Ve Oh Lay Acres offers the kind of farm where you can sip wine and enjoy the view. Its easy-going persona extends a warm welcome to families. The inviting picnic area and tasting room feature games kids and adults can enjoy.
Owners Maddison and Laurent Violet purchased the 11-acre property in 2021, and diligently cultivated the orchard and grounds while nurturing poultry, meats, and livestock. They planted the vineyard with varieties not found in the region.
Petting Zoo Too!
For a small fee, you can tour the Petting Farm, which is open with the tasting room, March through October.
Meet Olive, the farm’s general manager pig, and Lemon Beret, the Social Media Manager duck. Delight in the alpacas, sheep, pigs, ducks, chickens and even ostriches, affectionately known as Betty and Veronica.
What began as a humble goat duo grew into over 150 charming, diverse animals. They earn their keep as the animals tend to fields, crops, vines, and orchards for weed control, soil enrichment, pest control and more.
Love and Mead Aplenty
Taking her first Wine and Spirit Education Trust course in 2016, winemaker Maddison found herself in Langley’s Chaberton Estate Winery tasting room shortly after. She fell in love with the vineyard and then travelled to New Zealand and Australia to learn winemaking. In 2019 she was awarded “IWSC and WSET Future 50 Under 40.” She returned to Chaberton for another harvest where she worked with her now husband, Laurent. “We bonded over a love of wine and sarcasm,” she said.
Laurent spent his entire life in the industry from grape planting to bottling. His great-great-great grandfather Simon and brother Pallade made an apéritif known as Byrrh in 1866!
Fast forward to Laurent discovering a passion for mead (honey wine) with his wife Maddison and together they established Ve Oh Lay Acres. With his welding/fabricating background, Laurent crafted the cellar and features like its waterfall bar. Grab a seat, sip mead and eat snacks from the winery’s kitchen soothed by the refreshing water feature. Chef Terry Port, Elite Chef Events, offers a small and delightful menu.
Ve Oh Lay Acres Archer, made from honey, cherries, blackberries, and plum received a gold medal (92 points) while Impulsive, Capricious and Melodramatic, blueberry honey wine achieved a bronze (88 points) from Wine Align 2023 National Wine Awards.
Wine Flights and More
Striving to bring fun back to drinking, Ve Oh Lay rotates selections of wine by the glass, flights and a limited selection of wine fusions—contemporary wine cocktails. Settle in as Ve Oh Lay declares “Wine is better with friends. And we’re the best place to find friends.” Snag a bottle or two and local goodies to enjoy later. Use code: winetrails10 for a 10 percent discount online or in person. veohlayacres.com.