Category: Touriga Nacional

Have you ever heard of the Alentejo wine region?  Would you guess it is in Spain, Portugal, or Chile?  If you guessed, Portugal, you would be correct.  Recently, I attended a Wines of Alentejo trade learning session held downtown at Coast.  It was presented by wine educator Jenna Brisco. The session provided a comprehensive overview of the Alentejo wine region, highlighting…

The wines of BC and the rest of the world, excluding the USA, were the last of the wines I tasted at the International Festival Tasting Room during VanWineFest 2025.     Read through my wine tasting notes below and if you find some wines that spark your interest, check out your local BC Liquor store, some private wine shops,…

This year I had many terrific wines to taste and review.  Wines that I rate as 5 star I deem as needing nothing to add or subtract.  They are perfect as-is.  I had one wine that reached that status this year so instead of making a separate article for that wine, I am including it in this article.  My 4.5-5…

After attending the Portuguese Wine Experience Masterclass earlier in the day, there was also a tasting room set up with wines from various Portuguese wineries to try.  Below are the wines that I enjoyed the most.  The names of the grapes are not well-known as they are indigenous to Portugal.  So no Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are listed below, rather you…

I was fortunate to be able to attend the Portugal Wine Experience masterclass led by Eugénio Jardim, US Brand Ambassador for Wines of Portugal. Following is what we covered with Eugénio followed by my wine-tasting notes for the flight of wines he had prepared for us. Eugénio Jardim’s Masterclass Did you know that Portugal is the closest European country to…

Sipping a glass of port by the fireplace during our cold winter season is probably what many people think about port.  It is enjoyable, but did you know that you can also make cocktails using port wine?  Let me give you a bit of background about port wine (there are many styles) and then lead you into port cocktails. About…

This was my first portfolio tasting for Amo Vino Distributors, a small boutique wine agency co-founded by Marisa Varas and Jessica Luongo.  Their wines are primarily from Europe, but there are also some California and BC wines to be found.  The wines from Greece and Portugal figure prominently, along with their country’s indigenous grapes.  You won’t find a huge list…

What do you know about the current (2017) statistics about Australian wine?  Did you know that the total vineyard area in Australia is 135,133 ha, of which Shiraz accounts for 39,893 ha (30%) and Chardonnay (the largest white variety) cover 21,442 ha (16%)? There are estimated to be 2468 wineries and 6251 grape growers in Australia. Compare that to Canada…

Portugal is more than just port wine.  That is where most people’s experience with Portuguese wines may have started and stopped, but Portuguese wines are so much more.  I quite enjoy the red and white blends from Portugal. They are very food friendly and tend to be ready to drink once purchased. There are more than 250 grape varieties in…

The History of the House of Ramos Pinto The House Ramos Pinto, in Portugal, was founded in 1880 and for several decades, its history has been marked by a balance between innovation and respect for tradition. In the production and selection of the best grapes, in the systematic knowledge of the terroir and being the pioneer in the launching of…