Constructed with Gravity in Mind -

At Averill Creek every stage of winemaking is carried out gently by hand.

The Averill Creek winery is a 150-ton capacity winery built on the side of Mt. Prevost, designed by Vasco Pavlov. The design incorporates three rectangular buildings fitted together to allow for a gravity flow method to be used for winemaking. Owner/Winemaker Andy Johnston shares the belief that the least amount of handling the grapes receive the better the final product.

The winery is constructed on four levels: the first being the grape reception pad, below that the press pad and ferment floor. After fermentation the wine flows by gravity to the blending floor and on into the barrel room. This way, the wine is put into barrels having never been pumped. Filtering is kept to a minimum. Using this method, wines are handled as gently as possible, so the identity and subtle characteristics of the fruit are retained.

The design of the winery also includes a tasting room, dining room, and a commercial kitchen. The garden patio adjacent to the winery has spectacular views of the Cowichan Valley, and is perfect for picnics. During regular hours wine is available to enjoy on the patio by the bottle or the glass. The kitchen, dining room, and patio are also available to rent for events.

Averill Creek welcomes tour groups and is happy to arrange tours of the winery by appointment.