A brand new winery opened its doors earlier this month in Abbotsford.
Cannon Estate Winery, located at 30523 Burgess Ave. in west Abbotsford, officially opened on Nov. 16 and owners Andi and Justin Manuel aim to prove that the Fraser Valley is a hidden gem in the Canadian winemaking space.
The couple, originally from the Greater Vancouver area, moved to the Fraser Valley 10 years ago and after purchasing 20 acres of land they were inspired from memories of summers in the Okanagan to plant a vineyard.
The couple brought in Patrick Blandin – an experienced viticulturist and winemaker – to work on creating the ideal growing conditions for their property. They also connected with top winemakers from the Okanagan for additional expertise.
Following all the planning and preparation, the vineyard was first planted in 2018 and the first harvest was in 2021. Today, approximately 12.4 of the 20 acre property are under vine with 16 varietals planted on 23 different plots. Varietals include Chardonnay, Muscat, Petite Milo, Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir and others.
CEW makes wine under two labels - Cannon and The Wick. The main difference between the two is that Cannon wines are made using French winemaking techniques, and The Wick wines are made using a combination of New World and Old World winemaking techniques.
They are now open to the public and the hours are noon to 5 p.m. on Wednesday’s and Thursday’s, noon to 6 p.m. on Friday’s and Saturday’s and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday’s.
For more information, visit cannonwinery.ca.
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