Category: Malbec

When we think about red wines of BC we think of wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah grapes.  But what about lesser known grapes such as Malbec?  How much single varietal Malbec wines are made in BC, or is blended with other grape varieties to make a “Meritage” wine? Malbec is a Bordeaux grape that needs…

This was a crazy year due to COVID, which limited my usual number of wine tastings, but when I checked through the wines, I realized that of the wines I did taste, many almost made my 5-star category.  These wines I rated as 4.5-5 stars.  They are fantastic to drink now and would be OK to cellar for a short…

This year, with COVID, my exposure to wines from around the world was limited.  But I still did have one major wine tasting event before COVID lockdown: the Vancouver International Wine Festival.  All my 5 star rated wines for this year come from this single event.  I was very surprised as I went through my posts for the entire year. …

Two stellar wines today for you. The first is Cantine Nicosia Grillo Sicilia DOC 2018, an organic and vegan wine made in Italy from the white Grillo grape. The second wine is the Luis Segundo Correas Valle Las Acequias Malbec Oak 2015 from Argentina; a very smooth and satisfying big red wine for these cold Winter days.  I’m sure most…

Soljans Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Malbec 2016 (NZ $22) In 1927, Bartul Soljan and his wife Rakelina sailed to New Zealand with their children, found land out in Henderson, broke it in, planted vines, and in 1932 established Soljan’s Family Vineyard. Fast-forward 86 years and their winemaker out west has stitched together a classic Bordeaux-style blend from Hawke’s Bay for…

The last two wines that I’m tasting from Dirty Laundry Vineyard are Big Reds; a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Bordeaux blend. Nothing dirty here.  Lots of fresh fruit flavours in these two wines.  Great aromas and flavours.  Let me tell you about them. My Tasting Notes Dirty Laundry Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (BC $24.99) – 90% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Similkameen…

At the end of February, I was very fortunate during the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2020 to be able to meet and interview Laura Catena, from Bodega Catena Zapata; an iconic Argentinean winery.  And in April I received information that Bodega Catena Zapata was named the Number 1 Most Admired Wine Brand by Drinks International Magazine.  Felicidades and Congratulations!  It…

In September 2019 I was privileged to meet Alberto Arizu the great-grandson for the Bodega Luigi Bosca Winery about the history of the winery, the family, and the Malbec grape, while he was in Vancouver. Alberto noted that Argentina has 4 advantages of growing Malbec over the rest of the world: 1) altitude = slow maturation of grapes which lead…

Osoyoos Larose is the first BC winery that was formed in 1998 by a French company, Groupe Taillan of Bordeaux and Constellation Brands Canada together to create a world-class Canadian wine from classic red Bordeaux varietals.  The Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin is their flagship wine built to age, but they also have a second-tier wine, Pétales d’Osoyoos.  I’ve reviewed the Pétales…

I was very busy at the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2020.  There were lots of terrific wines from France and around the world, plus the dinners, seminars, and Masterclasses were top notch.  I worked very hard making tasting notes, interviewing winery principals, and trying to learn more about wine so that I can educate you as well.  Below is a…