Canadian Wine Marketer Christine Coletta Unveils her Own Wine
As executive director of the BC Wine Institute (1992-2001), Coletta also introduced BC wines to the London International Wine Fair
Red Wine and Fish? It All Depends …
Fishworks halibut started out well with Stag'sHollow Viognier Marsanne, but the best match might just surprise you - Tim Pawsey photo This week we managed to get our hands on a sizeable, freshly caught Robson Bight Sockeye, which has already served us deliciously well. As we were busy butchering and deboning we found [...]
BC Government House announces 2010 Lieutenant Governor’s Awards
And the winners are ... The moment of truth at Government House comes when the wraps are pulled off the winning wines. That’s the challenge of tasting blind: you just hope that the winners span an appropriate range of style, producer and price. It’s no small coincidence that the actual judging is run by Marjorie [...]
Judging at The 2010 Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in British Columbia Wines
The Hired Belly has just finished participating in one of the more interesting competitions on the Canadian judging calendar. The Lieutenant Governor's Awards for Excellence in British Columbia Wines were introduced by former Lieutenant Governor the Honourable Iona Campagnolo in 2003. The judging is different from many for a number of reasons, none [...]
No Time Like the Present to Perk Things Up with Pink
Why it's (always) the right time for BC rosé Meyer Family Vineyards (Naramata Bench) Rosé - Tim Pawsey photo Not long ago it was almost impossible to find a decent rosé around these parts. But that's all changed in recent years. Today, rosé is hotter than pink itself. What's driving the rosé revolution? [...]
Tantalus Vineyards’ Unveils BC’s First LEED Winery in Okanagan Valley
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 [...]
Why You Should Visit the New Gray Monk Winery & Get the Tee Shirt Too
I used to get corked - now I'm screwed! Gray Monk's ingenious expansion brings a whole new dimension - Tim Pawsey photo (Updated, see below) We weren't there at the very beginning, when, in 1972, George and Trudy Heiss were among the first to envision the Okanagan Valley's potential as a serious wine [...]
Former Vincor CEO Don Triggs & Elaine Triggs Move Up on Okanagan Winery
Don and Elaine Triggs: busy planting their Golden Mile vineyards - Tim Pawsey photo Newest vineyard above Golden Mile is one of the South Okanagan's highest yet It’s just over four years since then Vincor CEO Don Triggs concluded the deal that saw the company sold to global wine giant Constellation. While Triggs [...]
Blossoming Similkameen: A Fledgeling BC Wine Region Spreads its Wings
Similkameen Valley and Cawston from the Fairview Road, Tim Pawsey photo CAWSTON, B.C.--A sleepy backwater defined by its namesake river and towering peaks, the Similkameen Valley delights in its quiet, rural character that sets it apart from the Okanagan at large. At least since the last gold rush, farming is a mainstay. What's [...]
Curt Garland takes Hester Creek Estate Winery to new heights
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. [...]