From the monthly archives:

April 2010

Judas Goat Taberna: a Trendsetter for Back Alley Vancouver

April 30, 2010

Sean Heather is takin’ it to the streets. Literally. For better or worse, back alleys constitute a big part of Vancouver. We’ve lived and worked overlooking one for many years. They add up to the most under-used and often abused significant chunk of unremarkable real estate in an otherwise pretty spectacular city. Sean Heather—the ‘Laird [...]

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Oru Restaurant in Vancouver, B.C. is a Year-Round Dine Out Deal

April 29, 2010

Tasteful and stylish, Oru’s four course Japanese Bento lunch costs just $24 Dine Out Vancouver is in full swing, through May 6th.  But one of the city’s best dining deals is actually on offer year round… We’re talking about Oru, the dazzling, Asian inclined room in the new Fairmont Pacific Rim, just across from the [...]

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Curt Garland takes Hester Creek Estate Winery to new heights

April 29, 2010

New owner Curt Garland and his team have transformed Hester Creek from a winery on the brink of oblivion to one of the Okanagan Valley’s up-and-comers Curt Garland says he wasn’t really looking to buy a winery.  The Prince George entrepreneur was thinking of an Okanagan Valley escape, maybe a five acre lot. But with [...]

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Hear BC Winegrowers John and Lynn Bremmer on BC’s Wine History

April 27, 2010

“When the hybrids were gone and vinifera started producing … the government started smiling … and wine-writers started writing things like, ‘It’s OK!’”   —John Bremmer South Okanagan Banée honorees John and Lynn Bremmer don’t hold back as they talk about the birth of the modern BC wine industry: Topics include: the days of de Chaunac, [...]

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Behind the Scenes at the Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival

April 26, 2010

On the judging panel at Vintners Brunch: a slam dunk winner! Every year one of the first Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival events to sell out is the Vintner’s Brunch, held on the final day. Lots of folks get a group together and buy a table, to sample tastes from some of the city’s leading chefs, [...]

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

April 21, 2010

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 quality from [...]

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Sub-Appellation Status May be in the Cards for Okanagan Wineries

April 20, 2010

Could the Golden Mile sub-appellation be in place in time for the 2011 harvest? As John Schreiner notes on his highly informative blog, there’s some talk these days about setting up BC sub-appellations. BC has five well-defined appellations or regions: Okanagan Valley, Similkameen Valley, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, and Gulf Islands. As the industry matures, [...]

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New Zealand Comes to Vancouver for Playhouse Wine Festival

April 20, 2010

New Zealand’s sophisticated culinary scene revolves (not surprisingly) around lamb, as well as celebrating an abundance of fresh seafood, including the ubiquitous Green Lip mussel, prepared any number of ways.  Marlborough’s Allan Scott features the mollusks ‘pepperonata’ style, in a tasty tangle of chorizo, shallots, garlic, chilli and figs—which just happens to match perfectly …

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Tasting with the Winemakers at South Okanagan Banée

April 18, 2010

“I never intended to make six friggin’ wines!” — Bill Eggert You won’t find a more down-to-earth, hands-on winemaker than Bill Eggert (left), the man who is Fairview Cellars. Bill planted his (mainly Bordeaux red varieties) vineyard, built the cellar and makes his excellent wines almost all single-handedly.  He’s a true artisan—with a wicked sense [...]

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The Okanagan Wine Tour Guide: Don’t Leave Home Without It!

April 18, 2010

—John Schreiner’s latest Okanagan wine guide If anyone’s even thinking about opening a new winery in BC, chances are John Schreiner knows about it. Schreiner’s Okanagan Wine Tour Guide—edition no. 3—comes out May 1 (Whitecap $19.99). If you’re serious about keeping up with BC’s ever changing wine scene, it’s a ‘must have.’ We’ve known and [...]

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