Continuing on with my series of searching for some great local finds, close to home, this time that means over the border to Canada for some wine tasting.

1 – MT LEHMAN WINERY –  was our first stop in Abbotsford, BC.  If it wasn’t for the border guard asking a million questions about wineries, we would have been there in under half an hour.  We went on a Monday, which limited some of our choices, but luckily this winery is open 7 days a week.  The owner’s daughter took us through the tasting of their award-winning wines.  This family-run vineyard planted their first crop of grapes in 1991 and by 2011 they had achieved one of the highest honors in BC for wine.  We tasted 7 of their 15 wines  I really liked the “Epicure” which is a blend of Gruner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Semillon, which is a great blend for sipping on your patio this summer. They had 2 Chardonnays and some other whites available for tasting, but I went right into the reds instead.  Even though Pinot Noir is not my favorite red varietal, they offered 3 different styles and I really enjoyed the 2014 Burgundian style the best.  The beautiful vineyards and countryside are just behind the tasting room in Abbotsford BC, in Fraser Valley.  They are open 12- 5 pm and there is a small tasting fee, I believe that it was $5, which is waived with the purchase of a bottle –  https://mtlehmanwinery.com

2 – SINGLETREE WINERY – was our second stop and it’s only a mile or so down the road from Mt Lehman, so if you visit one, you really should stop at the other one too.  Singletree is another small, family-run winery, growing some German grape varietals for their wines, which do very well in that soil.  The vineyard and tasting room are located on a 67-acre operating farm and the views from inside the tasting room looking out, are gorgeous.  One of my favorite’s at this winery was their “Siggy” which is named for the Siegerrebe grape and means “victory grape” in German.  This wine has notes of peaches, pears, crisp apples and stone fruit – perfect for summertime on its own or with food.  I purchased a bottle of this for home, as I had never tried this grape before, and that’s what wine tastings are all about – trying new things.  There was a $5 tasting fee here, but it’s waived if you purchase a bottle, which we did.  This tasting room is also open 7 days a week from 12-5:30, located in Abbotsford BC, in Fraser Valley – https://singletreewinery.com

3 – BACKYARD VINEYARDS – was our last stop, about a 10-minute drive from the previous wineries, just a bit southwest, heading towards the US border.  This tasting room is also right next to their vineyards, and offers a lovely shaded gazebo area with picnic tables, or spots in the sunshine, with umbrellas to enjoy a bottle or glass of wine, next to the vineyards, along with their food selections.  Because there were 5 of us, we opted for a bottle to share, after the tasting along with their five cheese platter, charcuterie, roasted nuts, and hummus and crackers – perfect plates for sharing.  Backyard has many whites and reds to choose from, some of my favorites were their syrah, rose and pinot gris.  This tasting room is open 7 days a week from 11-6 and like the other 2 tastings, there is a small fee if you don’t choose to purchase a bottle or glass of wine after.  They are located in Langley City, BC – www.backyardvineyards.ca

We really enjoyed all of these small, local wineries for the relaxed atmosphere and the friendly, informative staff.