Carbrea Vineyard & Winery

Carbrea Vineyard & Winery
1885 Central Rd
Hornby Island, British Columbia
Canada V0R 1Z0
Phone: (250) 335-1240
http://www.carbreavineyard.com

Email: [email protected]

Vineyards: 4 hectares

Hours of Operation: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday in summer; 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday in spring and fall; winter by appointment

Tour Hours: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday in summer; 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday in spring and fall; winter by appointment

Stephen's family moved to Hornby Island in 1972,
taking a giant leap of faith and beginning their family business, Sea Breeze Lodge. Growing up at Sea Breeze gifted Stephen with well honed people skills. Giving new meaning to social grace, Stephen has an uncanny ability to make people feel immediately at ease and find common ground.

In the 1980's Stephen spent a few years working with various mining exploration companies and attended Mining Technology at BCIT. After graduation, British Columbia's mining industry hit an all time low with little potential or promise for the future. After returning to BCIT for the Business Administration program Stephen came back to Hornby to run his family's business, Sea Breeze Lodge, in 1991. There he and his wife started their family and continued to successfully run Sea Breeze for ten years.

In 2001 Stephen & Suzie bought their own home on Hornby on 10 acres of agricultural land. After much research and industry study they planted the first stage of their vineyard in 2002. Stephen continues to manage Sea Breeze and juggle winemaking, vineyard management and family.

Suzie, the youngest of nine children to English immigrants, moved to Hornby Island in 1976 at age 12. The relaxed laid back atmosphere of the West Coast was a welcome change from the conservative community of Fort Fraser (her birthplace) in the interior of BC. Her parents were intent of finding good agricultural land on which to farm. On Hornby Island they found their paradise and continue to grow organic vegetables and supply summer visitors and the local Co-op store.

Joining Stephen in running his family business, farm life proved to be a good background to working at Sea Breeze, where hard work was the order of the day. Her skills in the kitchen, staff management and office administration were a valuable asset to running the lodge. Raising their daughters, Breanna and Carlyn, at Sea Breeze the "family resort" was epitomized. Chopping vegetables with a head set telephone and a baby on her back was a common sight as multi-tasking was vital to the success of the business.

Acquiring property on Hornby in 2001 was instigated by Suzie's yearning to grow her own garden and live a less public lifestyle. The vineyard and winery were an afterthought to the property acquisition as the land called for agriculture.

Distribution: Winery, select wine stores on Vancouver Island and in Vancouver

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