Category: champagne

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, but really enjoy French Chablis or…

I posted this article for all the star-crossed lovers 2 years ago.  I thought I’d check out the wines, and I’d stand by them all, but in addition, new wines have come to the BC market, so I thought I’d add those ones in too, so enjoy this Valentine’s Day with an even greater range of wine.  And don’t forget…

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 to find these more recent…

I hazard to guess how many wines I tasted over the past year, but every year I find several gems that I pass along to you as I taste them.  Getting ready for the holiday season, you may be considering buying wines to take to parties, or serving wines at your parties.  What to buy? Here is a list of…

We have just a little over one month away before we are with family and friends, enjoying dinners, gifts, and of course celebratory wine.  And when we think of wines for celebrations, we think “bubbles”.  For some of you it may be Champagne, but there are many other sparkling wines, such as Cava, Prosecco, and Cremant.  I recently had a…

Looking back at the World Wars, I think about how many of our veterans are left.  So many sacrificed their lives for us.  And there are so few now.  I hope we can keep carrying our torch for them. The wineries in France helped in the World Wars.  The tunnels beneath the cities of Reims and Epernay in the Champagne region…

Every year Mark Anthony Wine Merchants have a portfolio tasting of their wines from around the world. Every year I am impressed by wineries that I know, and new wineries I have yet to try. This year I have tasty wines for you from sparkling to still red and whites. Sparkling Lanson Black Label, NV, France, ($64.99). Nice creamy, bready,…

When you talk with visitors to the Okanagan, most will say they want to visit Summerhill Winery and see their pyramid, where they partially age all their wines. Some may say they also want to visit because it uses biodynamic farming methods.  I sat down with Ezra Cipes, CEO of Summerhill, and son of the founder, Stephen Cipes, at a restaurant…

November is always a special time for tasting new wines at the Import Vintners and Spirits Association (IVSA).  It’s just one month away from the Christmas and New Years holidays.  And that means lots of sparkling wines to taste.  So with this in mind, I spent almost all my time at the IVSA tasting bubbles.  And my picks are here…

This Part 2 of my review of my picks from the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.  Part 1 covered the wines of Spain.  Part 2 is the rest of the world. Again, there are so many wines at the tasting, and so little time, I’m sure I missed many great wines.  If you tasted some that I didn’t list, please…