Tag: concrete

Some wines are crafted to be aged years or decades before you can enjoy them, while others are made to be enjoyed now.  Especially when it is summertime and you can get outside and enjoy the fresh air.  I have two wines from BC’s Haywire Winery that fit the bill to enjoy now.  I have their Haywire Winery Gamay 2022…

In celebration of the upcoming Chinese Year of the Dragon, BC’s Haywire Winery is releasing its limited edition wine, Haywire Winery Lunar Red 2021.  It is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s made to pair with a broad range of Asian cuisines such as stir-fried vegetables, pan-seared sablefish, and BBQ duck according to the winery.  This…

I knew nothing about Ontario’s Big Head Wines until it was suggested to me to visit by Talia Mendelsohn from the Bacchus Group Inc. in Toronto, but this winery in particular truly impressed me with their wines and their winemaking methods.  If you ever get a chance to visit the Niagara region, do not miss visiting Big Head Wines. The…

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…

The days are getting longer and we are looking forward to Spring and the sprouting of crocus and snowdrops in the lower mainland.  Our thought may also start to move toward enjoying white wines.  I have two white wines from Haywire Winery in the Okanagan: the Haywire Switchback Vineyard Pinot Gris 2021 and Haywire Chardonnay 2021.  The wines were both…

Clay and concrete vessels are two more historical materials that have been used to ferment grape must into wine. But both have been having a comeback in the last few years. I have two wines from Okanagan Crush Pad. The Haywire Pinot Noir 2020 is fermented in concrete and stainless steel vessels, and Narrative Syrah Viognier 2018 is fermented in…

I have a Pinot blend and a Gamay Noir Rosé today for you from Okanagan Crush Pad; their Haywire Secrest Mountain Vineyard Gamay Rosé 2020 and Narrative 2 Pinots 2020 (a blend of Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc grapes). Both wines are fermented in concrete. Both wines also are vegan-friendly. Let me tell you about them. If you were planning…

Narrative is a collection of wines by Okanagan Crush Pad that tells the story of what is most exciting about the Okanagan Valley: geological & climatic diversity.  The two red wines I received to review are the Narrative Cabernet Franc 2018 and Narrative Non-Fiction 2018, the latter a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.  Both are fermented and…

Today I have another lesser-known AOC in the southern Rhone Valley – AOC Ventoux.  You may be very familiar with one of the wineries from AOC Ventoux, Château Pesquié.  Their wine labels in solid blocks of colour should be very familiar to you when you check on the shelves in the BC Liquor Stores and elsewhere across Canada.  I have…

This summer has gone haywire with all the forest fires. I hope they get under control soon. But Haywire wine is something we can all enjoy now. I received a bottle of Okanagan Crush Pad‘s Haywire Garnet Valley Ranch Pinot Noir 2018 and their Narrative Malbec 2018 to review. Both are wines that age in concrete or clay amphora and…