Category: pinot noir

As I mentioned in my previous article on my top rated white, sparkling, and fortified wines for 2017, there were so many excellent wines that I tasted this year.  As I review the red wines that I’ve listed below, there are many wines from Italy, in part due to the many visits by Italian wineries to Vancouver this year.  From…

Whatever you are celebrating this December, it’s probably with family and/or friends for a meal at some point.  Food loves wine, so here are a few of my recommended wines that should go with many dishes, or to enjoy on their own before or after your meal.  Enjoy these BC wines! My Holiday BC Wine Suggestions Backyard Vineyards Blanc de…

40 Knots Vineyard & Estate Winery is a short sailing trip if you want from Vancouver to Comox on Vancouver Island.  Once there you can meet Layne Robert Craig and Brenda Hetman, a husband and wife couple, who have started this winery, and done so with very specific goals.  They want to craft wines following biodynamic farming methods.  They do…

If you have never tried wines from Upper Bench Winery & Creamery from the Naramata Bench you should. They are a small, family-run winery, owning 7 acres of vineyards, is naturally farmed, and takes a minimalist approach to winemaking; using indigenous yeast where possible.  I have been tasting their wines for the past few years and I always enjoy the…

With all the calamities around us lately, it is an appropriate time to give thanks for what we have, and to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends in Canada.  Whether you enjoy a traditional turkey with stuffing gravy, potatoes, brussel sprouts, and pumpkin pie for dessert, or a ham, or a vegan main dish, there should be a BC wine to…

Last week the BC wineries who are part of the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) presented their latest releases of red, white, and sparkling wines.  74 wineries had tables and each poured around 4 wines on average.  So 296 new releases hit our market, with some wines available at BC liquor stores, while others only available a private wine shops, or…

Life is a journey, and for Sandra Oldfield, CEO and owner of Tinhorn Creek Vineyards in Oliver, BC that applies perfectly for her new flagship wine, “The Creek”, as well as the process to reach this point. Sandra’s journey has been an evolution.  They didn’t know everything when they started.  Their flagship wine, The Creek, is named for Tinhorn Creek next…

While attending the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4C) I tasted a small lot Chardonnay, 2015 vintage, by Thirty Bench Wine Makers from the Beamsville Bench in Ontario.  That wine stood out among the other Chardonnays that I had tasted at i4C.  So once the i4C was over, and I had some time to visit a few wineries, I made…

After spending a weekend tasting Chardonnay wines at the i4C Celebration in Niagara-on-the-Lake, it was time for me to visit some wineries in the Niagara region on my own, and try other grape varieties as well.  I visited two wineries on the Beamsville Bench.  My first stop was Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery.   It is on a small rise and has…

Cool climate wines are where the vibrant acidity and tart fruit flavours. Citrus trending to stone fruits for white wines, and red fruits like strawberries, raspberries and red cherries.  A cool climate region to consider for wines is Vancouver Island.  There are a few wineries there, and one in particular, Blue Grouse Estate Winery in Duncan, has been producing some…