early-ripening noble varieties such as pinot noir and pinot gris can yield fresh, elegant wines. Hardier but less popular varieties, notably marechal foch, can make satisfyingly meaty reds. In poor years, 2007 and 2010 among them, the results can be harshly acidic, coincidentally best enjoyed with a plate of fresh local seafood or cheese.

“The trick with Vancouver Island wines is to at least taste some of them with food,” says John Schreiner, a veteran West Coast critic and the author of The Wineries of British Columbia. “They’ll show a lot better than if you sat down and had them on their own.”

Averill Creek, near Duncan in the Cowichan Valley just north of Victoria, is an essential destination for any wine lover touring this region of lush forests and jaw-dropping ocean panoramas.

The coastal industry, which includes estates on several Gulf Islands, could hardly have a more devoted ambassador than Mr. Johnston. Before starting Averill Creek in 2001, the retired physician honed his oenological skills at estates in Tuscany, Bordeaux, Australia and New Zealand.

Averill Creek’s 2006 pinot noir and 2009 pinot noir reserve, richly fruited yet bracingly crisp, would probably impress fans of red Burgundy, the standard-bearer for pinot noir. “For me, this is one of the best places in Canada to grow pinot,” says Mr. Johnston, a long-time collector with a keen palate.

While Mr. Johnston holds steadfastly to the grow-local model, other players have chosen a different route to survival in this marginal climate. Muse Winery and Church & State Wines, to name two, source much of their fruit from the warm south Okanagan Valley on the mainland. It’s a controversial approach that some say distorts the young region’s winemaking identity. Is it island wine? You be the judge.

Averill Creek Vineyard

The attractive modern building, Mediterranean landscaping and quaint patio make this one of the Pacific Ocean’s most inviting wine-country destinations. On a slope of Mount Prevost, owner Andy Johnston combines an intense wine passion with his physician’s intellectual rigour to craft impressive pinot noirs and pinot grises. Also worth a try is his Beaujolais-like red, amusingly named Foch Eh.