MyWinePal

With every season, there is either grape growing, harvesting, vinification, aging, or bottling of wine. Recently I was happy to do some tasting in Vancouver of recently bottled wines from Le Vieux Pin and La Stella wineries.  These two wineries from South Okanagan offer different styles of wines; Le Vieux Pin being produced in a [...]

I look forward to the Import Vintners & Spirits Association (IVSA) Trade tasting.  You get to try the new wines, liquor, and beer coming into the BC market, and be the first to tell you what to search out in your local wine shop, or BC government liquor store.  With the latest IVSA, here are [...]

Chardonnay, a grape variety that can cause great disparity in wine drinkers.  There are many that fall into the “Anything But Chardonnay” camp, and others that love that it can have many different expressions; depending on the climate, soil, and the hands of the winemaker.  Some people do not even know they are drinking Chardonnay, [...]

The first time you walk into the International Festival Tasting Room can be intimidating, with 175 wineries pouring 3 or more wines each, you have at least 525 wines to try.  But over time, you become a wine tasting veteran like me, setting up a strategy, checking out the background of some wineries you may [...]

The Vancouver International Wine Festival has come and gone, but memories of the event still run through my head.  One event that I think about was the Chateau Olivier dinner at Le Gavroche downtown.  If you have not been to Le Gavroche, it is a small 2 story building located at 1616 Alberni St.  It has [...]

Wandering through the isles of the International Festival tasting room, with glasses of sparkling, red, and white wine pouring freely, are you looking for a friend to share a new wine find? If you see me, please poke my shoulder and say “Hi, I’ve found an interesting wine I’d like to share with you”. And [...]

Valentine’s Day, a day of celebration, a day of looking back, and a day of looking forward with your spouse, significant other, or someone you hope will be with you, enjoying more bottles of wine, for many years.  I’ve compiled a short list of wines that I hope will help you on this lover’s journey, [...]

The Wine Bar at Provence Marinaside in Yaletown has recently opened.  I received an invitation to experience the food, wine, and ambiance.  The Wine Bar entrance is through Provence Marinaside.  When you enter you are first beside the bar.  It is fairly narrow, but a good spot to sit at the bar and chat.  Beyond [...]

I made this original post 2 years ago, and have been updating it in subsequent years.  I think there is still an interest in having some fun for New Year’s Eve.  Sparkling wine paired with caviar I think fits that category.  I’ve added some additional text and champagnes for you.  Hopefully you will be able [...]

In my last post I gave you my list of favourite white and sparkling wines that I tasted in 2012.  Hopefully you can buy a bottle or two for one of your holiday soirees.   My follow-up to that article is my favourite red wines.  With a special request from my friend Kalpna, I have a [...]