Category: Napa

The origins of winemaking in Napa Valley can be traced back to the 19th century when European immigrants recognized the valley’s potential for grape cultivation. Early pioneers like George C. Yount and Charles Krug established vineyards and laid the foundation for what would become one of the world’s most renowned wine regions. However, it was the fateful 1976 Judgment of…

Canadian Thanksgiving is on Monday, October 10, 2022.  You may be making a list of ingredients to buy for your Thanksgiving dinner.  A traditional / historical dinner with turkey or ham, brussel sprouts, yam, and mashed potatoes with gravy.  Or you may go other ways with roast beef, salmon, Beyond Meat, or other meat substitutes.  I like to think of…

Top Drop Vancouver 2022 was on May 10 and 11.  Part of the event was a large tasting room, with 40 wineries presenting a selection of their wines.  There was also to my great happiness, cider as well, which I will get to later in this article.  Top Drop Canada puts on this event yearly (except during the COVID shutdown),…

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,…

Many of us are familiar with the wine regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and the Rhone Valley, but there are many sub-regions, which have their own Appellation d’origine Contrôlée (AOC) that produce quality wines at reasonable prices.  Many of the wineries are family-run as well, with the vineyards and wineries being passed down through families.  I would like to present…

On Saturday, May 29, 2021, BC Liquor Stores will release an exciting selection of California wines. The outstanding collection features iconic names from Napa Valley including Hillside Reds as well as a focus on the new California with Rhône-style gems from Paso Robles and Santa Barbara, exquisite Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from Santa Maria, Sta. Rita Hills and Sonoma Coast….

To celebrate BC Liquor Stores’ 100th year anniversary, a collection of rare, premium, collectible wines and spirits will be released on March 13, 2021, at participating Stores.  The collection features many top-rated wines, along with a selection of classics from the finest wine regions of the world. For spirits, BC Liquor Stores will feature whiskies from the most iconic distilleries in…

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…

Although France was the theme country this year at the Vancouver International Wine Festival, there was a great contingent of wineries from around the world and from BC to pour their wines for us.  Below are wines that I enjoyed from countries other than France.  Enjoy! White and Sparkling Wines Cantine Giacomo Montresor Rose Royal Brut NV, Italy – Light…

What is meant by a “Cru” in wine?  The term “Cru” is most often used for the French classification system, but the “Cru” concept can apply to any vineyard region recognized for their superior wine quality. My last seminar during the Vancouver International Wine Festival was on the topic of “cru”.  What it is and how it is expressed.  We…