Certain regions of the world are well-known for producing exceptional wines. Burgundy producing Pinot Noir, or Napa Valley producing Cabernet Sauvignon for example. There is usually something about their terroir that brings out the best of their grapes, which then…
Did you know the first recorded planting of grapevines in New Zealand was at the Bay of Islands in 1819? Wine was being made by Scottish, French, and Croatians making a new life in New Zealand. But powdery mildew, phylloxera, and…
What do you know about the current (2017) statistics about Australian wine? Did you know that the total vineyard area in Australia is 135,133 ha, of which Shiraz accounts for 39,893 ha (30%) and Chardonnay (the largest white variety) cover…
MASI Costasera Contemporary Art and Indigenous Artist Susan A. Point As MASI notes ” The term “culture” has its origins in the verb “to cultivate”: cultivation of the land is the expression of thousands of years of a people’s knowledge,…
Do you know that the Okanagan Valley gets 2 hours more sunlight per day than Napa Valley during the July and August growing season and that the Okanagan is warmer and more arid than Napa? We should be able to…
In my previous article about Maison Ogier and their wines from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, I told you about the four different soil types and their effects on the grapes’ flavours in the wines. In this article, I take you through tasting some…
This press release came to my inbox today. I was quite surprised. It is quite a feat to collaborate with Oliver Humbrecht from Domaine Zind-Humbrecht. They make amazing wines in Alsace. I tried to get a tour of the winery…
What do you know about Chateauneuf-du-Pape? How many grape varieties are permitted in the blend? How many soil types are there in Chateauneuf-du-Pape? Raphael Pommier, an Associate Winemaker at Maison Ogier, spoke to us about the history of the winery and…
2017 was an interesting vintage in the Okanagan in my opinion, with the cool, wet Spring, followed by the forest fires and smoke that started in June and went through most of the summer. I was worried about smoke taint…
Did you know that during the ice age, glaciers up to 3 km thick covered the Okanagan and carved out the valley we love? The retreat of the glaciers left benches covered with fertile soil where many wineries grow their…