{"id":7034765,"date":"2026-08-09T06:15:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T06:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/a-visit-to-chaberton-estate-winery-winery-tour-and-lunch-at-bacchus-bistro\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T06:15:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T06:15:18","slug":"a-visit-to-chaberton-estate-winery-winery-tour-and-lunch-at-bacchus-bistro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7034765","title":{"rendered":"A Visit to Chaberton Estate Winery \u2013 Winery Tour and Lunch at Bacchus Bistro"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"Winemaker<\/a>
Winemaker Gary Zhygailo in the vineyard at Chaberton Estate Winery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chaberton Estate Winery<\/strong><\/a> is the pioneer estate of the Fraser Valley and in BC. They farm 44 acres of estate-grown fruit with other parcels from across the Okanagan Valley. The winery\u2019s history was initially established by the Violets family, whose European lineage includes a Guinness World Record for a one-million-litre oak barrel.\u00a0 \u00a0They sold their winery and vineyard in France and moved to the Fraser Valley, locating the site of the winery and then testing different grape varieties.\u00a0 Once they identified the best varieties for the climate, they began formally planting the vineyard in the mid-1980s.\u00a0 In 2004, the Violets sold the winery to a wine-loving Hong Kong businessman, Anthony Cheng, and his partner, Vancouver lawyer Eugene Kwan.<\/p>\n

For me, to better appreciate a winery, I need to walk through their vineyard, see their fermentation tanks and their barrels for fermenting and\/or aging wine, and talk to the winemaker about their methods and the vision for their wines.\u00a0 I had this experience recently as I visited Chaberton Estate Winery and spoke with winemaker Gary Zhygailo<\/strong> as we tasted through several of their wines.\u00a0 I published my wine tasting notes earlier.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This article gets into the tour of the vineyard, the winemaking facilities, and my well-deserved lunch at the Bacchus Bistro<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Vineyard<\/h3>\n

Central to Chaberton\u2019s identity is the commitment to dry farming, particularly within the heritage 1984 Block 1 Bacchus. Vine material was sourced from Germany via Washington State and grafted onto American rootstock.\u00a0 These vines represent some of the oldest in the province. Unlike the irrigated vineyards of the Okanagan, these vines have developed deep root development, reaching several meters into the silt and clay to access the water table. The lack of irrigation results in heightened fruit concentration and a resilient acidity profile that defines the estate\u2019s technical signature, according to Gary.<\/p>\n

The heart of the winery\u2019s legacy is Block 1, where the Bacchus vines were planted in 1984 and still thrive.\u00a0 Other varieties like Siegerrebe and Ortega are own-rooted, grown from cuttings scouted and brought back from Washington State.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Unripe<\/a>
Unripe Bacchus grapes at the Chaberton Estate Winery vineyard (check out the thick trunks)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Unlike the irrigated Okanagan vineyards, Chaberton relies on dry farming, a strategic choice that highlights the Fraser Valley\u2019s unique soil. The site features a specific layering of clay on top and silt on the bottom, a combination that offers superior natural water retention. By avoiding irrigation, the team forces mature vines to send roots several meters deep to find natural water sources. These deep systems create resilient plants that survive better than the shallower-rooted vines of irrigated regions.<\/p>\n

In the Fraser Valley\u2019s humid, maritime climate, canopy management is a necessity. The team employs early leaf removal to maximize sun exposure and performs strategic thinning on red varieties like Gamay. Walking the rows recently, the vines looked vigorous and healthy.\u00a0 Varietal selection is equally strategic; the winery prioritizes varieties with \u201cloose bunches\u201d to facilitate maximum airflow and mitigate the risk of botrytis and other fungal pressures.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Winemaking Process at Chaberton Estate Winery<\/h3>\n

Infrastructure of the Crush Pad<\/h4>\n

The strategic importance of the crush pad lies in its technological versatility. To handle the estate\u2019s 200 tons alongside the 500 tons (75% of total volume) sourced from the Okanagan, the winery must manage diverse throughput requirements. They scaled their equipment so it can transition easily between small-lot estate fruit and large-scale interior fruit.<\/p>\n

Juice extraction is managed via two high-capacity German presses:<\/p>\n