Canada has wine regions that literally span coast to coast, and while the Okanagan hosts 80 percent of British Columbia’s winegrowing region, there are several smaller appellations across the province. Upon a recent visit to Vancouver Island, I toured and tasted at 40 Knots Winery, one of the largest wineries on the island.
“Clean, ethical wines are a promise” at this husband-and-wife owned winery, which follows organic, biodynamic and plant-based processes. Their website states they “craft wines distinctly shaped by the ocean breeze and sun-soaked climate.”
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Their winemaker, Kalem Magny, studied winemaking in Ontario before honing his craft in Niagara and the Okanagan. Kalem integrates his belief in living symbiotically with nature into the winemaking at 40 Knots, enhancing the beauty of Vancouver Island’s grapes. I asked him to expand on his winemaking philosophy and on the uniqueness of Vancouver Island wines:
VineRoutes: What makes Vancouver Island wines different from those of the other BC regions?
Kalem Magny: Vancouver Island offers a fantastic opportunity for grape growers and vintners alike due to its unique climate. The Pacific Ocean acts as a great buffer for extreme temperatures. The buffer of the ocean offers moderating effects that contribute to moderate-summers and winters. This helps us naturally preserve acidity and freshness in each of the wines we produce which directly correlates with the wines’ age-ability and enjoyability.
The unique soil structures, topography and continuous wind all contribute to the overall terroir. Glacial tilled soils, with the Salish sea being so close, drives minerality and mouthfeel. The unique topography allows consistent drainage of any cool air systems to pass through and ‘drain’. The continuous winds of the Island directly contribute to a favourable condition to keep disease pressures at bay.
Kalem Magny of 40 Knots Winery, on Vancouver Island, BC.
VineRoutes: Do you grow any ‘a-typical’ grapes on the Island?
Kalem Magny: Some a-typical grapes I have seen on the Island include, but are not limited to cabernet libre, epicure, marechal foch, castel. We recently partnered with CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) to bring in some unique experimental varieties of our own. These include castel 19637, gamaret, gamay rouge de la Loire, garanoir. Time will tell how these fair once they have been transplanted to our new vineyard site.
VR: What are the unique challenges (weather, soil, wildlife) to grape growing on the Island?
KM: Unique challenges can be moisture levels with high precipitation in the shoulder seasons, wildlife is a continuous challenge for most grape growing regions – for us, the deer, cougars, and sometimes our local bears stop by for their samplings. With careful timing and vineyard considerations, Vancouver Island is set up extremely well for organic and biodynamic grape growing strategies, producing clean and quality fruit.
VR: What would you like consumers to know about your wines and your winery?
KM: At 40 Knots Winery, we work symbiotically with nature. We encompass organic and biodynamic growing strategies, and vinification. This results in products we proudly stand behind. Natural preservation of nature’s preservatives (acid, tannins) allows us to produce high quality, age worthy and super fresh wines. We are sustainable, ethical neighbour farmers and happily contribute to our community in a positive and impactful way.
I tasted through several of the 40 Knots wines during my visit, including:
40 Knots 2022 Rosé
Made from 30 percent gamay noir and 70 percent pinot noir, this is ready to drink now and boasts bright strawberry and sour cherry aromas while settling on the palate with lemony rhubarb notes for an off-dry refresher.
40 Knots 2022 White Seas
A unique blend of epicure, pinot gris, sieg AZ 7957 rhineland-palatinate and chardonnay. Dry but fruity with apple and pear notes, it’s lovely, bright acidity complements the tropical notes of guava.
40 Knots 2022 Sieg
This is definitely something to try, if purely for the fact that it’s a grape you rarely come across! The lychee and floral nose suggest a sweeter wine but this is dry and vibrant to taste, with grapefruit, cranberry and fresh grass cutting through the flowery aromas.
To hear another perspective and learn more about 40 Knots, click here to watch my onsite video chat with co-owner Layne Craig.
