In our glass: past and present wine picks

Could You Become a Zork Dork?

By |2018-01-21T15:05:42-08:00January 24th, 2011|Hired Belly's Best Wines, Top Drops|

Last week we spent a couple of enjoyable and informative hours with Shingleback winemaker Jahn Davey, from Australia's McLaren Vale. Wines tasted ranged from Shingleback 06 D-Block Shiraz (sequel to the celebrated 05 Jimmy Watson award winner) to value-based workhorse Red Knot Shiraz (BCLS $19.99) and Cabernet. The nicely designed Red Knot package comes [...]

Of Tiles, Tunas and Touriga Naçional

By |2018-01-21T15:05:42-08:00November 18th, 2010|Hired Belly's Best Wines, Top Drops, Travel|

Citrus and vineyard at Quinta da Nespereira, Dao - Tim Pawsey photo Vineyard detail, tiles at Caves Sao Joao, Beiras - Tim Pawsey photo Just back from Portugal, and we’re playing serious catch-up! After a week of tasting a wide variety of sometimes unfamiliar table wine varieties—from Siria and Encruzada (whites) [...]

Play it Sam! Languedoc Helps Vancouver’s Hollywood Turn 75

By |2018-01-21T15:05:44-08:00October 23rd, 2010|Belly's Budget Best, Hired Belly's Best Wines, Top Drops|

Last night we went to one of the more interesting wine tastings we’ve attended in recent times. The occasion was a 75th anniversary pre-screening reception, before a Hollywood Theatre double bill featuring The American and Casablanca. When we arrived, the compact and cozy lobby was packed with people enthusiastically tasting a selection of AOC wines [...]

Playing by the (Aussie) Rules: A pre-H*l*d*y Bundle of Value Wines

By |2024-03-05T10:16:39-08:00September 26th, 2010|Belly's Budget Best, Hired Belly's Best Wines, Top Drops|

Around this time of year, wine tastings happen with increasing velocity, as every country-winery-region-producer-importer wants to pour their prized elixir for media—or even for real wine buyers—during the crucial pre-holiday buying period. Every now and then, one comes along that leaves a lasting impression, such as this past week’s Wine Australia extravaganza in [...]

Tantalus Vineyards’ Unveils BC’s First LEED Winery in Okanagan Valley

By |2018-01-21T15:05:45-08:00May 21st, 2010|Hired Belly's Best Wines, Top Drops|

Clean and Lean, New Winery is Really           ‘Very Riesling’ Tantalus Vineyards has emerged as the Okanagan’s de facto flagship Riesling producer—and rightly so. For the last few years the winery operated out of the former Pinot Reach facility—a delightful, if somewhat rustic arrangement not entirely conducive to the [...]

Hired Belly’s Bucket List: 30+ Kiwi Wines You Won’t Want to Spit

By |2018-01-21T15:05:46-08:00April 21st, 2010|Belly's Budget Best, Hired Belly's Best Wines, Top Drops, Travel|

30+ Kiwi wines you won't want to spit Wine tastings can be a gruelling affair—especially when there are several hundred wines in the room. Spitting is a necessity—though not always easy. In November we visited almost all of the wineries who've come to Vancouver and were impressed above all by the consistency and [...]

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