A VISIT TO SAGE HAYWARD VINEYARD, SATURNA ISLAND

We made a quick excursion to Saturna Island in the British Columbia Gulf Islands to visit some friends. Their lovely cottage is situated on the east shore of Boot Cove and is a beautiful and tranquil spot to relax and relieve some stress. However, a highlight of this visit, was a trip to the Sage Hayward Vineyard located on the southwest side of Saturna Island, one of the beautiful Gulf Islands on the west coast of British Columbia.

Getting There

If you are driving, you continue off the ferry up Narvaez Bay Rd to Harris Rd. Harris Road will take you up and over the ridge to the Vineyard. The portion of the road up to the top of the ridge is gravel, and at times, it can be in pretty rough condition, so be prepared. We were lucky that our friends Brian and Rosemary have a boat, so we were able to zoom around Payne Point and Elliot Bluff into Breezy Bay. It was less than a 10 minutes boat ride followed by a beautiful 15 minute walk to the vineyard and bistro.

The Vineyards

The estate’s 76 acres are nestled between the the towering rocky ridges and cliffs of Brown Ridge and the chilly waters of Plumper Sound, the channel of water separating Saturna Island from Pender Island.

The first vines were planted here in 1995, making it one of the oldest vineyards in the coastal region. The vineyard has gone through a few different owners and periods of neglect but two brothers of the Hayward family and their wives purchased the property in 2020 and have embarked on a journey of rejuvenation for the vineyard. The Hayward family’s ties on the island go back 30 years.

The Gulf Island’s climate is a described as cool maritime Mediterranean, meaning mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. This type of climate provides enough growing-degree days to support several wine varieties including Pinot noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot meunier, Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay. Sage Hayward hand pick and hand press select fruit from these vines to create Pinot Noir, Pinot gris, Nuance 9 described as their aromatic white blend) and Camellia, a dry Rosé. They will be releasing a Pinot noir, and Verve, a sparkling wine in 2023 from there 2021 harvest.

The wine tasting room

Feral Goat Bistro

Since the weather was spectacular, we chose to sit outside on their delightful patio, looking out over the vineyards and the waters of Plumper Sound and Boundary Pass. The bistro is located in beautiful West Coast barn style building with elegant post and beam construction and cathedral ceilings. You can dine inside if the weather happens to be more inclement. Behind the bistro are the steep cliffs of Brown Ridge which are populated by feral goats. They can often be heard calling to each other in the distance.

The Feral Goat Bistro and Wine Tasting Room

The menu is not large but there is a plenty to keep you satisfied and is primarily made up of local ingredients. Lamb and summer veggies are from a local farm next door to the vineyard and many of herbs and garlic are from their own garden. The bistro has a wood fired pizza oven which turns out an awesome Neopolitan style pizza and calzone. Apparently, their pizza chef just happens to be an actual Italian pizza chef who was working in the vineyard at they time were were building the wood fired pizza oven! We can attest to the awesomeness of the pizza as that is what Linda and I shared for our lunch!

Lunch on the patio

If you’re visiting Saturna Island, be sure to stop in for a visit. The vineyard and bistro are open from spring to the end of September and are closed for the winter months. If you are interested in their wines you can shop online all year round. For more information, check their website: Sage Hayward Vineyards.