Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands barely register a blip on the radar of the wine industry. Yet this overlooked wine region has come into its own in recent years, evolving in leaps and bounds to produce some world-class products, albeit in limited quantities. That is remarkable when you consider the local wine industry is still in its infancy; most established wineries have been at it for less than 20 years, at most.

The Duncan Project, the first serious attempt to study the growth of vitis vinifera (wine-making grape varieties) on Vancouver Island, took root in 1983 and ever since, wineries have experimented with what works best here. Along the way, a number of suitable varieties were singled out and a unique local terroir now seems identifiable.

Terroir can be a contentious subject in wine circles. It is generally considered the holistic sum of natural environmental influences on viticulture - soil type, topography and climate, etc. - that imparts particular characteristics to varietal wines from specific growing regions. In other words, wine reflects the place it comes from.

Some take the concept further, ascribing cultural influences. One interesting theory even suggests wine can be a unique expression of a vintner's personality.

Well, perhaps. Whatever the case, knowing something about our local terroir and winemakers greatly enhances enjoyment of Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands wines, which should not be confused with locally made wines produced from Okanagan grapes. (Reader alert: hot-button issue.)

Until recently, little had been written about local wineries beyond newspaper and magazine articles, and whatever you could Google. That's changed with the release of two books this year:

B.C. COASTAL WINE TOUR GUIDE

By John Schreiner

Whitecap Books, $20

A prolific wine author with 10 books and a blog to his credit, John Schreiner has turned his attention to the wineries of the B.C. coast, with a particular emphasis on the people involved.

Schreiner's breezy enthusiasm for winemaking personalities is the greatest strength of this book. He does an admirable job showing glimpses of character by telling personal stories with warmth and admiration.

For example, he relates how Roger Dosman obtained a degree in urban geography and ran a Vancouver auto-body shop before moving to Duncan in 1988 to start Alderlea Vineyards with his wife, Nancy.

Dosman makes the sage observation, "I used to make money fixing cars. Now I make a living. There is a big difference."

Then there is Dr. Hans Kiltz, owner of Blue Grouse Estate Winery in Duncan, who holds four scientific degrees, ranging from veterinary medicine to a doctorate in microbiology: "My scientific degrees helped me to do this," says Kiltz.

"It is not much different, winemaking and veterinarian medicine. Both are half science and half art."

Do his training and Teutonic temperament express themselves in the wines he produces? Judge for yourself, but it is worth considering when sipping a meticulous glass of Blue Grouse Pinot Gris.

Unfortunately, this book won't be much help learning about wine styles produced by Kilz and others.

Schreiner will forget more about B.C. wines than most will learn, and that carries the book through some awkward patches, but the general dearth of insights on terroir, varietal selection, and wine styles leaves the reader wanting.

ISLAND WINERIES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

By the contributors of Eat Magazine, edited by Gary Hynes

TouchWood Editions, $30

The combined effort of contributors to Eat magazine - edited by the publication's founder, Gary Hynes - Island Wineries of British Columbia is an accessible and elegant must-have book for anyone interested in Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands wine.

With the balance of a fine wine, this book combines beautiful colour images, readable prose and substantive content in a professionally packaged product that has both structure and purpose.

As with Schreiner's book, attention is paid to the personalities involved, but Island Wineries goes further, delving into the varieties favoured by each, and why. It also digs deeper into the local terroir, highlighting why specific varieties do well here, such as Ortega, Bacchus, Pinot Noir and Marechal Foch, to name a few. What is more, the book touches on various fruit wineries, cideries, meaderies and even artisan distillers and craft breweries.

And what is wine without fine cuisine? To that end, Island Wineries devotes an entire section of the book to seasonal dishes developed by chefs at some of the best restaurants on the Coast, matching each to local wines. To be sure, this is a satisfying and sophisticated book that will delight the oenophile on your Christmas list.

garthe@shaw.ca