6409 Oldfield Rd, Saanichton, BC V8M 1X8
Neighbourly Wine Co. is a small agricultural and hospitality business in Saanichton on Vancouver Island’s Saanich Peninsula. Its Oldfield Road property includes gently sloping vineyard rows, mature evergreen trees, a timber visitor building, shaded lawns, gardens, and pastoral views across the Oldfield Valley.
The property was previously home to Symphony Vineyard, a family-operated vineyard established by Lamont Brooks and Pat George. After a gradual ownership transition, the site reopened as Neighbourly Wine Co. in 2024 under the leadership of Mic Silvestri and Jonny Bernard.
Although the name has changed, many of the property’s defining features remain. The cultivated rows, rural building, garden spaces, mature trees, and connection to the surrounding farming community continue to shape the visitor setting.
Neighbourly may be considered when Sip Happens develops a Victoria wine tour, subject to current availability, group capacity, reservations, and route planning.
Wine Tours Featuring Neighbourly Wine Co.
6 Hours
Holy Sip - Full Day Wine Tour
Victoria Area Wineries
$169 per person plus GST
6 Hours
Bachelorette Wine Tours - Full Day Wine Tour
Victoria Area Wineries
$169 per person plus GST
Located on the Saanich Peninsula
Neighbourly Wine Co. is located at 6409 Oldfield Road in Central Saanich.
The property belongs to the Saanich Peninsula agricultural region rather than the Cowichan Valley. It is surrounded by a landscape of working farms, orchards, forests, rural homes, garden businesses, and small-scale agricultural producers.
Neighbourly is described as:
- A Saanich Peninsula vineyard
- A Saanichton agricultural business
- A vineyard near Victoria
- A Central Saanich visitor property
- The successor to Symphony Vineyard
A property with a long farming history
The land was used for agriculture decades before Symphony Vineyard or Neighbourly Wine Co. opened.
Members of the Brooks family farmed the Oldfield Valley property beginning in the late 1950s. The original farm covered approximately 30 acres and supported crops suited to the Saanich Peninsula’s moderate coastal conditions.
Strawberries were grown during the farm’s earlier years. The property later became known for loganberry production, with fruit supplied to another Vancouver Island business during the 1960s and 1970s.
The original farm was eventually divided, leaving a smaller agricultural property of approximately ten acres. Despite that change, the remaining land continued to reflect the Brooks family’s farming history.
Neighbourly therefore occupies a property with several layers of agricultural use rather than a site created solely as a modern visitor destination.
The Symphony Vineyard years
Lamont Brooks and Pat George established Symphony Vineyard on part of the Brooks family farm.
After returning to Vancouver Island in 2003, the couple began considering how the existing agricultural land could support a new small business. Their professional backgrounds included geology, physics, earth sciences, and the energy sector.
They planted approximately 2.1 acres in 2004. The cultivated rows occupied a gently sloping section of the property below the main lawn and visitor building.
Symphony Vineyard opened to the public in June 2012. It operated for approximately 12 seasons before transitioning to new ownership.
During those years, the property became known for its:
- Small vineyard blocks
- Timber visitor building
- Mature evergreen trees
- Shaded grass patios
- Picnic areas
- Informal garden setting
- Oldfield Valley views
- Family-operated atmosphere
- Occasional community and music events
The Symphony name is no longer active, but it remains an important part of the property’s history.
Why was it called Symphony Vineyard?
The former Symphony name reflected Lamont and Pat’s interest in music.
They compared the agricultural year to a musical composition made up of several movements. Spring introduced new growth, summer brought a longer period of development, autumn marked the active harvest season, and winter created a quieter period of rest and preparation.
Music also became part of the property’s community identity. The lawn and picnic areas occasionally supported small performances and seasonal gatherings.
The old name connected the rhythm of farming with the owners’ personal interests. Mentioning Symphony Vineyard on the current page helps visitors who remember the former business understand that Neighbourly now operates from the same property.
Transition to Neighbourly Wine Co.
When Lamont and Pat decided to retire, they wanted the land to remain an active vineyard rather than lose its agricultural purpose.
Mic Silvestri and Jonny Bernard became involved with the property before officially taking over. Working alongside the former owners allowed them to learn the vineyard’s seasonal requirements, understand the history of the farm, and become familiar with returning visitors.
This gradual transition preserved practical knowledge of the land while allowing a new business identity to develop.
Neighbourly Wine Co. opened at the former Symphony Vineyard property in spring 2024.
Why the name Neighbourly?
The Neighbourly name reflects the welcome and support Mic and Jonny received from the Saanich Peninsula community.
The owners have emphasized relationships with neighbouring farms, small vineyard properties, regional producers, and the people who support local agricultural businesses.
The name also fits the scale and atmosphere of the Oldfield Road property. Neighbourly is not presented as an isolated luxury estate. It is part of a wider community of farms and independent businesses that depend on collaboration and local support.
This community-focused identity is visible in the company’s work with other small vineyard sites across the Saanich Peninsula.
A small working vineyard
Neighbourly farms approximately two acres at the historic Oldfield Road property.
The compact size allows the vineyard to remain closely connected to the main visitor areas. Rows can be seen from the lawn, garden, building, and outdoor seating spaces.
The property continues to function as a working agricultural site. Seasonal tasks may include pruning, maintaining the rows, managing plant growth, monitoring the land, caring for the soil, and completing general property work.
The cultivated area is small enough for visitors to see the relationship between the vineyard and the surrounding farm without the scale becoming overwhelming.
Working with neighbouring properties
Neighbourly’s agricultural work extends beyond the Oldfield Road site.
The business collaborates with and supports other small vineyard properties on the Saanich Peninsula. This regional approach connects Neighbourly with the wider farming community rather than limiting its identity to a single two-acre plot.
These relationships are consistent with the company’s name and business philosophy. They also reflect the practical structure of agriculture on the Saanich Peninsula, where many farms are small and distributed across separate rural properties.
Neighbourly’s wider network may include:
- Small vineyard operators
- Family farms
- Agricultural landowners
- Regional suppliers
- Local food businesses
- Independent hospitality companies
- Other Saanich Peninsula producers
This collaborative model helps keep smaller agricultural properties productive.
A timber building with rural character
The main visitor building was established during the Symphony Vineyard period and remains a defining feature of the property.
Its design includes:
- Exposed wooden framing
- Vertical timber siding
- A steep roofline
- Wide entrance doors
- Stone-edged landscaping
- Brick and gravel surfaces
- Large openings toward the grounds
- A scale suited to the surrounding farm
The building sits near the upper portion of the cultivated land. It does not dominate the property or block views over the valley.
Natural materials help it fit into the Saanichton setting. Timber, grass, stone, garden plants, and mature trees connect the structure with the agricultural land around it.
Gardens and shaded outdoor spaces
Neighbourly’s garden is one of the property’s most recognizable visitor areas.
Grass lawns extend around the main building and overlook the vineyard. Mature evergreen trees provide shade, while picnic tables and informal seating create several places to enjoy the rural setting.
The outdoor areas feel more like a family garden than a formal commercial terrace.
Visitors may see:
- Vineyard rows descending across the slope
- Tall evergreen trees
- Open grassy areas
- Garden beds and shrubs
- Picnic seating
- Rural fencing
- Nearby farms
- Low forested hills
- Open Vancouver Island sky
The landscaping softens the edges of the working property while maintaining its agricultural character.
Views across the Oldfield Valley
The elevated lawn provides broad views across the cultivated rows and surrounding Oldfield Valley.
The vineyard occupies the foreground, while neighbouring agricultural properties, rural buildings, trees, and low hills appear beyond it.
Tall evergreens frame sections of the landscape. Their trunks create natural openings through which the vineyard and valley can be seen, while their branches provide shade across parts of the lawn.
The view is pastoral rather than dramatic. Its appeal comes from the combination of productive farmland, mature vegetation, gentle slopes, and a quiet rural setting.
A business connected to local community
Neighbourly operates as more than a vineyard.
It is also part of the Saanich Peninsula’s local-business and visitor economy. The property can support employment and activity connected to:
- Farming
- Grounds maintenance
- Visitor services
- Events
- Administration
- Regional partnerships
- Landscaping
- Property operations
- Tourism
- Community gatherings
Its smaller scale allows the business to maintain a personal atmosphere while contributing to the wider network of farms and attractions near Victoria.
Visitors exploring other regional destinations can find planning information through the Sip Happens wine tour blog.
The Saanichton countryside
Saanichton is part of Central Saanich, an area known for agricultural land, country roads, forested properties, rural neighbourhoods, and coastal influence.
The journey to Neighbourly moves away from central Victoria and into a quieter landscape. Fields, garden businesses, orchards, farms, and wooded properties appear along the surrounding roads.
This transition is part of the destination experience. The Oldfield Road property feels removed from the city while remaining within practical driving distance of Victoria, the airport, and the ferry terminal.
Because businesses are distributed across rural roads, transportation and scheduling are important when planning a multi-stop regional itinerary.
Seasonal character of Neighbourly Wine Co.
Spring
Spring brings new growth across the vineyard, gardens, lawns, and surrounding farms. Seasonal rain keeps the property green, while fresh foliage begins filling the mature trees.
Summer
During summer, the vineyard reaches its fullest appearance. The trees provide shaded seating, garden areas become more prominent, and the cultivated rows stand out against neighbouring farmland.
Autumn
Autumn introduces warmer colours across the vineyard and nearby deciduous plants. The changing leaves make the contours of the cultivated rows easier to see.
Winter
Winter reveals more of the property’s underlying structure. Trellises, pathways, tree trunks, rooflines, slopes, and neighbouring farm boundaries become more visible.
Travellers comparing seasonal conditions can read the guide to the best time to visit Victoria wine country.
Neighbourly’s place in Saanich agriculture
The Oldfield Road property represents several generations of agricultural adaptation.
Its history includes:
- A Brooks family farm established in the late 1950s
- Strawberry cultivation
- Loganberry production
- Division of the original farm property
- Vineyard planting in 2004
- The opening of Symphony Vineyard in 2012
- A gradual transition to new ownership
- The opening of Neighbourly Wine Co. in 2024
Each stage changed how the property operated without removing its connection to farming.
Neighbourly continues this agricultural use while adding a stronger emphasis on regional cooperation and neighbouring small properties.
What makes Neighbourly Wine Co. distinctive?
Neighbourly stands out because of its compact scale, community focus, and long agricultural history.
Notable features include:
- A location on a family farm dating from the late 1950s
- Earlier strawberry and loganberry production
- Approximately two acres of cultivated vineyard land
- A property formerly known as Symphony Vineyard
- Vineyard rows planted beginning in 2004
- A timber visitor building
- Mature evergreen trees
- Shaded lawns and picnic spaces
- Gardens overlooking the vineyard
- Views across the Oldfield Valley
- New ownership under Mic Silvestri and Jonny Bernard
- A current business established in 2024
- Collaboration with neighbouring vineyard properties
- A strong connection to the Saanich Peninsula community
Together, these features make Neighbourly an important small agricultural destination near Victoria.
Neighbourly Wine Co. on a guided route
Neighbourly may be considered when Sip Happens develops a private Saanich Peninsula itinerary.
No individual business is guaranteed on every tour. Final stops depend on:
- Current operating schedules
- Advance reservations
- Group size
- Property capacity
- Vehicle access
- Seasonal availability
- Private events
- Travel conditions
- The overall flow of the day
Guests can review the Sip Happens wine tour FAQs for more information about transportation, itinerary planning, venue requests, and tour-day arrangements.
Groups interested in a tailored regional route can also explore the private and custom tour options.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
When did Symphony Vineyard open?
Symphony Vineyard opened to visitors in June 2012.
Where is Neighbourly Wine Co. located?
Yes. Neighbourly operates from the property previously known as Symphony Vineyard.
Is Neighbourly Wine Co. the former Symphony Vineyard?
Neighbourly opened at the Oldfield Road property in spring 2024.
When did Neighbourly Wine Co. open?
The vineyard was established in 2001 by founder Andy Johnston. Development and planting continued as the hillside property was prepared for commercial agricultural use.
Is Neighbourly in the Cowichan Valley?
No. The property is in Central Saanich on the Saanich Peninsula near Victoria.
Who operates Neighbourly Wine Co.?
The business is operated by Mic Silvestri and Jonny Bernard.
Who founded Symphony Vineyard?
Symphony Vineyard was founded by Lamont Brooks and Pat George on part of the Brooks family farm.
When was the vineyard planted?
Approximately 2.1 acres were originally planted in 2004.
Why did the business name change?
The former owners retired, and the property gradually transitioned to new ownership. Mic and Jonny introduced the Neighbourly name to reflect the support and community spirit they found on the Saanich Peninsula.
What was grown on the land before the vineyard?
The Brooks family previously grew strawberries and loganberries on the property.
How large is the current vineyard?
Neighbourly states that it farms an approximately two-acre plot at the Oldfield Road property.
What does the property look like?
The property includes gently sloping vineyard rows, mature evergreen trees, grass patios, gardens, picnic areas, a timber building, and views across neighbouring farmland.
Does Neighbourly work with other vineyards?
Yes. The business works with other small vineyard properties across the Saanich Peninsula.
Can Neighbourly be requested as part of a private tour?
Guests may request the property when planning a private itinerary. Inclusion remains subject to current availability, group capacity, reservations, and route logistics.
Is Neighbourly included on every Sip Happens itinerary?
No. Individual stops vary according to availability, timing, seasonal operations, group requirements, and the practical flow of the route.
