By Roslyne Buchanan
The Da Silva family’s deep farming roots and direct experience farming across the region have instilled in them an understanding of the grapes’ growing sites and their nuances. In visiting, you’ll learn the wines’ stories, whether they are bottled or boxed, premium or value-priced. “Wines of place,” reflecting the grapes’ terroir, remain central to the Da Silva vision.
Make time, too, for The Kitchen at Da Silva, where Chef Abul Adame adds culinary acumen to the winery’s attributes.
Check the Box
One of the many reasons to include Da Silva Vineyards and Winery in your wine touring is their delightful boxed wine. They produce three convenient three-litre bag-in-box selections: Rosé, Viognier and a Merlot/Malbec blend.
North America lagged in giving bag-in-box packaging a fair shake. Respected wine reviewer and writer Anthony Gismondi recently wrote in the Vancouver Sun, “It could be boxed wine’s time to shine.” Gismondi noted a “renaissance of sorts” is happening globally: bag-in-box wine is favourably perceived in places like Scandinavia, Germany, Ireland, Australia and France.
As Canadian consumer attitudes mature, embracing wine as liquid food to accompany meals and lifestyles, rather than forbidden fruit, it makes sense to start exploring handier formats. An eco-friendly option, bag-in-box wine has many benefits. It’s easy to tote, cheaper to ship, and best of all, when opened and kept in the fridge, it’ll last a month – unlike bottled wine, which diminishes in just days. It’ll never be corked, and there’s no air contact to oxidize it, given that the bag collapses as it’s poured.
Says Richard Da Silva, the winery’s proprietor, “In the past in Canada, boxed wine wasn’t the quality it could be. For me, Twylla and our team, the difference is the passion we have for farming our vineyards, working with top growers and making great wine.” This passion, he says, carries throughout, no matter the wine’s format.
Boxing is more economic than bottling, so savings can be shared. Production is limited, though, so you may need to join the Wine Club to snag one. For hours, details on the wines and more information on the Wine Club, see dasilvavineyards.com.