Enjoy Wine, Food, and Travel with Karl MyWinePal
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…
Do you know that the most predominant grape variety grown in Oregon is Pinot Noir? It tops out both red and white grape varieties at 59%. For white grape varieties, 14% of vineyards grow Pinot Gris and 7% grow Chardonnay. I was very surprised that Chardonnay has half the vineyard coverage to Pinot Gris, as I am more familiar with…
Today’s seminar at the Vancouver International Wine Festival was on the Pinot Noir grape. Wine educator, author and historian Paul Wagner and a panel of Pinot Noir producers from Burgundy, Oregon, California, New Zealand, and BC’s Okanagan Valley talked to us about their wines and love for the Pinot Noir grape. The winery principal panelists that spoke to us were Ross Baker,…
February 5, 2019 is the Chinese New Year of the Brown Earth Pig. In Chinese culture, pigs are the symbol of wealth. 2019 is supposed to be a great year to make money, and a good year to invest. According to chinesenewyear.net, “Pigs might not stand out in a crowd. But they are very realistic. Others may be all talk…
One of the perks of being a wine writer is an invitation to a portfolio tasting from a wine agent. The agency can bring out winery principals in some cases, who you can have a chat to about their wines. They also pour wines that are available at regular retail, specialty wine shops, and special orders. Having access to these…
Vancouver-based wine importer Vintage Corks is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a walk-around tasting featuring some of the world’s most exclusive wineries. Vintage Corks is unusual among local wine importers in that the agency specializes in acclaimed and hard-to-find boutique wines from around the world. It is the exclusive local representative of celebrated wines from producers such as Gaja, Dana Estate,…
As promised I have enclosed my tasting notes for the wines I sampled at the three International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration seminars. Many of these Chardonnay come from Ontario, but there are also wines from BC, California, Chile, France and more. My notes are not as detailed as notes I make from my structured tastings at home, but should give…
Vines grow in soil. The roots reach deep and bring in water and nutrients. Soil matters, but how much, and is there a best soil type for Chardonnay? Are there particular flavours and aromas that can be associated with different soil types? This School of Cool seminar at the i4C, has set out to discuss, but not necessarily definitively answer…
The Birth of Leonetti Cellar Did you know that the first commercial grape vines, that are still in use today in Walla Walla, Washington was by the Leonetti family in 1974? There were some vines planted in the 1950s by others but a deep freeze in 1956 killed all the vines. The Leonetti family purchased 1.5 acres, which also contained…
If you read my blog regularly you will know my affection for the Taste of Tulalip event held the start of November every year at the Tulalip Resort Casino in Washington State. This year is their 5th anniversary of the event. Besides their wonderful dinner on Friday night, the big draw is “The Grand Taste” on Saturday afternoon, which is…
Video Guide Uncorks the Story of British Columbia Wines. Buy Now.
