In the past, these were relevant concerns. Today, however, wine is accessible, affordable, and ready for you to simply and responsibly drink what you love. You can even have a hand in crafting your own wine with the help of a professional craft winery!
“Be it fruity, be it sweet or dry, be it hard to pronounce – drink what you love!” says Michelle Bishop, Gypsy Moon Winery’s co-founder.
Rethink wine. Don’t be intimidated by wine. Have whatever you wish at your next dinner party. Or just show up in your sweatpants and slippers, a bowl of chips, and your wine tumbler.
Gypsy Moon Winery provides patrons with an experience from the moment they step through the door. The winery is open, warm, and welcoming. You are right at home whether you know the subtle differences in body and tannins or if you pronounce the "t" in Merlot. Many of us start our adventure into finding our favourite wine based on how much we like the label and that is nothing to be ashamed about!
Gypsy Moon Winery is also focused on helping you craft an easy drinking wine suitable for all your special (and not so special) occasions because the best way to learn about wine is by drinking it.
“This is not the wine your grandad made in his basement,” Michelle assures. “We are fully licensed via AGLC and our process is the same as commercial wineries, just on a smaller scale. All of our batches make 28-30 bottles of wine, yet cost significantly less. For instance, a comparable $25 bottle of wine in the liquor store is roughly a third of the price to make at Gypsy Moon Winery.”
It all begins with booking a Wine 101 class. You then visit their facility at your scheduled time to view their selection of industry-leading wine kits and learn about the winemaking process. Once you've purchased your chosen wine kit, you mix the ingredients and pitch the yeast. From here, the winery takes care of the winemaking and fermentation process. When your wine is ready, typically between 4-8 weeks depending on the type of wine, they'll get in touch with you to schedule your bottling appointment. There are even options for custom label making, adding to the experience.
The excitement doesn't end with the fermentation process. You get to be part of the bottling process as well. Using their professional equipment, you sterilize the bottles, fill each one with wine, cork them, add shrink tops and labels.
"We don't work you too hard" Michelle explains. “Your bottling appointment is only half an hour and it includes a sample of your wine. You leave with 30 bottles of wine to enjoy.”
Craft winemaking isn't only for enjoying at home in your bunny slippers. Gypsy Moon Winery has wedding packages for couples to make and serve as table wine complete with custom labels for their big day. Additionally, corporate clients can use their branded bottles as marketing gifts their customers will love.
Gypsy Moon Winery is not the only one introducing wine drinkers to a more accessible reality. The Canadian wine industry itself has been making concerted efforts to shed the image of wine as an exclusive, elitist beverage and instead make it more inclusive to all. Wine Growers Canada, for instance, has released a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion framework aiming to provide leadership in promoting inclusivity across the industry. Events like Vancouver's queer wine nights are breaking down traditional barriers and making wine knowledge accessible to all communities. These initiatives are collectively fermenting a culture of inclusion within the Canadian wine industry, and you are invited to join this revolution.
You can start this journey from grape to glass at Gypsy Moon Winery. Explore the selection. Make your own wine and/or labels. Rethink wine and drink what you love! Click here to learn more and follow the adventure on Facebook and Instagram.
