In North America we are accustomed to see one or more grape varieties on the wine bottle label. But this is not the case everywhere in the world. Take in case, the Tuscany region of Italy. I received this press…
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…
Italian wine always excites me. I think it is the acidity in the wines and the in general red fruit flavours. There is also a wide variety of wines from sparkling Prosecco and Franciacorta wines, and rosé/white/red wines made from…
What Do You Know About Chianti Classico? “Chianti Classico” and should not be confused with “Chianti”, which is a separate denomination that surrounds Chianti Classico. In 1716, the Tuscan Grand Duke Cosimo III, established for the first time in history…
My first Trade tasting for 2019 was this week, with agents showing the latest new wines they have brought to Vancouver or new vintages of wines that are currently in our market. I was quite surprised by how many sparkling…
This evening at this dinner we were invited to come taste over 600 years of winemaking history with MASI Serego Alighieri. Six wines from this historic estate were paired with a menu from chef Josh Gonneau of Cibo Trattoria, bringing a taste of…
Did you know that Barone Ricasoli is the oldest winery in Italy and the second oldest winery in the world? Did you also know that Baron Bettino Ricasoli invented the Chianti blend in 1872? So much history at one winery, and…
Sometimes the best wines around are the ones that are not generally listed in BC Liquor stores. They are known as Spec or Special Order wines. You can find these wines through some private wine shops, or you could order…
Italian wines can make any day feel like a holiday. But we do have holidays upcoming so here are a few Italian wines that I recently tasted in downtown Vancouver that you may want to consider purchasing. Of particular note…
Did you know that Italy has more than 500 DOCs, more than 2000 Italian grape varieties, and covers nearly 700,000 hectares of vineyards? That dwarfs BC and all of Canada’s production and grape variety. Recently Wine Meridian, a wine magazine…