MyWinePal

2017 was the last time I visited Fort Berens Estate Winery in Lillooet, along with other wine writers.  The winery was still young, but the quality of their wines were notable.  Almost every year since 2018, I interviewed their current winemaker to find out about their grape harvest.  And every year, I tell people how they should try Fort Berens’…

When you swirl that glass and ponder why one wine tastes crisp and lively while another feels soft and mellow, you’re sensing the delicate interplay of pH and TA, two key metrics that shape wine’s structure and personality. While often mentioned together, these two measures describe distinct aspects of acidity: pH reveals how strong the acid is, and TA reflects…

Have you ever poured a glass of wine that smells like a basket of ripe summer fruit, only to find it finishes dry and crisp on your palate? If so, you’ve experienced the fascinating interplay between fruitiness and sweetness in wine, two terms often confused but fundamentally different. Let me give you some background so that you can differentiate between…

Today I have a mini-vertical of Cabernet Franc wines from the Niagara region’s Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery, in particular their The Chestnut Tree Cabernet Franc wines from 2015, 2017, and 2018.  It is exciting to taste a vertical of wines from a single winery and vineyard, so that you can get a glimpse into how the wine ages and the…

Today, I paired my third dish from Sous Chef by Cardinal™ with a red and a white wine.  The dish was the Marsala Braised Chicken with seasoned long grained rice.  The white wine was the Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Interlude Chardonnay 2024, and the red wine was the Dobbin Estate Cabernet Blend 2020 (85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot)…

Here are my latest two Niagara region Cabernet Franc wines to tell you about from One-Eighty Estate Winery.  The story of One-Eighty Estate Winery, “…all started when Bob and Marzia decided they wanted to pursue a new path in life…Bob and Marzia and their two daughters, Taylor and Sara, have always been risk takers in life…Opportunity arose to own and…

Today I paired my second dish from Sous Chef by Cardinal™ with a red and a white wine.  The dish was Szechuan Braised Beef with seasoned long grained rice.  The white wine was the Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Interlude Pinot Gris 2024, which I tasted with the Chicken Tikka Masala.  I thought that this wine with its fruit flavour…

Food and wine pairings can be exciting, with each dish and wine bringing out aspects of the other.  I will be taking on four different food and wine pairings, with this pairing of Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Interlude wines with a Chicken Tikka Masala from Canadian, Cardinal Meats. Sous Chef by Cardinal™ entrées, were created by Executive Chef, Caleb…

These next two Ontario Cabernet Franc wines come from a slightly different area than the other Ontario wines, I’ve been tasting so far.  Prince Edward County is a small region jutting into the north side of Lake Ontario.  It has a cooler climate compared to the Niagara region on the south side of Lake Ontario.  This area is best known…

Abruzzo, an ancient wine-growing region in Italy, is increasingly gaining recognition for its diverse landscapes, commitment to quality, and an evolving wine scene that is challenging preconceptions. While historically known for its red Montepulciano, the region is actively promoting its indigenous white varieties and a unique rosé, Cerasuolo.  To tell us more about Abruzzo we attended a luncheon at The…