2020 BCLG Platinum Awards Highlight Syrah and Riesling

By |2020-10-16T10:40:37-07:00October 16th, 2020|Latest Posts, Wine|

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) [...]

Okanagan Wine Guide is a Tour de Force

By |2020-10-15T08:53:51-07:00October 14th, 2020|Latest Posts, Wine|

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve written about John Schreiner’s ‘latest’ book. But over the years there have been more than a few. I have to chuckle as I still recall John’s ‘retirement’ party, when he wrapped up his career with the Financial Post. Since then we’ve become friends and colleagues, often [...]

Somm Smackdown: ‘Kids’ in the Hall Edition

By |2020-09-25T14:23:22-07:00September 25th, 2020|Latest Posts, Wine|

This week’s Vancouver Somm Smackdown turned out to be a fitting way to celebrate 30 years of BC VQA, on many levels. The BC Wine Institute and CAPS BC-sponsored ‘Smackdown’ featured dishes from three chefs, their plates matched with a wine pairing from each of three sommeliers. Our task was to pick what we considered [...]

Malbec and More: Argentina Shines in BCLS Spotlight

By |2020-08-30T09:38:12-07:00August 30th, 2020|Latest Posts, Wine|

Argentina has been in the spotlight this month at BC Liquor Stores, with a special promo through until early September. That means several good value Argentine wines—including not a few Malbecs ;-) —are still on offer (for even better value) until Sept 5th.  Argentine Malbec has turned out to be one of the most enduring [...]

The PearTree Succumbs to Landlord Greed

By |2020-08-01T08:28:21-07:00July 31st, 2020|Dining, Latest Posts|

I’m truly saddened to learn that Burnaby’s long-running The PearTree is closing. Since its opening in 1998, the restaurant has been a beacon of regional cuisine. In fact, in the late 1990s, it was one of the first ‘fine dining’ rooms to establish away from downtown Vancouver. (One of the originals was Bruno Marti’s Le [...]

District Wine Village: Gateway to the South Okanagan

By |2024-10-13T09:45:17-07:00July 21st, 2020|Features - sponsored posts, Latest Posts, Wine|

Updated, April 20th, 2021. As District Wine Village nears its first phase completion several wineries and breweries have confirmed their partnerships. To date they include: JoiRyde Winery One Faith Vineyards Trading Post Brewing & Trading Post Eatery Wapiti Cellars  Vintners Cove  Gneiss Wines Winemaker’s Cut Eau Vivre Winery Stay tuned for more! Oliver’s claim as [...]

Sea Star and Saturna Move On to the Next Chapter

By |2020-07-16T11:36:03-07:00July 16th, 2020|Latest Posts, Wine|

I’ve written at length about the success of Sea Star Vineyards, in part, because I enjoy a personal connection with the Gulf Islands (Northern and Southern) that spans several decades. But also because, since Sea Star emerged in the place of its struggling Pender Island predecessor, I’ve been consistently impressed by the wines every vintage. [...]

Lightning Rock: Tasting the Stars in Summerland

By |2020-06-29T07:58:51-07:00June 29th, 2020|Latest Posts, Wine|

The late Harry McWatters used to say “There’s no place like the Okanagan to make sparkling wine!” McWatters was convinced that grapes coming from a triangle within the central Okanagan (between Summerland, Naramata and Okanagan Falls) consistently had the right amount of acidity to make good bubble. Harry once told me “One thing we’ve never [...]

Unsworth Vineyards Sells to Banke Jackson Family Members

By |2020-06-22T13:15:25-07:00June 22nd, 2020|Latest Posts, Wine|

From the ‘out of left field’ department comes news today that Unsworth Vineyards has been purchased by Barbara Banke and Julia Jackson of California. This is a significant development for the recently proclaimed Cowichan Valley Sub-GI. It marks the first time that a Cowichan winery has been sold to major outside owners. No doubt, it [...]

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