Category: VQA

Why not enjoy a bit of Mayhem this summer? Adding some fun into your life, especially during COVID, can lift your spirits, but do it safely. One safe way to have some fun is to enjoy a glass of BC wine on your patio or deck. Mayhem Wines provided me with their Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc 2019 to review…

This is a very timely article about the Summerhill Pyramid Winery Organic Syrah 2019 that I am tasting because it is being released to the public this week. If you are a vegan, this wine is vegan-friendly. This wine is also Canada Organic certified. My Wine Tasting Notes Summerhill Pyramid Winery Organic Syrah 2019 (BC $TBD) Appearance: a deep, yet…

A wine’s aromas and flavours will change over time from the initial tasting by the winemaker at bottling till the time you open it.  If it is within a year, any change will likely not be noticeable.  Around three years onward you should notice changes.  The acidity of a white wine could soften and the tannins in a red wine…

Can BC wines age well?  That is a question that has been asked for a while.  A few years ago at a VQA Trade Seminar, I was able to taste a sample of aged, 10 years +, wines.  The wines were not past their prime and some could still age I believe.  So I was very curious about this bottle…

I have two organically farmed Pinot Gris from Roche Wines, both coming from their Kozier Organic Vineyard located north of their winery on the Naramata Bench. Their 2018 Tradition Pinot Gris comes under cork with a heavier glass bottle, while their 2020 Texture Pinot Gris has a lighter bottle and is under screwcap. I spoke with Dylan Roche about the…

I do enjoy scientific experiments, especially if it is related to wine.  This day I had a chance to experience both.  I received two Syrahs from the 2018 vintage made by Seaside Pearl Farmgate Winery, with one from the Similkameen Valley and the other from the Okanagan Valley.  I tried to determine if the climate and soils between the two…

I received several wines from Seaside Pearl Farmgate Winery that is located in the Fraser Valley at Mount Lehman. The tasting room is built to resemble a chapel, which looks very inviting to visit.  It is only a one hour drive from Vancouver, so when Dr. Henry says we can travel, that would be an easy day trip.  The chapel…

A name change for one of our BC wineries was announced today.  Oliver Twist Estate Winery is now Nostalgia Wines Inc, with spiffy new labels.  Here is their press release. ~~~ [Oliver, BC] Oliver Twist Estate Winery is now Nostalgia Wines Inc. The ownership remains solely under Gina Fernandes Harfman. When Harfman purchased Oliver Twist Estate Winery in 2012, she…

We are well into Spring, spot prawn season is almost here, halibut season is here, and fresh white BC wines are being released for us to enjoy with them. A case in point is Spearhead Winery‘s Pinot Gris and Riesling 2020 that I have to review for you. Excluding COVID, the 2020 growing season had a delayed spring/summer, but then…

“Necessity is the mother of invention” is a well-known proverb.  Over the last year, COVID has forced us to be inventive in some ways in the ways that we live our lives.  This too is true for BC wineries. There has been a drastic reduction in people taking vacations to the Okanagan for example, visiting winery tasting rooms and then…