Category: pinot noir

While researching wineries I should visit in the Niagara region, I came across Kew Vineyards Estate Winery, which is a little east of Thirty Bench Wine Makers, and specializes in sparkling wine, I had to visit. Their original 1975 plantings are among the oldest in the region.  They have a classy, Old World feel wine tasting room, and make their…

In the summer of 2017 I attended the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4c) in the Niagara region.  A celebration of Chardonnay and Ontario wines in particular (other Canadian wineries were in attendance).  After attending i4c, I visited a few wineries in the Niagara region.  One of the wineries I visited, and wines I tasted at i4c, was Thirty Bench…

August 10, 2023, was the Grand Opening of the High Note Estate Winery, a new Mediterranean-inspired property located on the Naramata Bench. The winery is surrounded by a small three-acre picturesque vineyard, planted predominantly to Pinot Grigio. The winery will present a taste of the Mediterranean through wines influenced by the vibrant seaside villages of Italy. The wines are made…

Solvero Wines in Summerland is one of our new BC wineries.  They grow their grapes in their Garent Valley and Happy Valley vineyards to the north and south of town.  Their commitment is to minimal intervention and transparency in all aspects of wine production. Andrea and Bob Sartor are the proprietors of the winery with their son, Matt Sartor, who…

Rosé wines are a hot commodity. Recently we had a one-day Rosé wine festival held outdoors with beautiful sunny weather to complement the wine. Rose wines are made around the world. I picked two rosé wines that I have in my cellar. One is from BC, Stag’s Hollow Blanc de Noirs 2021, and the other hails from southern Italy, Tormaresca…

East meets west at Cult Wine Canada in Vancouver. I attended a small portfolio tasting of Chinese distilled spirits and European wines distributed by Cult Wine Canada.  In this article, I will cover their European wines and in my follow-on article, I will cover the distilled spirit called baijiu.   If you have not heard of Cult Wine Canada, they describe…

This past week Business France, the national agency to develop the French economy through export growth, brought in several French wineries to Vancouver.  These wineries do not yet have representation in British Columbia.  You currently cannot purchase these wines.  This article is meant for wine agents in BC that are interested in adding more French wines to their portfolio.  Below…

Did you know that Beaufort Vineyard & Estate Winery is the most northerly vitis vinifera winery on Vancouver Island? Not surprisingly, the grapes they grow are white aromatic and hybrids which do not need the number of heat units that red grapes need. Beaufort Vineyard & Estate Winery is also Vancouver Island’s first certified organic winery. Congratulations. On the same…

As I was visiting friends on Vancouver Island I decided to drop by 40 Knots Winery in the Comox area.  I visited the winery last year and sampled their wines on the patio.  At this visit, the 2022 white wines have not yet been bottled at 40 Knots Winery but was told that bottling will be happening soon.  So during…

Pinot Noir is probably my favourite red wine when its made well. The roots of this exquisite red grape variety can be traced back to the vineyards of ancient Côte d’Or in Burgundy, where its cultivation flourished under the region’s unique terroir. Throughout the ages, Burgundian winemakers have meticulously honed their craft, producing wines of unparalleled elegance, complexity, and finesse. …