Month: September 2016

Want to Try Grape and Blueberry Wine from Monte Creek Ranch?

 mywinepal  September 26, 2016

The 2015 vintage was the hottest in years in BC, and recorded the earliest grape harvest of all time.  The heat helped fully ripen the grapes, and produce full-bodied, ripe red wines in the Okanagan, and also the Kamloops region, where we find Monte Creek Ranch.  The winery is still relatively new, with their vineyards planted in 2009.  Learning about…

The Latest BC VQA Wines for You to Enjoy in 2016

 mywinepal  September 25, 2016

I love to support our BC wineries.  I watched over the many years as the number of wineries has grown as well as the quality improved.  Wine critics from here as well as around the world, have tasted our wines, celebrated the quality, and told others.  Now you can find BC wines around the world, from Hong Kong to London….

Black Hills Estate Winery Nota Bene 2014 label

A Bene Nota from Black Hills Estate Winery Nota Bene

 mywinepal  September 20, 2016

Black Hills Estate Winery on the Black Sage Road in the Okanagan is best known for their “Nota Bene” Bordeaux blend red wine.  When I was taking my WSET classes downtown many years ago, it was extremely difficult to get a bottle of Nota Bene.  It sold out very quickly upon release.  One class mate lucky had purchased a bottle a few…

Rhone Valley wines logo

So You Think You Know Rhone?

 mywinepal  September 19, 2016

I’ve traveled to France twice for vacation, and both times I made sure to stop in the Rhone Valley.  I love the Syrahs from the northern Rhone, as well as the famous Chateauneuf du Pape blend from the south.  I also have to note that the Rhone has very aromatic and flavourful white wines, coming from the Viognier, Marsanne and…

Roast fillets of beef together with a veal sweetbread served with 3 red wines from KWV at L Abattoir small

Celebrating KWV’s South African Wines at L’Abattoir

 mywinepal  September 17, 2016

Two years ago I was fortunate to meet wine maker Izele van Blerk from KWV, the largest winery in South Africa, at a Trade tasting in Vancouver 2 years ago.  I talked about my experience with South African wine through the South World Wine Society, where I was the President and cellar master at some time.  I’ve continued to watch…

Top Drop Vancouver

Have You Tried a Top Drop?

 mywinepal  September 14, 2016

Top Drop Vancouver is a collaboration between Vancouver’s wine industry, that focus on smaller boutique and terroir-focused wineries from BC and around the world, and offers these wines to taste at a public event, this year held at the Roundhouse in Yaletown on September 8.  I was fortunate to be able to attend this walk-about event, with a glass in…

Two Oceans Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc 2016

The Second Wave from Two Oceans Winery

 mywinepal  September 12, 2016

South Africa is a country that has a long history of wine making, yet is not viewed as Old World.  It produces more fruit forward wines than the Old World, but more restrained than the New World, so it is also not viewed as New World either.  It straddles both worlds, and I think that it does have an advantage….

Three Singletree white wines

3 Whites from Fraser Valley’s Singletree Winery

 mywinepal  September 4, 2016

The Fraser Valley has a few wineries, but they are not as well-known as our Okanagan wineries.  One of the newer Fraser Valley wineries is Singletree Winery from the Abbotsford area. Being a cooler climate area for grape growing, expect aromatic white wines.  But as many of the Fraser Valley wineries do, they also bring in grapes from the Okanagan…