Make Haste Slowly

"Festina lente" is Latin for "make haste slowly," and it suits this Langley Township property well. Teresa and Bill Townsley bought the five-acre property next to Campbell Valley Regional Park in 2010, according to a profile by the Great Little Box Company, and turned an overgrown hobby farm into a working winery and meadery. Their focus is mead, the honey wine that most people have heard of but never actually tried.

The Townsleys describe mead as a white wine that ages like a red, and they say it is surprisingly dry even though people expect something syrupy when they hear the word honey. That surprise is a recurring theme in reviews, and it is a big part of why Festina Lente holds a 4.7-star rating across 230 Google reviews.

The Mead Lineup

The winery makes a range of meads, from traditional to infused. West Coast Food's profile names Nectaris Deorum, the traditional mead whose name means nectar of the gods, along with Zephyr, a coffee-infused mead, Flora, infused with lavender, and Minerva Metheglin, infused with fresh ginger grown on the property. If you have ever wanted to try a honey wine that goes with a plate of curry, the ginger one is the one to ask about.

Staff turn the tastings into a conversation. One reviewer singled out Dale for being exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate about each mead. Another said the owners are some of the friendliest and most knowledgeable people they have met, and that their wife arrived skeptical about mead and left a fan, even joining the frequent buyer points club.

Bees, Chickens, and the Deck

The honey comes from bees kept on the property. One visitor was told the mead is made with honey from 50 boxes of bees on site, plus about 100 more on a neighbour's land. The Townsleys are open about how much they depend on those bees; in the Great Little Box profile they say that when the bees struggle, so do they.

The tasting experience is relaxed and outdoorsy. Reviewers describe mead enjoyed on the wooden deck while listening to live music, next to the chickens. West Coast Food notes the property's horses and distinctively feathered chickens as part of the agritourism appeal. A visitor also enjoyed the High Tea On The Go lunch, which the owner brought to their table, and another loved the flatbread with Brie and pear paired with the honey-and-herb wine.

Events on the Property

Festina Lente is more than a tasting room. Reviewers mention a Renaissance Faire hosted on the property, with events in the paddock. One visitor called it an amazing, joy-filled time, though they noted dust from the paddock and hoped it would be fixed for next time. Another volunteered at the faire and hoped the winery would keep it going. Live music on the deck comes up in reviews too.

If you are looking for a Langley outing that is different from the usual brewery or grape winery trip, this is it. Ask when you visit about upcoming events and the frequent buyer points club.

Plan Your Visit

Google lists the tasting room as open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The venue is described as clean, comfortable, and pleasant. One reviewer noted that the selection was not always available, so if you are after a specific bottle, call ahead at (604) 510-2336.

Honey, herbs, bees, chickens, live music, and a deck that is hard to leave: Festina Lente is one of Langley's most distinctive tasting experiences, and it is easy to see why people keep describing it as a find.