O’Rourke Family Estate has been recognized by Chardonnay du Monde for its O’Rourke Family Estate 2020 BC VQA Estate Chardonnay—the wine’s inaugural release. You could say it was a pretty good St. Patrick’s day present for owner Dennis O’Rourke—whose bottles sport “Sláinte” (Irish for ‘good health’) on the label. The [...]
While Quails' Gate was established in 1989, the family’s history in the Okanagan Valley dates from much earlier in the 20th century.
Updated: July 8th, 2021 1 Mill Road Pinot Noir 2019 Naramata Bench The current release invites with cherry, leather and some earthy aromas, bright red berry notes followed by a plush but precise palate of dark cherry and strawberry. Wrapped in silky and beautifully integrated tannins with a touch of spice and a definite savoury [...]
For reasons related to the pandemic, while invited, I wasn’t able to judge at this year’s British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards. But having just seen the results, there are a few things that strike me as being worth noting in particular. In 2018 the BC Wine Awards (formerly the long-running Okanagan Wine Festival judging) [...]
Mirabel makes its mark A few months ago I was sitting in a corner by the cozy fireplace at Vancouver's Bacchus Lounge. I was there to meet Doug and Dawn Reimer. They were in town to preview their (inaugural) Mirabel Vineyards Pinot Noir 2015. In many ways the couple epitomize the new wave of Okanagan [...]
The Great New Zealand Wine Tiki Tour comes to town on May 5th—which is the perfect time of year —with a wealth of styles and tastes from around NZ
One of my most memorable moments in New Zealand came when Peter Yealands proudly assured me there were now more vines than sheep, which seemed a good thing. Peter knows a thing or two about sheep: he brought in the first Baby Dolls—Australian miniatures that offer a truly sustainable answer to weed control in [...]
Heidi Noble and Michael Dinn ... to the next level, TP photo Time to catch up on some housekeeping. Here's our column from the North Shore News a couple of weeks ago. As you can tell, we're a big fan of Joie Farm (and—full disclosure—a longtime friend of Heidi and Michael.) The piece [...]
Time to mark the calendar for May 2nd. Yes, it’s Election Day in Canada but more to the point, it's the day the Kiwis roll into Vancouver for the annual New Zealand Wine Fair, this year at The Roundhouse —so you can take the Canada Line to right across the street. [...]
Blue Mountain produces only estate grown wines from their meticulously maintained and family controlled vineyard, near the town of Okanagan Falls
