Category: chile

While the term “Cru” is most often used for the French classification system, the “Cru” concept can apply to any vineyard or group of vineyards recognized for their superior quality. This seminar at the Vancouver International Wine Festival took us on a global journey to some of the wine world’s greatest vineyards to discover what makes their terroir and wines…

My first and only dinner during the Vancouver Wine Festival 2022 was the “Icons of South America” held at Alouette Bistro. Classic French cuisine with a West Coast twist meets powerhouse wines from Chile. Wines from Viñedo Chadwick, Seña, and Arboleda wines, from the vineyards in the Aconcagua Valley and Maipo Valley, were paired with the following dishes prepared by…

Have you ever heard of Top Drop Vancouver?  It is a festival where 40 hand-selected wineries from around the world come to Vancouver and pour their wines for you.  These wineries have to have a certain level of quality and status in order for them to be invited so that you know you are going to enjoy premium wines. Yes,…

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…

Chile is a coastal country, long a thin, with a hot desert in the north and a cooler climate similar to around San Francisco as you go further south. I received a bottle of Cono Sur Pinot Noir Rosé Brut sparkling wine where the grapes come from the more southern Bio Bio region of Chile.  This wine is made in…

The holiday season is upon us and we start to think about enjoying time with family and friends.  Assuming we can do this safely over our second COVID season, what kinds of foods do you like to serve?  I prefer rich foods, like lobster.  No dieting allowed.  You can of course boil a lobster, or cook it in dish with…

Today I have two wines from Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery in Chile made from the Pinot Noir grape.  Their Cono Sur Pinot Noir Organic 2020, which is vegan and certified organic, and their Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir Rosé 2020 comes in a 1-litre bottle. Both are available at BC Liquor stores.  The Rosé is on sale currently at…

One thing that I learned from my time being a part of the South World Wine Society many years ago was that Chile produces many premium wines, but at the time the entry-level wines were only making it into BC liquor stores.  Things slowly change and you can now find more premium Chilean wines, usually from Cabernet Sauvignon, which is…

Although we cannot celebrate the Vancouver International Wine Festival together this year, I have some wines from Chile and Argentina that I would like to taste and share my tasting notes with you. This year the theme region was South America, so we would have been tasting wines from Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brasil. I purchased these two Chilean wines…

I taste wines at all price points. You don’t necessarily buy and drink $40/bottle wines regularly. Sometimes you want a wine that is quaffable and doesn’t break the bank. Chile has been a constant producer of wines in both categories. Today I’m tasting an entry level wine from Vina Undurraga called 8 Rios. Undurraga is a 135-year-old family-owned winery and…