MyWinePal

February 24, 2014.  That’s the kick off for the Vancouver International Wine Festival.  On Thursday – Saturday in the Acura International Festival Tasting Room you have the opportunity to try wines from near and far; red, white, and pink; sparkling and still; sweet and dry.  But which ones?  Luckily, I have had a chance over the years to try wines from…

You may be a Champagne lover like me, but have you ever considered how the bubble gets in the bottle?  Why some bubbles are small and creamy, while others are much larger and dissapate faster?  It all depends on how Champagne is made. First off, Champagne is a sparkling wine that is made in the Champagne region of France.  The…

Sharing experiences is always more fun than on your own, at least for me.  When I attend various wine events, I like to be with friends, so we can share notes and talk about wines.  So when the Vancouver International Wine Festival opens up this last week of February, if you are attending, please do not hesitate to talk to…

Which region is known for their award-winning Pinot Noir? Sonoma County, California Burgundy, France Marlborough, New Zealand Champagne, France If you answered, all the above, you would be right.  Burgundy being the most famous region in the world for Pinot Noir.  But what about Champagne?  Isn’t that sparkling white wine?  Yes, but the grape that is used for many Champagnes…

Did you know that some BC wineries produce sparkling wine? One in particular I’d like to let you know about is Haywire Winery, located in Summerland, BC. Since their inception a few years ago, I have been following and tasting their wines, writing notes along the way, and posting them here in mywinepal.com. One of their newer endeavours has been…

When did you last try a bottle of Australian wine? For some of you, maybe today, but for others maybe quite a while.  People find favorite countries or types of grape and stay with that for a while. Sometimes it is nice to break out of your pattern and retaste wines from other countries.  It has been a while since…

I have been following Meyer Family Vineyards since the release of their first vintage and have been regularly reviewing their wines here on mywinepal.com.  Their wines have always been good and have been getting better with each vintage, from my tasting notes. Forage at the Listel Hotel has been receiving a lot of good press about the quality of their…

What wines do you pair with Asian food?  I hear this question quite often.  When we think of wine, we think of  traditional European dishes such as roast beef, chicken, pasta, etc.  But what do you do with a Malaysian sate with peanut sauce?  That is what Haywire Winery from the Okanagan tried to answer for us, while we enjoyed…

Chinese Year of the Wooden Horse According to chinesefortunecalendar.com, “Horse is one of Chinese favorite animals. Horse provides a good and quick transportation for people before automobiles. Horse can give people a ride to their destination. Therefore, horse is not only a symbol of traveling, but also a sign of speedy success. Horses like to compete with others. They pursuit for…

Unless you are a fan of South African wines, you probably have not heard of the Nederburg or OBiKWA wineries.  You may though have noticed or recognized the label for OBiKWA, which shows a drawing of an ostrich; with its long neck and bulbous body being seen as symbols of a resilient life force enabling the bird to survive under…