Blue Grouse acquires a California touch

Photos: Winemaker Stacy Hornemann

The recent releases from Blue Grouse Estate Winery in the Cowichan Valley represent the first vintage made or finished by Stacy Hornemann, the versatile California-trained winemaker who joined Blue Grouse in May 2024. She had already been working with California wineries owned by the Jackson Family which purchased Blue Grouse in 2022, two years after buying nearby Unsworth Vineyards. Both are among the most esteemed producers in the Cowichan Valley. Both have become destination wineries.

Blue Grouse is one of the pioneers of Cowichan Valley winemaking. It was opened in 1990 by Hans Kiltz, a German-born veterinarian. It remained a modest producer until he sold it to Paul Bruner, a mining engineer who had worked in South America but had Vancouver Island roots. A major expansion began under his ownership and has been continued by the Jacksons. In 2024, they moved one of their star winemakers to put a California-trained stamp on the Blue Grouse wines. After getting a winemaking degree at the distinguished University of California Davis campus, Stacy started her career in 2012 at Trefethen Family Vineyards. Wanting to acquire versatile winemaking skills, she moved around California. That included a stint at a sparkling wine producer, Mumm Napa, and another at a custom crush winery.

Tracy joined Stonestreet, a Jackson Family winery, in 2017 (where she made Stonestreet’s first sparkling wine) and eventually became one of the leading winemakers in the Jackson group. Ite speaks for the Jackson Family’s ambitions for Cowichan Valley wine that they have moved one of their most versatile winemakers to Blue Grouse.

Here are notes on some recent releases. Charme De L’île is a trademark all Vancouver Island wineries use to designate their Charmat-method sparkling wines.

Blue Grouse Chardonnay 2024 ($32.99). Fruit for this wine comes from the estate vineyard and the nearby Enrico Vineyard. The wine was fermented in French oak barrels and puncheons (13% new). The wine was left on the lees for 10 months and went through full malolactic fermentation while finishing with 7.7 grams of acidity. The wine is crisp with aromas of citrus, apple and vanilla. On the palate, green apple flavours are framed by a hint of oak. 91.

Blue Grouse Pinot Gris 2024 ($30.99). Fruit for this wine was sourced from three Cowichan Valley vineyards and was fermented separately in concrete and neutral French oak. Only a portion of the wine was allowed malolactic fermentation, maintaining both body and crisp acidity. The wine was aromas and flavours of pear and white peach with a hint of citrus. 90.

Blue Grouse Rosé 2024 ($29.99). The blend is 63% Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Gris, 12% Gamay Noir and 10% Chardonnay. Each varietal was fermented separately and aged in stainless steel, neutral French oak and a concrete tank. The wine presents with a delicate pink hue, with aromas of wild strawberry and grapefruit that are echoed on the palate. The finish is crisp and refreshing. 90.

Blue Grouse Pinot Noir 2023 ($39.99). The fruit for this wine is from several Cowichan Valley vineyards and from one of the stronger island vintages. The wine has aromas and flavours of cherry. Decanting reveals a wine with depth and richness. 92.

Blue Grouse Charme De L’île Sparkling Rosé Brut ($29.99). This is a blend of Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir and Pinot Gris. Each lot is fermented separately, then blended, doing its secondary fermentation in a stainless steel tank. A small sugar dosage is added at bottling. The wine presents with an appealing pink hue and a lively set of bubbles. There are aromas of strawberry and flavours of strawberry and pink grapefruit. The wine is non-vintage but it was made from 2024 grapes. 91.

Blue Grouse Charme De L’île Sparkling White Wine Brut ($29.99). This is a blend of the aromatic varietals that thrive on Vancouver Island: Ortega, Schönburger, Pinot Gris and Bacchus. The fruit for this non-vintage wine was from the 2024 vintage. The wine is fermented to dryness in stainless steel. It is then moved to a pressure tank with a dose of sugar and yeast for the secondary ferment that produces the bubbles that are captured at bottling. There is something of a flower garden of aromas with spice and delicate citrus notes on the palate. The bubbles are fine and active. The finish is crisp and fresh. 92.