Enjoy Wine, Food, and Travel with Karl MyWinePal
Hillside Winery on the Naramata Bench was the last winery on my wine-tasting tour. The founders of the winery were Vera and Bohumir Klokcka who had emigrated from Czechoslovakia in 1979, buying the property but did not plant the first grape vines till 1984. Although no longer owners, I’m told that winemaker, Kathy Malone, still talks with Vera, who is…
To finish off my second day of wine tasting on the Naramata Bench, I stopped in at TIME Family of Wines in Penticton, where I sampled their Chronos and McWatters Collection wines. The winery was originally owned and managed by the McWatters family, but in 2020 was purchased by Ron and Shelley Mayer who are both native BC’ers. Chronos is…
The first official Naramata Bench winery I visited on my weekend trip to the Okanagan was Bench 1775 Winery. This winery has gone through a few transformations. I will let the winery tell you their story, in their own words, “Bench 1775 (formerly known as Paradise Ranch Wines Corp.) is one of the only two Okanagan Wineries producing icewine and…
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…
Australia, Argentina, and Chile each boast rich histories of winemaking that reflect their unique terroirs and cultural influences, as well as the origins of their signature grape varietals. Australia’s wine journey began with early European settlers in the 18th century, who quickly recognized the potential of its diverse landscapes, leading to the establishment of iconic regions like Barossa Valley and…
New Australian wine has arrived on our shores after a hiatus, in part due to COVID. I attended a tasting of these new arrivals. Some are new to BC while other wines are new vintages of wines that we already enjoy. I missed out on a seminar, so have no additional pearls of wisdom for you, but here are my…
After visiting Cannon Estate Winery, my next Fraser Valley winery stop was at Singletree Winery, which is only a few minutes away. Thank you to Tourism Abbotsford for setting this meeting up for me. I met with Debbie Etsell from Singletree who poured me a selection of their wines, while I sat in one of their cabanas overlooking the vineyard….
It is not often that I have a chance to taste aged red Bordeaux wines. I purchased 5 wines in the past during the Bordeaux releases. Four wines are from the Right Bank of Bordeaux and one is from the Left Bank. The wines’ vintages are either 2005 or 2008, which makes the wines, 16 and 19 years old. I’ve…
BC Day is celebrated to honour the history, culture, and achievements of the Canadian province of British Columbia. It falls on the first Monday in August each year and is a statutory holiday in the province. This day commemorates the creation of the colony of British Columbia, which was formed on August 2, 1858. This was a significant event in…
Would you like to belong to an exclusive club able to enjoy top-quality wines with grapes sourced from Napa Valley wines and fermented and aged in Vancouver? Meet California Cult Classics. According to their website, “California Cult Classics is Canada’s first and only private member’s winery, operating in North Vancouver for the last 16 years. International wine critics have declared…
Video Guide Uncorks the Story of British Columbia Wines. Buy Now.
