– by Hans Tammemagi –
This is part of a rotating series of articles on members of Sidney Meet Up Women’s Networking Group, featuring women in business on the Saanich Peninsula.
Stepping into the Peninsula U-Brew Winery is like entering a gleaming, glistening fairy land. Glass bottles are arrayed in rows and racks, filled with happy golden and ruby red liquid. Staff and customers smile and chat while filling, corking and labelling bottles. It’s an impressive operation, and at the centre of this web of activity is Maureen Bifford, a slim, fit lady with dark hair and a ready smile.
“My hubby, Stan Roberts, and I were customers here for 15 years and we liked the wine so much that seven years ago we decided to buy the place,” she told me. “We’ve worked hard since then and the winery is thriving.” In fact, the facility expanded to 5,400 sq.ft. and in 2014 the business grew by 15 percent. It’s certainly a well-established business in Sidney, and has been operating continuously for 27 years.
Although southern Vancouver Island has many excellent vineyards and wineries, Maureen was insistent that her wine-making kits also produce high-class wines of comparable quality. Peninsula U-Brew Winery uses wine-making kits from Winexpert, who “source high-quality grape juice and concentrate from the world’s best wine regions” (www.winexpert.com) including Italy, France, Chile, Argentina, California and Australia. According to Maureen, Winexpert is constantly researching methods to improve U-brew wine. “They now add grape skins to some wine kits that during the fermentation process enhances the body, tannin and aroma of the wine.” We’ve also introduced aging in oak barrels. Although it takes more time, the barrel adds a moderate oak flavour as well as a very mild tannin.
Peninsula offers about 100 different wines. Maureen prefers red wines and her favourites are the Argentinian Malbec and Old Vine Zinfandel from California. The most popular white wine they sell is the Italian Pinot Grigio while the reds are split among several types. More than 150,000 bottles of wine are made each year. The business should expand since the provincial government has recently allowed the serving of U-brew wines at private and special events.
“Stan and I are quite knowledgeable about all our wines and, in addition, one of our staff is a second-level sommelier,” said Maureen, “so we can help our customers with wine selection.”
Maureen and her husband were both born in British Columbia. They’re locals, having lived in Sidney for 27 years. Their home is in Deep Cove where they live with two sons ages 18 and 23. Maureen loves horses and volunteers one day a week at a nearby stable. “I muck the stalls so I can ride,” she says with a grin.
“I love our wine business,” said Maureen. “My favourite part is interacting with the people, both the staff and customers.”
Learn more at www.peninsulaubrewwinery.com.
