Category: charity

I recently had a chance to sit down with Alana Dickson, Executive Director of the BC Hospitality Foundation, to talk about the Foundation, plus their BCHF Lottery with ticket sales on now till Oct 30, with the draw on Oct 31.  If you haven’t purchased a ticket(s), do so as our hospitality industry needs our help.  Here is some background…

Growing up in the warm, vineyard-lined landscapes of southern Ukraine, just inland from the Black Sea, Gary (Gennadi) Zhygailo was immersed in the rhythms of the vine from an early age. His passion for wine led him to the Odessa National Academy of Food Technologies, where he earned both a Bachelor’s in Food Science and a Master’s in Fermentation and…

The Vancouver International Wine Festival (VanWineFest) has been a staple in the city’s wine scene since its inception in 1979. Originally a one-day event at the Hotel Vancouver featuring just a single winery – Robert Mondavi – the festival has since grown into one of North America’s largest and most prestigious wine festivals. Every year, it attracts wineries from around…

If you have not yet purchased your ticket for Top Drop, which is on May 23 and 24 evenings, you should as the tickets are almost sold out.  Plus the ticket sales help support the BC Hospitality Foundation which provides financial support for hospitality workers coping with extraordinary health crisis costs. Here are the full details of Top Drop.  See you there!…

It may not yet be summer in BC, but it sure feels like it with the heat.  Township 7 Vineyards & Winery has two white ones that pair perfectly with summer, their Benchmark Series Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021 and their seven stars Polaris 2019 sparkling wine. I was fortunate to receive these bottles to sample and review for you.  I…

I have two more Argentinean Malbecs to tell you about in preparation for Malbec World Day on April 17.  The first wine is Bodegas Santa Ana La Mascota Vineyards Malbec 2020 and the second is Trapiche Broquel Selected Barrels Malbec 2020.  Both are from the same vintage.  Do they show similar characteristics?  I noticed that their Diam corks have the…

Just around the corner from Spearhead Winery is The View Winery & Vineyard.  I stopped by to try their wines and to find out that they also make apple cider under the name of Wards Cider.  I did not have a chance to try their ciders but purchased a few bottles to try at home. The View Winery is situated…

What a wonderful idea.  A Picnic for a Cause presented by Les Dames d’Escoffier BC.  A fundraiser to support women in hospitality and Food Banks BC.  Purchase a ticket to get a picnic for two at participating restaurants in Vancouver and the Okanagan which includes your choice of bubbles.  Details below. ~~~ Les Dames d’Escoffier BC is excited to announce its…

The Vancouver International Wine Festival is almost here.  The last time we had the Festival was two years ago and closed during our COVID crisis, but now it is back and runs from May 16-22.  One of the big attractions for us all is the International Festival Tasting room where wineries from around the world will have tables set up…

Help feed hungry children in the Cowichan Valley by buying a bottle of Blue Grouse or Quill wine in BC.  The press release from Blue Grouse Estate Winery is below. ~~~ [Duncan, BC] For the third year in a row, $1 from every bottle of Blue Grouse or Quill wine sold anywhere in BC goes to Nourish Cowichan to feed hungry children….