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.
Winning Wines at The Osoyoos Oyster Festival
Osoyoos beach from the Watermark Resort The Osoyoos ‘Oyster’ Festival? Seriously? I must admit, I was just a tad surprised when I first heard of the idea. After all, burgeoning bivalves is maybe not the first thing that come to mind when you consider the sandy (rock free), shores of the South Okanagan’s [...]
Malbec World Day: Argentina’s Favourite Makes its Mark
Harvesting Malbec in Argentina's Uco Valley (Supplied) No doubt you’ve already marked your calendar for Malbec World Day, which you surely must know is April 17th. And, in case you haven’t guessed, this celebratory salute to Argentina’s favourite grape was dreamed up by, well , Argentina. Wracking my brains, I can’t recall any [...]
Breaking Bread with Clos du Soleil at Tavola
A ground-breaking collaboration: Marc du Soleil, made by Long Table Distillery, TP photo The Hired Belly has attended more than few winemaker dinners. But some remain etched in my memory. The very first was when Howard Soon (now Peller Estates’ chief winemaker, then Calona Vineyards’) dropped by the original Raintree, in [...]
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 [...]
Vintners Brunch: Ceviche, Gelato and Meurette Meet their Match
Joe Fortes scallop ceviche, with Nautilus Twin Islands Sauvignon Blanc Vintners Brunch, to the lucky crowd who book it soon enough, is one fun party. And why not? After all, it’s the major closing event of the Vancouver International Wine Festival; and a laid-back wrap-up for many of the wine industry people who [...]
8 Tasting Tips (and more) for the Vancouver International Wine Festival
Next week’s Vancouver International Wine Festival will be one of the most well attended in the festival’s 36 years. How come it’s so popular? There are a couple of key reasons: Arguably North America’s most important combined consumer and trade wine gathering, it’s a great opportunity for wineries to meet their customers face to face—in [...]
A Clutch of Valentine Wines
Haywire Pink Bub sets the mood Roses are red Violets are blue But what would you think If we drank only pink? The Hired Belly has been busy checking his Valentine 's shopping list, and pondering just which wines might be best to go along. We’re tempted to throw caution to the wind [...]
Rodney Strong at brix Highlights Sonoma in the City
Alexander Valley, in the heart of Sonoma County Next week Sonoma County Vintners descend on Vancouver in force with a full slate of events and a score of winemakers pouring tastes from across the region. (For a chance to win FREE TICKETS to the Sonoma public tasting, SUBSCRIBE to hiredBelly.com by entering your [...]
Vancouver International Wine Festival 2014 #VIWF – Headed for a Sell-Out
In recent years, the array of food and wine events have become a big draw for VIWF (David Niddrie photo) The Vancouver International Wine Festival is already on the horizon (Feb 24th to March 2nd). Hard to believe! This is by way of a heads-up that tickets are going fast! As of now, a [...]