Enjoy Wine, Food, and Travel with Karl MyWinePal
Domaine Fourrey is bringing their Chablis wines to the Vancouver International Wine Festival. As we all know, Chablis is from Chardonnay, and that the soil and climate play a very important part of what makes these wines special. Jean-Luc Fourrey will be in attendance at the Festival and will be at all public International Festival Tasting Room sessions, at Passport…
Champagne on ice at TWB The Wine Bar Champagne, the world’s most celebrated sparkling wine, comes exclusively from the Champagne region in northeastern France. While the bubbles may steal the spotlight, the label tells a deeper story; about origin, grapes, and craftsmanship. To decode Champagne is to appreciate its layered complexity, from vineyard to vintage. The Champagne Appellation System Champagne…
We have had some turmoil in Canada and in BC for wines in 2025. Many BC interior wineries suffered from the 2024 cold snap causing them to either not produce any wine in 2024, or importing grapes from across the border, or from Ontario. We also had the removal of USA wines from BC government liquor stores. Overall, we had…
Six years ago we welcomed Gérard Bertrand and the Gérard Bertrand Group to VanWineFest 2020. Now, we can welcome them back to VanWineFest 2026. Read about their history and wines in their own words. Introducing Gérard Bertrand In 1975, Georges Bertrand introduced his son, Gérard, to harvesting on the Domaine de Villemajou in the unique terroir of Corbières. From his…
I saved my last two wines from Domaine Artema Winery to be their Village Sparkling Rosé 2024 and their La Petite Mort (port style), NV, dessert wine. These two wines can cover the start and end of a delicious dinner. I did not decant either wine. In the first case, you don’t want the delicious bubbles in your sparkling wine…
Today, I’m easing us into the colder weather with a 2024 Rosé and a Gamay wine made by Oliver’s Domaine Artema Winery. Gamay is a red wine grape with less tannins and more acidity, making it easier to sip on its own as well as being food friendly. The Rosé wine uses Pinot Noir primarily with a substantial amount of…
I was privileged to be invited to attend the “Iconic Wineries of British Columbia” Holiday Preview this week, held at the Holt Renfrew, in downtown Vancouver. We sampled selections from Mission Hill Family Estate, Martin’s Lane, CheckMate Artisanal Winery, CedarCreek Estate Winery, Liquidity Wines, and Road 13 Vineyards. There were red, white, rose, and sparkling wines, along with canapes, made by the chefs from…
Have you heard of one of our newest BC wineries, Domaine Artema Winery? The winery is located on Black Sage Road in Oliver, just down the road from Burrowing Owl. They opened their doors to the public earlier this year. This winery notes that it specializes in Chardonnay and Gamay Noir wines. Gamay Noir is the grape grown primarily in…
Keeping up with “Elbows Up”, I have two Australian white wines you may want to consider enjoying for the upcoming holiday season. The wines are under screwcap, making for easy opening. Both wines are listed as being certified sustainable winegrowing and are vegan-friendly. Oxford Landing Oxford Landing takes sustainability seriously. They are certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (SWA). They ensure…
I’ve been tasting a shipment of wines from Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery at home in Vancouver, but since I was in Osoyoos, I thought I would visit the winery and taste a few of the wines that were not sent to me. I tried two white wines and two red wines. Let me tell you about them. My Wine…
Video Guide Uncorks the Story of British Columbia Wines. Buy Now.
