Synchromesh Wines: Shifting Gears in Okanagan Falls
I remember quite vividly the first time I tasted Synchromesh. It was at Okanagan Falls Wineries Association’s (OFWA) inaugural Vancouver tasting.
Brent Marris: Renewing an Old Acquaintance over Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc
The last time I met Brent Marris—the man behind Marlborough’s The Ned, The Kings series, and a whole lot more—was almost exactly 20 years ago. He was part of a New Zealand trade mission that came to Vancouver. At the time, Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc was in the early stages of its remarkable ascent and the [...]
Toasting the New Year in The Right (Riedel) Glass
Waterford's pretty but ... Does the right glass really matter? You bet it does! Because we have a such a busy holiday season and Christmas, over the years, a restful, decidedly lazy New Year’s Day has become our tradition. Often we move little more than from the couch to the fridge—to extract more [...]
10 Fizzy Faves for the Holidays: Hired Belly’s Best Bubbles
Bubbles beckon... Champagne flutes await at Cornucopia Bubbles forever! © Tim Pawsey photo Bubbles 'R' Us! Over here at HB's swank, granite and glass adorned, soaring corporate HQ, we’ve been busy popping a few corks, drafting our list of go-to holiday bubbles. Sparkling wines (and Champagne for some a few [...]
The Must-Have Value List: 2014 Vancouver Magazine Wine Awards
The rosé flight. Every home should have one! I’m working on a redesign for hiredbelly.com wine recommendations, which will include all of the Belly’s Best selections as they run elsewhere. It’s time consuming but I think will be worth the wait and effort. In the meantime, here’s a link to the best [...]
Kamloops’ first winery, Harper’s Trail Releases Inaugural Cabernet Franc
Harper’s Trail has released its inaugural Cab Franc—and my guess is it will get plenty of attention. Well, it should anyway. In fact, you could file this under “One more reason why Cab Franc could be BC’s defining red variety.” I do think this is a ground-breaking wine. If you had asked people a [...]
What’s in a Blend? Don’t Ask Kevin Grant!
What’s in a blend? Why worry? One of the many interesting people I met at Beautiful South in London last week was winemaker Kevin Grant. He and his wife Hanli own Ataraxia in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, on a ridge overlooking the stunningly beautiful, cooler coastal region—whose name (which means "Heaven on Earth") kept popping up during [...]
Belly’s Budget Best: Seven Summer Sippers
In sippers, Picpoul Rules This unique wine is always on our Go-To summer 'fridge' list There’s no rhyme nor reason to this list. Just a few decent and, above all, pretty wallet friendly whites, perfect for value-driven summer sipping. You can pin this one to the fridge! We’re also working on a [...]
A Taste of Provence Rosé
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 [...]