Godfrey-Brownell Vineyards

September is a wonderful time to visit the vineyard as we move closer to harvest and the vines are in full foliage....

As usual, we'll feature great wine, music and stellar food for the 2009 vintage of this event. The Dinner Dance is Saturday night. Best to book: phone 250-715-0504. Cover charge ($30) includes a full buffet of the best of the local nourishments.

At noon on Saturday the 19th, we’ll open with the terrific ORKESTAR SLIVOVICA Balkan Brass Band. Named after the national drink of Serbia, this band takes traditional and modern songs and melodies mainly from former Yugoslavia and inflects them with unique stylings and jazz improvisations. Soulful yet energetic, dramatic yet joyous, over the top yet restrained. Gypsy orchestras like this one play across Europe at weddings and other celebrations and make an ideal addition to the wine festival scene on the island. Check them out!

Around 5.30 it will be time for our dinner/dance and for the Latin jazz of Bossa Loca. The talented Jenna Flor on vocals and guitar will be joined by the Chris Lawrence on sax, the spirited Humberto Mendoza on congas and percussions and the steady bass of our maestro, John Wade.

Sunday the 20th at noon we'll feature Eric Harper, a terrific classical/flamenco guitarist formerly from LA who has now found his true love on the wine island. For a tasting!

For the later afternoon, we’ll have something special: Bases Loaded! This unique trio consists of Wayne Kozac on baritone sax, Paul Sparrow on bass trumpet and the inimitable John Wade on string bass.

The music is free, but get there early if you want to hang on to a table and chairs for extended enjoyment.

There will lots of simple food available. Or, bring your picnic and/or blankets and/or folding chairs.

We’re running low on whites, but we do have Bacchus and Chardonnay and, thanks to our policy of traditional long barrel-aging for all our red wines, we actually still have a good range of reds: Pinot Noir 2005 & a Pinot Noir Reserve from 2003, William Maltman's Double Red, a few cases of the 2002 Foch, a big Merlot and the friendly Beau Geste.

Hope to see you there!