About Us: Over 30 Years of Wine Crafting Experience
At Terminal City Brewing, we’re passionate about making great wine accessible to everyone. Since 1993, we’ve been helping our Vancouver community craft exceptional wines, offering high-quality ingredients and expert guidance in a friendly, hands-on environment. Best of all, since we’re selling you the ingredients and the service of caring for your wine, everything we make together has no liquor tax, making it cost a fraction of liquor store prices.
Leading our winemaking efforts is Ben, who joined us in 2005 and has since crafted well over 10,000 batches of wine. With extensive knowledge of every step in the process—from maintaining a clean, sanitary environment to more intricate tasks like finings, racking, and filtering—Ben ensures every batch meets the highest standards. His dedication to quality and consistency shines through, helping our customers create wines they’re proud to share.
Our Wine Lead, Ben
What We Do: Crafting Wine Tailored to Your Taste
At Terminal City Brewing, we believe that every bottle should be just right for you. When you visit us to start a batch, we’ll sit down to chat about your wine preferences—whether it’s the styles you enjoy, what you usually buy at the liquor store, or any plans you have for aging. By getting to know your tastes, we can recommend the best wine for each batch, ensuring you’re set up with a choice you’ll love.
From there, we handle everything else to guarantee that your wine turns out beautifully. Our experienced team oversees the entire process with precision, so each batch is consistent, high-quality, and ready to enjoy when you are. And, because your satisfaction is our priority, we stand behind every batch we make—if a wine isn’t to your taste, we’re happy to replace it with something else.
For a personal touch, we offer custom label printing in-house, helping you design labels that look professional and unique. When it’s time to bottle up your wine, our bottling stations make the process quick and easy, with a bottle-rinsing machine and all the supplies you need. We’ve got everything covered, from wine bags to matching colored bottle shrink tops and labels—making it easy to present your wine beautifully.
The Process: Simple, Fun, and Tailored to You
- Visit and Select Your Wine: When you come to Terminal City Brewing, we’ll start by discussing the wine style you’re looking for, whether it’s something you regularly buy or something new to try. Once we help you select the perfect wine, you’ll place your order, and we’ll get your batch started.
- Patiently Await Perfection: Once your order is placed, we take care of the backroom winemaking process to ensure your wine reaches peak quality. The wait time varies based on your selection—our wines take from 4 to 8 weeks to complete, depending on the product line you’ve chosen. During this time, we closely monitor each step, ensuring your wine develops a perfect bouquet and full body. When it’s ready, we’ll notify you by text or email, inviting you to come in for bottling.
- Bottling Day – The Fun Part! When it’s time for bottling, the fun truly begins! You’ll come in and get hands-on, with our team guiding you through filling and corking each of your bottles. Each batch yields about 29 1/2 bottles, and with our professional bottling setup, the process only takes about half an hour. You’ll also have the chance to sample your wine at this stage, giving you a sneak peek of the final product. Bottling your wine is smooth, interactive, and enjoyable—and you’ll leave with a collection of bottles ready to share or savor.
- Personalize Your Bottles: If you’d like to add a decorative touch, we have all the tools you need—from our heat shrink machine for bottle toppers to our label applicator for custom labels. It’s a simple way to give your wine a polished, personal look.
With our streamlined process, crafting your own wine is not only rewarding but also a truly enjoyable experience. At Terminal City Brewing, we’re dedicated to making sure every batch you create is one you’ll be proud to share and savor.
Exploring Types of Wines
At Terminal City Brewing, we offer a broad selection of wine varieties, each with its unique character and flavor profile, allowing you to craft a wine that perfectly matches your taste preferences. There’s far more than we can list here, but these are some of our more popular varieties:
Bold Reds
For those who enjoy rich, full-bodied reds, we carry classic options like Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Rosso Grande. Cabernet Sauvignon provides a deep, structured flavor profile with layers of black currant, tobacco, and spice, while Shiraz delivers vibrant blackberry and peppery notes. Rosso Grande offers an intense, full-bodied Italian-inspired red with ripe berry and plum flavors, perfect for fans of robust reds with a touch of Old World character.
Versatile Fruity Reds
For fans of approachable, versatile reds, Merlot and Sangiovese are perfect choices. Merlot brings a softer, fruit-forward profile with flavors of plum, cherry, and a hint of chocolate, making it an easy-drinking option for many palates. Sangiovese, on the other hand, offers a bright, red fruit profile with balanced acidity and an earthy undertone—a wine that pairs beautifully with Italian cuisine or stands well on its own.
Elegant Red Blends
Blends like our Zinfandel Syrah or the Vieux Château du Roi bring complexity and balance to your glass. Zinfandel Syrah marries berry richness with smoky depth, while the Vieux Château du Roi, inspired by Rhône Valley reds, offers a mix of dark fruit, spice, and a subtle earthiness. For those who enjoy Italian reds, Sangiovese provides a medium-bodied blend of cherry, plum, and hints of earthy spice, delivering a structured, approachable wine with a classic Italian feel.
Classic Whites
For a refreshing and lively wine, consider varieties like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. Sauvignon Blanc is known for its crisp acidity and notes of citrus and tropical fruits, making it an ideal choice for warm days or lighter fare. Italian Pinot Grigio offers a similarly refreshing profile but with a slightly softer, more floral edge, perfect for those seeking a lighter white wine.
Aromatic Whites
If you enjoy more aromatic white wines, our Riesling, Traminer Riesling, and Gewürztraminer offerings provide floral and fruit-forward experiences. Riesling balances sweetness and acidity with a honeyed bouquet, while Traminer Riesling combines that floral character with a hint of spice, creating a well-rounded, refreshing wine. Gewürztraminer is known for its intense aromatics and exotic flavors, featuring notes of lychee, rose petals, and spice. This full-bodied white offers a rich, slightly sweet profile that pairs beautifully with spicy dishes and bold flavors.
Each of these varieties offers a unique winemaking experience, allowing you to explore and create the perfect wine to suit your tastes—from bold reds to aromatic whites and distinctive blends.
Choosing the Right Wine Kit
At Terminal City Brewing, we offer three tiers of wine kits, each designed to suit different preferences in complexity, flavor depth, and bottle-aging potential. Whether you’re new to winemaking or a seasoned enthusiast, our kits allow you to create exceptional wines crafted from the grape varieties you love.
Best for Quick Consumption
WineXpert Classic: Our most economical and popular choice, the WineXpert Classic series is ideal for those who want a delicious wine ready quickly. These 4-week kits primarily use high-quality grape concentrates, sourced from the specific grape varieties you know and love, allowing you to create wines with vibrant, accessible flavors. These wines are enjoyable soon after bottling, though they can develop more character with some additional bottle aging.
Best Overall Value
WineXpert Reserve: A step up in complexity and body, WineXpert Reserve kits combine a higher proportion of real grape juice with concentrate. These 6-week kits often include dried grape skins, enhancing the texture and depth of flavors. This mid-tier kit is ideal for those who appreciate a fuller wine profile and are open to aging their bottles for at least 2-3 months. For wines that include oak, the Reserve kits feature a higher grade of oak, imparting subtle, balanced notes that add sophistication to each sip.
Best for Cellaring / Gifting
WineXpert Private Reserve: For the ultimate in quality and richness, our WineXpert Private Reserve kits are crafted for the discerning wine enthusiast. These 8-week kits contain nearly pure grape juice, often featuring actual crushed grapes to enhance complexity and body. Designed for extended bottle aging, reds in this tier benefit from 6 months or more, while whites can often be enjoyed a bit sooner. The oak quality is the finest at this level, adding refined, nuanced flavors that make these wines perfect for special occasions or long-term enjoyment.
Each of our wine kits is meticulously crafted by Andrew Peller Limited, Canada’s largest premium wine producer, known for award-winning brands like Peller Estates, Trius, and Wayne Gretzky Estates. Their expertise ensures that every kit delivers authentic, varietal-specific flavors, allowing you to create exceptional wines at a fraction of retail cost.
Superb Savings
Why choose to wait for wine? With each batch yielding about 29 1/2 bottles, the savings really add up. For WineXpert Classic, the cost comes to about $5.50 per bottle, while delivering wine comparable to $10-$15 bottles from the liquor store. The WineXpert Reserve series, at about $7.25 per bottle, brings you wines with the depth and character of $25-$30 bottles, while WineXpert Private Reserve, at around $9.15 per bottle, produces a premium experience akin to $50-$60 wines. With prices like these, regular wine drinkers quickly see the savings add up, allowing you to enjoy quality wine daily without breaking the bank.
Our team is here to help you select the kit that best fits your taste, timeline, and aging preferences, ensuring every batch you craft is one you’ll be proud to share and enjoy.
Storing Your Wine
With each batch producing around 30 bottles, storing your wine is easy and doesn’t take up much space. Proper storage will keep your wine tasting great for as long as possible. The key is to find a cool, dark spot away from sunlight and windows, as light and fluctuating temperatures can impact the wine’s quality. A closet, cupboard, or a low-traffic corner works well, as these areas usually have more consistent temperatures.
Looking for the perfect storage solution? When you buy bottles from us, we include bottle boxes. If you’re looking for something a little more visually appealing, we carry compact 30-bottle and 50-bottle wine racks. Our 30-bottle rack measures just 50cm wide by 20cm deep and 60cm tall, it’s ideal for fitting a full batch of wine in minimal space. The rack can be mounted or stacked, keeping your bottles securely in place while maximizing storage. We can also direct you to Norm Libby, here in East Vancouver who can make you the perfect rack to fit your space!
When storing, keep your bottles upright initially after bottling. After a week or two, turn them on their sides to keep the corks moist, helping to preserve freshness. Yes, you can sample your wine early – it’s safe to drink immediately after bottling though the flavour will develop more with time.
With these simple storage tips, your wine will be ready to enjoy whenever you decide to open a bottle.
Getting Started with Terminal City Brewing
Ready to start crafting your own wine? If you’re new to Terminal City Brewing, you SAVE EVEN MORE and get $25 off your first batch. Sign up at tcbrewing.com/welcome-wine and I’ll give you a $25 store credit automatically, no obligation! Just fill in your information, and you’ll have the opportunity to book a time to meet with us and get started.
Of course, you’re also welcome to drop by anytime during our open hours—we’re always glad to chat and help you choose the perfect wine kit for your tastes and timeline. Whether you sign up online or stop by in person, we’ll make sure your first batch is an easy, enjoyable experience from start to finish.
Owner, Bryn
Experience the Art of Winemaking with Us
At Terminal City Brewing, we’re passionate about making winemaking accessible, enjoyable, and rewarding. For over 30 years, we’ve been helping people discover the joys of creating their own wines, and we’d love for you to be part of that experience. Whether you’re just starting out or have crafted batches before, there’s something truly special about bringing your own wine to life.
I’m passionate about this place and everything we do here, and I look forward to sharing that excitement with you. Come visit us, see what we’re all about, and let us help you create a wine you’ll be proud to enjoy and share.
-Bryn
