Enjoy Wine, Food, and Travel with Karl MyWinePal
Amidst the clamour of the Vancouver International Wine Festival, I had a conversation with Evan Saunders, winemaker for Blasted Church Vineyards, to discuss the last two years vintages; one made with WA state grapes in 2024, and the latest vintage with estate BC grapes. The 2024 Washington Intervention Following a 2023 season that already saw significantly diminished yields, 2024 arrived…
Wine lovers often talk about “Old World vs. New World,” but the comparison becomes far more interesting when you look at two regions that share a deep respect for terroir while expressing it in completely different ways. British Columbia and France may be separated by an ocean and centuries of winemaking history, yet they meet at the intersection of climate,…
In case you haven’t heard, Okanagan’s Blasted Church Vineyards is having a case sale on their Renaissance wines from now till Dec 14. I’m tasting two of their Renaissance series wines I received. Hatfield’s Fuse 2024 and Pinot Gris 2024. Both wines are made in BC, but use grapes that come from Washington state, to cover our cold winter snap in…
Here are more 2024 wines from BC Okanagan wineries that used some or all of their grapes from south of the border, due to the devastating 2024 winter wiping out almost all grapes in the Okanagan. In this case, Blasted Church Vineyards brought Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the Andrews Family Vineyard in WA state. The grapes were grown…
Many people are familiar with grape varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, but there is a whole world of exciting and distinctive grape varieties waiting to be explored. Albariño, Viognier, and Grüner Veltliner each bring unique characteristics and flavours that set them apart from the usual white wine offerings. Whether it’s Albariño’s refreshing citrus and coastal minerality, Viognier’s lush stone…
What surprises does 2025 hold for wine lovers? Could it be a new varietal or region that you have not yet tried? Or maybe a new winery in your area? Today, I am tasting two red wines from Blasted Church Vineyards that were sent to me. They are not new to me, but maybe the grape varieties may be new…
The holidays are a time when many of us get together with family or friends to enjoy a meal together; hopefully with a glass of wine. Here are a few last-minute suggestions of wines you can pair with traditional dishes for the holidays. Enjoy. Wine Pairings for Roast Turkey – Chardonnay: A lightly oaked Chardonnay complements the rich flavours of…
This year’s harvest in the BC interior was extremely different from past harvests as the winter cold snap killed most of the grape vines. Coastal and Fraser Valley wineries did not suffer the same fate. The amount of grapevine loss varied a bit in the interior, depending on how close the vineyards were to interior lakes and the slopes where…
My last winery visit in Okanagan Falls, before getting back to my visit to the Naramata Bench, is Blasted Church Vineyards. They have very colourful and expressive labels, with a religious bent or Renaissance theme to them, as the winery is located on Parson’s Road. All their wines are unfined and unfiltered, so some wines may have a dull appearance…
Nestled among the vineyards of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley lies a grape variety quietly making waves in the wine world – Blaufränkisch. Blaufränkisch, also known as Lemberger, traces its roots back to Central Europe, particularly Austria and Hungary. The grape is believed to have originated in the region of Lower Styria, now part of Slovenia, before spreading to neighbouring countries….
Video Guide Uncorks the Story of British Columbia Wines. Buy Now.
