Living in Canada's newest wine region....Vancouver Island

As the chilly days of late spring in southern Canada give way to the sun-kissed summer, another event of equal importance is taking place on the island: bud-break. Or at least the anxious local growers hope so.
Currently, the Saanich Peninsula is home to six wineries, with others soon to follow. Most of these wineries are small, family-run enterprises and have only a few acres of grapes planted which are sometimes supplemented by grapes grown in the warmer and more famous (for Canada, anyway) Okanagan region, or the primary Vancouver Island region of the Cowichan valley. Similarities to Alsace are considerable on the Saanich Peninsula, with vineyards and hillsides planted with Ortega, Bacchus, Pinot Gris, Madeleine Sylvaner, Gewurztraminer and even a little Pinot Noir. Although the Saanich Peninsula receives a fair amount of sunlight each year, the air temperature remains moderate throughout the year due to the prevalence of sea breezes and the more northerly geographical location. Some summers are blazing hot, while others, such as last year, rain falls almost every day leaving the crop washed out and acidic.
But weather aside, Vancouver Island is beginning to produce wines of note, and attracting some talented winemakers from regions throughout the world. Vancouver Island can also boast of one of only 3 all First Nations owned wineries in the world, Cherry Point. Vancouver Island is even home to a meadery, an organic cidery and even a distillery, currently producing grape-based liquors such as grappa or Eau de Vie, fruit brandies, gin and vodka, with an eye for producing single-malt whisky.
Vancouver Island wines have won several awards in both international and Canadian competitions, and there are even pages in renowned authors wine books regarding the emergence of a new region. However, one of the biggest problems facing grpae growers and wine makers on the Saanich Peninsula is the expense of land. While the vast majority of the Saanich Peninsula is certified agricultural land, it is also mostly taken up with other types of farming because regulations insist on crop-producing activities each year to take advantage of tax breaks. Land is also expensive because Victoria, the capital of BC, is only a short drive down the highway and everyone of retirement age in Canada seems to want to live in Canada's Hawaii. Actually, make that anyone with an interest in fresh, diverse local cuisine, health nuts, ecologically concerned citizens, aging hippies, and anyone else that can afford the price tags...
However, life in an emerging wine region (while sometimes nerve-wracking) can also be exciting. Grape growers and winemakers seem to enjoy their craft, and take pleasure in showing visitors around and, better still, sampling the product, often for free. Local wine stores and liquor stores are proud of the effort, and usually carry a good representative of what is produced. Local restaurants, already known throughout the world for fresh, fine cuisine, help to showcase the wines by hosting winemaker dinners or public tastings. There are even the possibilities of taking guided afternoon wine tours by private limousine or the less-fancy SUV, or by the eco-correct option, the bicycle.
With so many similarities to other great wine producing regions, the Saanich Peninsula is poised to become an interesting addition to Victoria's Olde English charm tourism industry, with the potential of diverting many of the regions million plus per year visitors. I just hope there's still some wine left for me to drink.