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Do you have $5M+ to buy a BC Winery?

Julian
Reading Time: 8 minutes

Recently, I was chatting with a successful BC winemaker about how difficult it is to make money as a small producer in the BC Wine industry.

He said, “Honestly, it all comes down to exit strategy.  That is where your payout is!  You use your revenue to “weather the storm” and your payout comes when you sell your land.”

The price of Okanagan vineyard land continues to escalate. When I first looked at vineyard costs, $100K per acre was a good price. Not anymore.

Covert Farm white grape vineyard parcel was offered at $250K per acre and an Oliver vineyard is listed at $225K per acre

With BC wine grape prices increasing at 7-13% annually it is now essential to have an estate vineyard to survive in the BC Wine business or be well-known in the industry with many grape-growing friends.

Here are some examples of BC wineries and vineyards currently on the market.

Similkameen Valley

Cerelia Vineyards and Estate Winery

This was a 1000-case potential winery in the Similkameen Valley. Finding more information about the winery operation is difficult as the website is no longer active. It is listed as a Vineyard with Winery Potential.

  1. The property is 10 acres (2 – 5 acre lots) and has approximately 8 acres planted with five varieties of wine grapes: Gamay, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Orange Muscat.
  2. The vineyard has drip and overhead irrigation installed and there are 3 wells on the property. There is a 40 X 80 Winery Building complete with 3 phase power. All power and natural gas are run underground to the house and winery.
  3. Includes an open concept, 3700 square foot two-storey home built in 2007. Home has 5 bedrooms plus an office/tasting room as well as 3 full bathrooms and one 1/2 bathroom. Custom Cherrywood cabinets throughout the home as well as Brazilian Cherrywood flooring and granite tile.
  4. There is a small 1930s house attached to the winery ready to be finished as a wine shop, guest house or living quarters.

For more information, see the winery listing.

Price – $999,000

Okanagan Valley

Vibrant Vine

Embracing the fusion of art and music, the Vibrant Vine offers visitors a unique tasting experience. Sourcing grapes from their own 6-acre vineyard, quality and variety is ensured in their creations. Producing Vintner Quality Alliance (VQA) wines from cool climate varietals, this award-winning winemaker has created an impressive portfolio of exceptional offerings – blended wines, single varietals, and exquisite reserve selections – available both at the winery and in various BC stores.

Features

Price – $13,500,000

Rainmaker Wines

Located within the lush rolling vineyard of the prestigious Black Sage Bench, this newly built winery is an excellent opportunity for an individual or group looking to enter the industry at a premier level or an existing winery looking for a new high-profile home.

The Rainmaker Wines offering consists of a unique grouping of high-quality winery and vineyard assets in the Okanagan Valley. Located within the prestigious Black Sage Bench and Golden Mile Bench, these offerings present the opportunity to acquire a state-of-the-art winery and all other required assets for a thriving wine business. Planted vineyard land is offered at CA$225,000 per acre.

Price – $6,750,000

One Faith Vineyard

One Faith Vineyards is an outstanding turnkey winery business opportunity situated in Oliver’s esteemed District Wine Village. This business-only listing consists of a well-established winery that encompasses essential assets including top-of-the-line equipment, a substantial inventory, a lease assignment, a skilled team of employees, and distinguished brand value.

With its strategic location, One Faith Vineyards is poised to captivate discerning investors seeking entry into BC’s thriving wine industry. Nestled within Oliver’s enchanting District Wine Village, One Faith Vineyards benefits from being part of a vibrant and flourishing wine community.

Located in the heart of Okanagan’s most renowned wine regions, this picturesque village attracts wine lovers and tourists throughout the year. The surrounding vineyards, breathtaking landscapes, and proximity to other esteemed wineries create an exceptional environment that celebrates winemaking.

Price – $1,288,000

Off the Grid Winery

Off the Grid Organic Winery includes 11.317 acres of land, two residences, a wine-tasting building, a wine production building, and equipment. For more information on the winery see – Off the Grid Organic Winery makes Sustainability a priority

Photo Credit: Off the Grid Organic Winery

Price – $7,999,999

Giant Head Estate Winery

Come take a look at this gorgeous 6.2-acre lakeview estate property with a planted vineyard located in Summerland, BC. The main home features a family-friendly 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, layout with kitchen, laundry, living, and dining rooms all on the main level. Multiple expansive deck, patio and pergola areas are lush and inviting offering the perfect place to host guests and customers for wine events or weddings.

Wine Makers and Enthusiasts will enjoy the converted garage areas which offer winery manufacturing and storage areas, a public wine shop tasting bar, and a superb central location on Summerland’s popular Bottle Neck Drive Wine Route. 4+ acres of the property have been planted with Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Gewurztraminer. 

For more wine information see – Giant Head Estate Winery 2020 Releases and More

Price $2,300,000

Hidden Chapel Winery

Nestled on 3.85 scenic acres, Hidden Chapel Winery offers a picturesque setting with breathtaking valley views and beautiful gardens. This property offers a main residence, guest suite, wine shop/tasting bar, unique underground cellar, charming chapel, a small vineyard and lots of parking and storage. The established winery, equipped with turnkey facilities and event hosting potential, presents a promising lifestyle / investment opportunity for those looking to get into the viticulture or agri-tourism industry. 

For more information on the wines see – Hidden Chapel Winery for Cabernet Sauvignon

Price $1,799,000

Ramification Cellars

Welcome to a truly exceptional real estate offering: a stunning 10.76-acre lakefront property (Vaseaux Lake) with an array of captivating features.

Nestled amidst the picturesque landscape, this property boasts 6.5 acres of meticulously tended grape vineyards, a charming wine shop, four temperature-controlled sea-cans equipped with power and electric roll-up doors, and a serene picnic area. With its unique combination of Agricultural (AG) and Commercial Tourism (CT) zoning designations, this property presents an extraordinary investment opportunity.

Price – $4,195,000

Play Estate Winery

A Penticton winery that rebranded just two years ago has now been listed for sale, offering up an estate, wine shop, tasting lounge and restaurant space.

Play Estate Winery originally opened in 2016, sitting atop Skaha Hills Estate overlooking the lake.

The property totals 15.59 acres, with over 13 acres of planted vines (2016) consisting of Cab Franc, Cab Sav, Merlot, Muscat, Sauv Blanc, Viognier, and more.

The 9088 sqft concrete and structural steel building.

The wine barrel storage and production space is built to create up to 10,000 cases of wine/year.

Price $6,900,000

Vancouver Island

Rocky Creek Winery

Heritage and reputation mean everything to Rocky Creek Winery in Cowichan Bay, BC. They have lovingly created a winery for sale that can be passed on for generations to come. Since their start in 2005, they have won 100+ medals with their estate-grown wine. With quality, consistency, and excellence through all harvest conditions, resulting in the most awarded winemaker in the valley!

This vineyard is a low-maintenance vineyard. Once pruning and tying down are done, they leave it alone. Eco-friendly winery operations and a healthy ecosystem-designed vineyard co-existing with the natural ecosystem as much as possible. A buffer zone was left around two spring-fed ponds, with the existing trees and shrubs left to allow a haven for birds, animals, and insects in the middle of our vineyard.

By hand-harvesting the grapes, they can maintain strict high-quality standards. The Vineyard 1: 5 acres, grapes planted 2008 Vineyard 2: leased 2 acres, grapes planted 1995 Vineyard 3: leased 2 acres, grapes planted 2004.

For more information, see the VineSmart listing

Price – $1,838,000

Averill Creek Vineyard

Averill Creek Vineyards offers a turnkey winery operation amidst the breathtaking North Cowichan scenery. The winery’state-of-the-artrt building was designed by Architect Vasko Pavlov with a unique gravity flow design. Perched above the vineyards, the stunning building blends seamlessly into the riparian landscape. This reputable winery business includes a 45-acre property with 30 acres of planted vineyard, the 8,300 square-foot production building/tasting room, and an 11-acre leased vineyard.

The vineyards are planted with Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Marechal Foch, Cabernet Foch, Merlot, and Pinot Grigio. They are located 12 km from the ocean on the gentle slopes of Mount Prevost, surrounded by old-growth forests. The winery is situated on Royston-Qualicum soil: a blend of glacial stone, clay, and old-growth organics, which allows sufficient drainage and root penetration. Averill Creek primarily dry farms with a focus on biodynamic, regenerative, and organic principles.

Located within the Sonomos region of the Cowichan Valley Geographical Indication, Averill Creek is known for its exceptional quality, minimal intervention wines. Their wine is served by the glass at five of Vancouver’s Michelin-star restaurants. Their wine lineup ranges from their popular “Joue” table-wine collection to their trademarked Charme de l’ile sparkling wine to their notable reserve Pinot Noir.

For more details on the wines see – Averill Creek for an Edgy Pinot Noir

Price -$8,500,000

Kamloops

Harper’s Trail

With the retirement of owners Ed and Vicki Collett, Harper’s Trail on Kamloops outskirts is for sale. The South Thompson River is on the vineyard’s doorstep, with a myriad of birds, majestic eagles, bulrushes and beautiful wintering swans. Composing the backdrop to the vines are rolling hills of sage and antelope brush and majestic, mysterious hoodoos carved into clay banks. Bighorn sheep, mule deer, and bears graze and roam. In the vineyard is a fully productive natural spring that offers further biodiversity to this special place.

For more information on Harper’s Trail’s wine, see – Harper’s Trail 2022 Releases and Harper’s Trail Winery Launches Limited Release of Library Wines

The next time you complain about the price of BC wine, please remember the high land cost incurred by local grape growers and wineries and the impact of climate change on their bottom line.

Sources

  1. Property listings are provided by Vinesmart.
  2. US Wineries Willing to Sell Out. Almost half of the country’s wineries are prepared to go up for sale in the coming year. By W. Blake Gray | Posted Saturday, 23-Jan-2021
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