Hired Belly’s Best Wines

First Tastes at Yaletown’s Good-Wolfe Kitchen & Bar with Wines of Roussillon

October 22, 2013
They had me at the Steelhead pastrami ...

    Newly landed Good-Wolfe (1043 Mainland St., Vancouver, 604-428-1043) has been on my radar for some time but I just hadn’t managed to get there until a couple of weeks ago. It’s not that I deliberately dodge new opening shenanigans. But the reality is that while you may will get to gossip lots, they […]

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Sipping in Style at Le Crocodile with Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle (Video)

October 19, 2013
Lobster - scallop terrine. And, yes, it looks as delicious as it tasted.

Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle with the latest from Grand MarnierOccasionally, people have accused me of being biased towards French cuisine. I don’t think I am—I love just about all cuisines.  But I do admit, having being raised in pre-culinary aware England, that my awakening to serious food came through early trips to France. This is a […]

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BC Riesling Deal Alert: Peller Estates VQA Private Reserve Dry Riesling 2011

August 2, 2013
Eagle-eyed observers will know that Peller Okanagan Dry Riesling heralded in this year

 Peller Okanagan (Similkameen?) Dry Riesling If you move really quickly you can buy Andrew Peller Private Reserve (VQA) Dry Riesling for just over $11 at BC Liquor Stores.  Believe me, as they say “while stocks last”, it’s worth it. I can’t say for sure (as I don’t have my notes handy) but I’m fairly sure […]

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A Taste of Provence Rosé

July 15, 2013
A clutch of very drinkable rosés

Is Rosé still on a roll?  It looks that way. Last month we had a chance to test drive a quartet of Provence rosés (part of a BC Liquor Stores’ promotion) to see how they stacked up. Following on from last year’s tasting, it was interesting to note the ongoing emphasis on creative packaging, which […]

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Winners: 2013 Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in BC Wines

June 27, 2013
Judging for the BC Lieutenant Governor

It’s tempting to just run the list without any comment, as the wines tend to stand on their own. And that’s the point. At the outset of this competition back in 2002, more than a few thought that selecting ten or 12 wines from a field of over 100 entries was a well nigh impossible […]

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Time Estate Winery Unveiled by BC Wine Pioneer Harry McWatters (Video)

June 9, 2013
Time Estate Winery founder Harry McWatters with architect

Time Estate founder Harry McWatters   I never thought I’d use Harry McWatters’ name in the same sentence as Jim Croce’s.  But there I was, walking home from the official launch of the BC pioneer’s new winery, Time Estate Winery, quietly humming to myself Time in a Bottle! Harry and I have shared more than […]

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50th Parallel Estate Winery welcomes winemaker Grant Stanley (Video)

June 2, 2013
Grant Stanley (l) has joined 50th Parallel Estate Winery owners Sheri-Lee Turner-Krouzel and Curtis Krouzel in what promises to be a significant venture for the North Okanagan

50th Parallel Estate Winery owners welcome Grant Stanley Grant Stanley has taken Quails Gate to new levels in his decade long sojourn. He’s turned it into one of the Okanagan’s most consistent producers; and honed a solid reputation for well made wines that frequently over-deliver. The last time I’d seen Grant he’d hinted something big […]

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In Burgundy’s Pouilly-Fuissé, it’s All About the Rocks

May 5, 2013
La Roche de Vergisson, in southern Burgundy, presides over vineyards with names such as Les Crays (Chalks), Tim Pawsey photo

Pouilly-Fuissé, Burgundy. One day into a whirlwind tour of Burgundy, my very obliging guide, Youri Lebault (Bourgogne Gold Tour), is anxious to make sure I understand the importance of “The Rocks”. (More about Youri’s superb service shortly…) Named Solutré and Vergisson, these twins (though by no means identical) are just two km. apart. They tower […]

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Fat Bastard Revisited and Gabrielle Meffre at Le Crocodile (Video)

April 20, 2013
Best selling Fat Bastard Chardonnay

I’m not sure why but I always figured that cheekily named “Fat Bastard” had to have something to do either with the guy who might drink it (me) or the guys who made it—Thierry Boudinaud and Guy Anderson. But here’s the real story, as told by Fat Bastard co-owner (and Gabrielle Meffre globe-trotting sommelier) Anthony Taylor.   […]

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Howard Soon: “2012 is one of the Best Vintages We’ve Ever Had” (Video)

April 15, 2013

Last week after the BC Wine Institute Vintage Preview, we asked Peller master winemaker Howard Soon for a few comments about his Sandhill Sauvignon Blanc, and the 2012 vintage…   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S0OWF2bMiQ   Here’s our story from the North Shore News: … What was interesting this time was that the viticulturalists were invited along to offer […]

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