Vancouver Island Wine Tours: A Guide to the Cowichan Valley and How to Book a Day Trip
Searching for a Vancouver Island wine tour usually turns up the same problem. The wineries are real and worth the trip, but they are spread out along country roads in the Cowichan Valley, and somebody has to drive. That somebody ends up skipping the second half of every tasting.
A guided tour fixes that. You get the island's wine route, a local guide, and a ride home, without anyone drawing the short straw. Here is how the day works, which wineries you may visit, and which departure fits your group.
Where Vancouver Island Wine Country Is
The island's main wine route runs through the Cowichan Valley, a short drive from Victoria and reachable from Nanaimo as well. Most of the wineries our guests visit sit within this one valley, which is what makes a single-day tour realistic. You can taste at three wineries, have a meal, and be back in town by mid-afternoon.
Canadian Craft Tours runs Vancouver Island wine tours from two starting points: downtown Victoria and downtown Nanaimo. Both head to the same wine route, and both run about six hours.
Two Ways to Do a Vancouver Island Wine Tour
From Victoria
The Victoria Wine Tour is the most flexible option. Public tours are offered daily with a minimum of four guests, and include three wineries, all tasting and tour fees, round-trip minibus transportation, a local wine guide, and a charcuterie board. The pickup point is 721 Government Street, across from the Fairmont Empress. A second pickup in Langford is available by request.
If you would rather keep the day to your own group, private tours run seven days a week by appointment. You can choose three wineries with charcuterie, or add a fourth winery for an extra $20 per person. Private pickups can be arranged from Victoria, Langford, Duncan, Lake Cowichan, or Nanaimo, and a pickup fee may apply. Private groups can also reserve lunch at a winery.
From Nanaimo
If you are based mid-island, the Nanaimo Cowichan Valley Wine Tour leaves from downtown Nanaimo in a 15-passenger van. It currently runs as a private tour only, with a minimum of 10 people, so it suits wedding parties, birthdays, and corporate outings better than couples looking to join a public departure.
The Nanaimo tour includes a behind-the-scenes visit at one of the wineries, private tastings for your group, and discounts on wine at select stops. Lunch is included when you book direct through our website.
The Wineries You May Visit
The wineries rotate based on availability and group size. Across our Victoria and Cowichan Valley tours, the list includes Averill Creek Vineyard, Unsworth Vineyards, Emandare Vineyard, Cherry Point Estate Wines, Enrico Winery, Blue Grouse Estate Winery, Alderlea Vineyards, and Merridale Cidery and Distillery. Your tour visits three or four of these, so it is worth asking at booking if there is one you especially want.
The sample itinerary gives you a feel for the route.
Enrico Winery
On the Victoria sample itinerary, Enrico is the first stop. The group arrives around 11:00 AM for a tasting with a light lunch, which means you start the day with food in hand rather than tasting on an empty stomach.
Blue Grouse or Cherry Point
The second stop is Blue Grouse Estate Winery or Cherry Point Estate Wines, with the tasting starting around 12:30 PM. On the Nanaimo itinerary, the Blue Grouse stop includes time to enjoy a glass of wine on the patio.
Unsworth Vineyards
Unsworth is the usual third stop, around 1:45 PM on the Victoria itinerary. On the Nanaimo itinerary, it is a tour and tasting. Groups that want a sit-down meal can ask about lunch reservations at Unsworth or Merridale for private tours.
What the Day Looks Like
On the Victoria departure, guests meet the guide at 9:45 AM and leave at 10:00 AM. After three tastings, the group departs the valley around 2:30 PM and is dropped back in Victoria around 3:30 PM. You are not carrying boxes of wine across town, since the drop-off is close to where you started.
The Nanaimo schedule is similar, with a 9:45 AM registration, a 10:00 AM departure, and a hotel drop-off around 4:00 PM. Hotel drop-off is not available on every date and may carry a fee payable to the driver, so confirm that when you book.
Public or Private: Which Should You Book
Public tours make sense for couples, friends, and solo travellers who want a social day and a set price. Because public tours need at least four guests to operate, check the calendar before you plan around a specific date.
Private tours are the better call for larger groups, anyone who wants a fourth winery, or a group that needs pickup from somewhere other than downtown Victoria. They are available year-round by appointment.
Practical Information
- Tour length: about six+ hours.
- Victoria Wine Tour: Public tours include three wineries and a charcuterie board.
- Nanaimo Cowichan Valley Wine Tour: private only, 10 person minimum.
- Victoria pickup: 721 Government Street, across from the Fairmont Empress.
- Fourth winery on private tours: extra $20 per person.
- Booking: online, or by email at info@canadiancrafttours.ca or phone at 1-778-320-3409.
Book Your Vancouver Island Wine Tour
If you want to taste the Cowichan Valley without planning the route or choosing a designated driver, the Victoria Wine Tour is the easiest place to start. You can book your Victoria Wine Tour here, or browse all BC winery tour options here if you are comparing regions.
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