Category: Bordeaux

I spent Friday afternoon at the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2026 tasting French red wines.  Here are my favourite French wines from the International Festival Tasting Room.  There is a fairly even distribution of red wines from different regions of France (and therefore different varietals) in my picks below.  Enjoy. My French Red Wine Selections Castel Frères Exclusive Aspirant de…

On a lighter tone, at VanWineFest 2026, I had a chance to attend a walk-about lunch at LaSalle College Vancouver; French bistro fare prepared and served by LaSalle students, while sampling a selection of French wines representing seven French wine regions.  Below is a list of the French wines followed by the menu.  No wine reviews here, just some general…

I had an interesting conversation with Stephane Dupuch, winery owner, from Chateau Sainte-Marie, in the International Festival Tasting room during the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2026.  Stephane is the fourth generation in this family-run winery, located in the Entre-Deux-Mers of Bordeaux.  They produce red, white, and sparkling wines.  They also have a winery located on the left bank in Bordeaux. …

In this video interview, I spoke with Dimitri Matrat from Chateau Monlot about  their red and white wines from Bordeaux.  Château Monlot is an 8-hectare Saint-Émilion Grand Cru estate in Bordeaux, France, with a 400-year history, specializing in Merlot-driven wines. Listen and watch as Dimitri tells me about their wines, during the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2026.

A Tour de France in Your Glass Food and wine go together, especially in France.  I attended the VanWineFest 2026 seminar, A Tour de France in Your Glass.  With Moderator, Arnica Rowan, we took an oenological journey through seven classic French wine regions, each with their own unique characteristics and history. We crossed the country from Champagne to South West…

Six months ago, in August 2025, I tasted BC’s Hester Creek Estate Vineyard Garland 2022 and The Judge 2022 Bordeaux-style red blends.  These are their top tier Origin wines.  Both wines were made in the epic year of 2022 when weather conditions and the harvest was perfect.  At that time I first tasted these wines, both tied in my wine…

Chinese (Lunar) New Year 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, starting on February 17, 2026 until February 5, 2027.  The Horse embodies enthusiasm, speed and fieriness, bringing a year focused on bold moves and exploration.  The Year of the Horse brings themes of freedom, action, and momentum, encouraging bold moves, new projects, travel, and social connection, fuelled by…

Here we have the Famille J-M Caze winery, which originated in Bordeaux and spread across France and into Portugal, telling us about their history and the wines they will be pouring at the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2026. Enjoy. Some Background About Famille J-M Caze The Cazes family originally came from the mountainous Ariege region and settled in the Medoc…

Let’s welcome Vignobles Ducourt to VanWineFest 2026.  Here is some information about the winery in their own words plus the wines that they will pour at the Festival Tasting Room. About Vignobles Ducourt Having acquired Château des Combes in 1858, the Ducourt family settles in Ladaux, a small village in the heart of Entre-Deux-Mers, to the southeast of Bordeaux. Pierre…

Say Bonjour to Vignobles Jalousie Beaulieu  from Bordeaux in France. Below is some information from the winery in their own words and the wines they will pour at VanWineFest 2026.  Enjoy! Some Background Information The Jalousie Beaulieu vineyards are in a small commune called Galgon, close to the Fronsac hillsides, 10 km from Saint Emilion. It is a family vineyard since 1910….