How We Started

Both of us worked in the oil industry in the 1980s and 1990s. Mark, a chemical engineer with a masters in environment and Linda a technologist working with budgets, business plans and pipeline maintenance projects. Neither of us worked on a farm in our life. We went from corporate suits to gumboots.

We had always talked about winning a lottery and starting a winery. Mark is 3rd generation winemaker so it’s definitely in his blood. We have always had wine batches in our homes, including our 400 square foot apartment. When we moved to Ladysmith, we started a plan to do a very unique winery–out of our residential house in the basement. We had to change some government requirements and then began our “Basement Gravity Fed Winery”. Our first purchase was a bladder press from Salt Spring Island Vineyards and here we are!

The production lasted for 3 harvests. Then after the third harvest, we managed to double and, in some cases, triple our production from the vineyard. Plans needed to be changed and this is where we ended up —- in Cowichan Bay and our 2nd and 3rd vineyard, with potential for helping with a 4th vineyard for some special bold red grapes!