Tag: france

This was the second seminar in our three seminars on Day 1 of the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration.  This seminar’s goals according to the organizers are to answer the following, “Winegrowers love Chardonnay for its versatility. 10 winemakers will defend the stylistic decisions they make with each vintage, from homages to Old World classic styles to innovative interpretations that stretch the…

Vines grow in soil.  The roots reach deep and bring in water and nutrients.  Soil matters, but how much, and is there a best soil type for Chardonnay? Are there particular flavours and aromas that can be associated with different soil types? This School of Cool seminar at the i4C, has set out to discuss, but not necessarily definitively answer…

At the i4C+ Celebration on July 21-23, 2017 there will be 59 cool climate chardonnay producers; 25 wineries from Ontario and 34 from around the world.  There will be 2 wineries from BC too.  And as I mentioned in my previous article on the i4C+ Celebration, while the focus is Chardonnay there will also be Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cab Franc,…

Provence rosé wines have been conquering the world.  Their growth has been double digits for several years in Canada and the USA; it is spreading in China; French people drink more rosé than white wine.  Need I continue?  I had a chance to interview Valerie Lelong, Marketing & Communications Export Manager from Vins de Provence about the current state of rosé…

This is my second year attending Top Drop Vancouver, where small-scale producers from around the world show us their hand crafted wines. According to Top Drop, “Our focus is terroir-influenced, handcrafted wines, and the people behind them. W e believe in the importance in farming one’s own fruit and/or being constantly engaged with grape-growers to ensure sustainability and a high…

It’s Spring.  We should be putting on our shorts, getting out on the patio and enjoying some wine, cheese, fresh seafood, and some grilled lamb chops.  These wines from the latest IVSA should fit the bill. White and Sparkling Wines Beau Joie Champagne Brut NV, France (~$120) – Nice strawberries and lees on the nose; medium intensity.  Dry, high acidity…

Sometimes the best wines around are the ones that are not generally listed in BC Liquor stores.  They are known as Spec or Special Order wines.  You can find these wines through some private wine shops, or you could order them through these shops, but you may need a minimum order size. I attended Select Wines‘ portfolio tasting and enjoyed…

Sparkling wine is always fun to drink; and even better enjoyed with friends or family.  But sometimes you don’t want to open an entire bottle, or maybe you want to try a few different types of bubbles; prosecco and cremant perhaps?  Or how about an expensive bottle of Cristal and live like a rock star?  Whatever your reasons, I have…

According to Wikipedia, “Malbec World Day is celebrated on April 17, to commemorate the day when president Domingo Faustino Sarmiento of Argentina officially made it his mission to transform Argentina’s wine industry. On that day, back in 1853, he tasked Michel Aimé Pouget, a French soil expert, to bring over new vines. Amongst his selection, was Malbec.” Did you know…

Beside the theme country every year in the Festival Tasting room of the Vancouver International Wine Festival, there are all the other wineries from countries around the world offering their wines for you to try.  Below are 15 wines that I thought were excellent.  Some may be in BC liquor stores and others may have only been available during the Festival….