Blue Grouse House, Vancouver Island

Imagine waking up each morning with a view of a vineyard and a gentle breeze to greet you as you take your breakfast on the patio of a charming little house. Blue Grouse House, which is nestled on a family-owned winery and vineyard in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, is just the spot to make that fantasy real. A beautifully appointed two-bedroom property surrounded by vines, this is the kind of place where Bacchus, the Roman God of Wine, would go to relax.

The Blue Grouse Estate Winery itself is one of Vancouver Island’s oldest vineyards, and is home to a gorgeous and unusually modern Tasting Room (the building’s roof is shaped to mimic that of the body of a grouse). It offers plenty of house label wines for visitors to sample, ranging from their take on pinot gris and pinot noir, to a deliciously rare and decadent black muscat.

A beautifully appointed two-bedroom property surrounded by vines, this is the kind of place where Bacchus, the Roman God of Wine, would go to relax.

Although the Blue Grouse House is located on an active winery, it is a relaxing, tranquil, unique accommodation.  Interior designer Jodi McKeown Foster has taken great care to create a farmhouse-like space that manages to simultaneously embody rustic warmth and decidedly modern flair—a mix of timeless wood, subtle antiques, clean shapes and lines, whites, neutrals, and pops of colour in the form of paintings and live plants. The vaulted ceiling exposes structural trusses, the long dining table has a chalkboard behind it that spells out “Novinophobia: The Fear of Running Out of Wine,” and the living room comes with a mini-library. Everything is offset by stunning vineyard views from every room. Some grapes, designated as “grapes for eating,” can even be picked from the vine by peckish guests.

There’s real care when it comes to the smallest details. The Blue Grouse House’s kitchen is stocked anything you might need to cook a meal, plus local snacks and treats, and coals for the barbecue. The same care is taken with the rest of the house. There’s toothpaste and a brush and sunscreen if you’ve forgotten them—all thoughtful elements that contribute to the sense you are visiting a family country-house, rather than booking a stay.

Throughout the year, Blue Grouse Estate Winery also hosts a popular Altered Olives Vintage Market, which features works from local artisans, antiques, and refurbished goods, and a few food trucks.

When not at home, spend the day strolling down the boutiques of nearby downtown Duncan, admire the totem poles, visit the farmer’s market to pick up some locally grown produce, go for a hike to spot some wildlife, or relax over tea and treats at Westholme Tea Farm. Finally, when you’re ready to bid the day adieu, grab a glass of wine and sit on the patio at Blue Grouse House watching the sun go down.

It’s more than an escape, it’s a beautiful adventure…with wine.

Photos by Leanna Rathkelly.

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