Tag: Bella Wines

Haywire Pinot Noir 2011 with a miniature concrete egg in the background

Back to the Future with Concrete and Clay for Wine Making

 mywinepal  July 5, 2023

The history of using amphora and concrete tanks for winemaking dates back centuries. Amphorae, large clay vessels with narrow necks and handles, were widely used in ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and Romans for storing and transporting wine. These vessels provided an ideal environment for fermentation and aging, as the porous nature of clay allowed for a gentle exchange…

Selection of wines at Top Drop Vancouver 2022

Top Drop Vancouver 2022: My Top Drops!

 mywinepal  May 12, 2022

Top Drop Vancouver 2022 was on May 10 and 11.  Part of the event was a large tasting room, with 40 wineries presenting a selection of their wines.  There was also to my great happiness, cider as well, which I will get to later in this article.  Top Drop Canada puts on this event yearly (except during the COVID shutdown),…

Top Drop Vancouver

My Top Drop 2018 Favourite Wines

 mywinepal  May 25, 2018

Top Drop is the last major wine tasting in Vancouver before the start of summer. Top Drop is meant to represent the best in terroir and winemaker craft. Nature and Nurture.  Wineries from around the world are selected for the best of both, and we were not disappointed.  In my 5 star wine rating, most wines were at least 4…

Brown Earth Dog 2018

Celebrate Chinese New Year: Brown Earth Dog Feb 16, 2018

 mywinepal  January 31, 2018

2018 Chinese New Year is arriving on February 16, 2018. That is the 4715th Chinese year. The zodiac sign of 2018 is the Dog. According to the Chinese Horoscope calendar, 2018 is the Male Earth Dog year. Brown is connected to the earth. Therefore, 2018 is also called the Year of the Brown Dog.  According to chinesefortunecalendar.com “According to the…

Is the BC 2016 Vintage Any Good?

 mywinepal  April 24, 2017

Should you stock up on the red and white wines from BC’s 2016 vintage?  BC wines are known for their fruit flavours and their accompanying natural acidity.  But the 2016 started very early and hot in the Spring, with bud break being the earliest on record.  In the Okanagan bud break was as much as six weeks early. Would this…

Top Drop Vancouver

Have You Tried a Top Drop?

 mywinepal  September 14, 2016

Top Drop Vancouver is a collaboration between Vancouver’s wine industry, that focus on smaller boutique and terroir-focused wineries from BC and around the world, and offers these wines to taste at a public event, this year held at the Roundhouse in Yaletown on September 8.  I was fortunate to be able to attend this walk-about event, with a glass in…

BC VQA VIP tasting

Can BC Make Cutting Edge Wines?

 mywinepal  May 27, 2016

Perhaps, before I answer this question, I should define what is a cutting edge wine?  In the past, it could have been the use of stainless steel tanks, when none were used before, or the use of cultured yeasts specifically bred to impart particular flavours and aromas in a wine.  But now, these things are mainstream.  What is new and…