Tag: merlot

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15 Okanagan Falls Wines to Try this Spring

 mywinepal  April 24, 2018

Did you know that during the ice age, glaciers up to 3 km thick covered the Okanagan and carved out the valley we love?  The retreat of the glaciers left benches covered with fertile soil where many wineries grow their vines.  Okanagan Falls, between Penticton and Oliver, I think holds a sweet spot for growing grapes and making wine.  It has…

Open faced smoked salmon sandwich from Farmers Apprentice (Image courtesy Farmer's Apprentice)

3 Top Pacific NorthWest Cuisine Restaurant Wine Lists in Vancouver

 mywinepal  April 8, 2018

Have you ever wondered which wines go well with our Pacific Northwest Cuisine?  Maybe you want to buy a bottle to enjoy at home, to take to a friend’s dinner, or maybe order at a restaurant.  I checked out the top restaurants from the Vancouver Restaurant Awards 2017 (Yes, I know the 2018 awards are right around the corner).  For…

DYNAMIC SPAIN Seminar at VanWineFest 2018

 mywinepal  March 13, 2018

Spain has had a long history of winemaking, from classic Riojas, newer Mencia from Bierzo, to Cavas and more. During the Vancouver International Wine Festival, I and several other attendees joined Master of Wine, Barbara Philip to explore a wide range of Spanish wines and to listen to the forward-looking producers behind them. The winery principals speaking to us were: Fernando Gimenez…

Farm Friends logo

Supporting BC Wine and Alberta Beef – Farm Friends

 mywinepal  February 25, 2018

Farm Friends was a stand-up grazing event, organized by several BC wineries in response to the recent boycott on the importation of BC wine to Alberta.  The day of the event, held at Edible Canada, the Alberta government dropped the ban so that the event became more of a celebration of BC wine and pairing with Alberta products, like beef and bison. A Farmer’s…

Flight of Charles Smith Wines bottles

Rock & Roll at VanWineFest with Charles Smith Wines

 mywinepal  February 19, 2018

The Vancouver International Wine Festival 2018 is almost here, and the theme countries are Spain and Portugal, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the other wineries from around the world visiting us.  Some are even next-door.  Take for example Charles Smith Wines from Walla Walla, Washington. Who is Charles Smith? Charles Smith is known as the “rock star” of…

Barone Ricasoli Castello di Brolio wooden case label

Barone Ricasoli Going Beyond; Bridging History and Technology

 mywinepal  February 12, 2018

Did you know that Barone Ricasoli is the oldest winery in Italy and the second oldest winery in the world?  Did you also know that Baron Bettino Ricasoli invented the Chianti blend in 1872?  So much history at one winery, and we were lucky to have Barone Francesco Ricasoli to be in Vancouver to lead me and other wine trade people…

40 Knots Vineyard and Estate Winery logo

Come Ashore for 40 Knots Wine

 mywinepal  December 17, 2017

40 Knots Vineyard & Estate Winery is a short sailing trip if you want from Vancouver to Comox on Vancouver Island.  Once there you can meet Layne Robert Craig and Brenda Hetman, a husband and wife couple, who have started this winery, and done so with very specific goals.  They want to craft wines following biodynamic farming methods.  They do…

Upper Bench Winery's latest wine and Grey Baby cheese

Getting the Goods on Upper Bench’s Wine and Cheese

 mywinepal  December 3, 2017

If you have never tried wines from Upper Bench Winery & Creamery from the Naramata Bench you should. They are a small, family-run winery, owning 7 acres of vineyards, is naturally farmed, and takes a minimalist approach to winemaking; using indigenous yeast where possible.  I have been tasting their wines for the past few years and I always enjoy the…

Lure cookbook by Ned Bell with Valerie Howes

Nourish Yourself With the Lure of Seafood and Road 13 Wines

 mywinepal  October 15, 2017

Cooking with local, healthy, sustainable ingredients should be a goal we all aspire.  Knowing where our food comes from and how it was harvested can help us make sustainable food choices.  For Chef Ned Bell, it has been a journey to learn about sustainability, first from the land to the plate, and now from what is in our oceans to…

2014 Bordeaux Release in BC on Saturday Oct 14 2017

 mywinepal  October 13, 2017

If you are a fan of red and white Bordeaux blends, the 2014 vintage is said to be exceptionally good.  Below is the announcement about the Bordeaux release which happens at BC Liquor stores on Saturday, Oct 14, 2017. ~~~ After a wait of almost three years, the 2014 vintage of Bordeaux will be released in BC Liquor Stores on…