Category: france

I started my wine tasting at the International Festival Tasting Room during VanWineFest 2026 with French white and sparkling wines.  Below are my favourite white and sparkling wines.  I noticed after making my list that almost all the wines are made from the Chardonnay grape.  I am not sure how many of these wines are still available for purchase, but…

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…

Many people imagine Champagne as a pale lemon-coloured wine with fine bubbles and some combination of aromas and flavours of citrus, apple, nuts, oak, and brioche. But, Champagne is also available as a Rosé wine, giving it a different flavour profile, typically of red fruits, a little more body, and larger bubbles, from the use of Pinot Noir as the…

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…

Do you know about the long history of Domaine Laroche in Chablis, France?  I interviewed Romain Chevrolat from Domaine Laroche in the International Festival Tasting Room during the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2026.  Listen in as Romain tells us about their winery.  He makes fantastic wines, BTW.

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. …

Passport to Global Wines flight of wines The 47th Vancouver International Wine Festival seminar, “Passport to Global Wines,” was a strategic exploration of the global viticultural map through the lens of cultural identity. Moderators Christine Campbell, Lisa Giovanella, and James Nevison established a “Passport” metaphor as a vehicle to navigate international “ports of entry,” moving beyond the standard technical data…

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…

In this video interview at the International Festival Tasting Room at VanWineFest 2026, I spoke with Chloe Hattabe from Domaine Francois Lurton about their Fumees Blanches Sauvignon Blanc wine.  If you have heard about Fume Blanc before, it is not this wine.  The name for this wine is quite unique.  Listen and watch as Chloe tells me about this wine,…