Category: italy

At various BC Liquor Stores in July there will be special tastings of wines, beers, and other liquor.  Find something new at one of these events and continue to enjoy them into August and onward.  Here is the list of events from the BCLDB. ~~~ 39th & CAMBIE KAYAK ADVENTURE WITH GRANVILLE ISLAND BREWING Friday, July 7 4:00 – 7:00…

We have heard about fusion cuisine; mixing elements of French dishes with Mexican spices, for example.  But have you considered fusion also as the pairing of cuisine from one region with the wine from another region?  Recently I and a few other wine and food writers sampled the pairing of Japanese food from Miku Restaurant in Vancouver, with Valpolicella and…

What Are Valpolicella Wines? Canada loves Valpolicella wines.  We import 34% of the Valpolicella DOC and 18% of Valpolicella Ripasso DOC according to the Consorzio. According to the Consorzio per la Tutela dei Vini Valpolicella, “Valpolicella is the top red PDO wine in the Veneto region and amongst the most important in Italy. On a regional level, it comes second…

Prosecco is the hot sparkling wine in the world.  According to Vinexpo CEO, Guillaume Deglise, “Prosecco sales would outgrow all other types of sparkling wine, increasing by over 36% over the next five years from 25.2m cases to 34.4m cases (or 412.8m bottles), giving the Italian fizz a 9.2% share of the global sparkling wine market.” Where is Prosecco Made?…

Technology progresses and enables us to do things we only dreamed was possible.  For me, one thing I would like people to experience is what does it look and sound like to be in the middle of a wine tasting event.  I can now do this thanks to 360-degree photo spheres and 360-degree videos. I recently attended the “Taste Valpolicella…

This is my second year attending Top Drop Vancouver, where small-scale producers from around the world show us their hand crafted wines. According to Top Drop, “Our focus is terroir-influenced, handcrafted wines, and the people behind them. W e believe in the importance in farming one’s own fruit and/or being constantly engaged with grape-growers to ensure sustainability and a high…

It’s Spring.  We should be putting on our shorts, getting out on the patio and enjoying some wine, cheese, fresh seafood, and some grilled lamb chops.  These wines from the latest IVSA should fit the bill. White and Sparkling Wines Beau Joie Champagne Brut NV, France (~$120) – Nice strawberries and lees on the nose; medium intensity.  Dry, high acidity…

Sometimes the best wines around are the ones that are not generally listed in BC Liquor stores.  They are known as Spec or Special Order wines.  You can find these wines through some private wine shops, or you could order them through these shops, but you may need a minimum order size. I attended Select Wines‘ portfolio tasting and enjoyed…

Sparkling wine is always fun to drink; and even better enjoyed with friends or family.  But sometimes you don’t want to open an entire bottle, or maybe you want to try a few different types of bubbles; prosecco and cremant perhaps?  Or how about an expensive bottle of Cristal and live like a rock star?  Whatever your reasons, I have…

From my previous article, I showed you which white, sparkling, and sweet wines I thought were of excellent quality at the #VinItaly tour held in Vancouver.  But of course, Italy is well-known for their red wines, from the north, e.g. Nebbiolo, to the south, e.g. Nero D’Avola and Nerello Mascalese.  Again I ask you to try a grape you may not…