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Cowachan Valley: 2010 ushers in new era for vineyard

Lexi Bainas, The Citizen
Published: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Cherry Point may seem a fair distance from Spain but a newly arrived couple is hoping Island wine lovers will say "Ole!" to their plans for the vineyard they bought from Cowichan Tribes late in 2009. A trailblazer of the Cowichan Valley's burgeoning wine industry, Cherry Point Estate Wines began life as a family-run estate operation and Xavier and Maria Clara Bonilla are hoping a return to that style of winery can make their dreams come true. As far back as 1990, original owners Wayne and Helena Ulrich decided a 34-acre former mink ranch was the place for a winery and by 1994; Cherry Point had a licence and was ready to roll. Eventually, they decided to sell and the Bonillas, then living in West Vancouver, were interested but couldn't get all their ducks in a row. Some time after they decided the time wasn't right for the purchase, Cowichan Tribes took a look and decided the winery was a good fit for its portfolio of companies. However, the Island still called to Xavier and Maria Clara and when they heard that Tribes were offering the vineyard for sale, they decided to try again. It's been quite a journey from Spain to the Cowichan Valley. Xavier's master's degree in agricultural economics took the couple to South America before they finally arrived in West Vancouver eight years ago. They are now Canadian citizens and their two children are finishing studies at the University of British Columbia and have operated three successful and widely varied businesses in the intervening years. However, ever since they first saw Cherry Point Estate Wines, the place has held a special place in their hearts, Xavier said. "It all starts with the land. I believe the grape does not produce the wine. It's the earth that does. I was looking again for a winery. I looked in the Okanagan but none of them convinced me as much as Cherry Point, which I had liked from the first day. There was some uniqueness to Cherry Point that I never found in other farms." After working out a deal with Cowichan Tribes, they moved to the Cowichan Valley at the beginning of December and are already on the job, assessing what needs to be done to fulfill their dream of reinventing the farm as a family-fun estate vineyard. "Now, we are here to work hard and make this a place that produces unique, boutique wine and offers an experience for people that visit," he said, adding that they are banking on the fact that the winery is already quite well known. Maria agreed that the Cowichan Valley has really gained a profile. "They have wine tours. Cherry Point has made it into a destination point," she said. Name recognition is helpful, but even more so is a connection to the community and the Bonillas say building these relationships will be a first part of their tasks at Cherry Point. These include a farmers' market and a re-working of the popular Bistro restaurant to include a "25-mile" menu. "That bistro is an important part of the farm. People want it. They've been coming and asking when it's going to be open again," Xavier said.

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