Tag: new zealand

Did you know that in New Zealand there are 25 varieties of grapes planted in commercial quantities for wine production?  But two of those varieties stand out, as the signature grapes of New Zealand: Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.  Today I would like to dish on some New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs that I tried during the “New Zealand in a…

Easter is a big holiday for many of us, where we get together with family and enjoy a big dinner. Easter is also leading us into Spring. Flowers are already blooming here in Vancouver, and I’m sure it will come soon in the rest of Canada.  Below are a few suggestions that I posted a few years ago.  As I…

It’s Spring!  I have at least 5 tulips blooming in my front yard, the sun is out, and I’m looking to find some new and exciting white wines for the patio for me and for you.  Last week was the latest Import Vintners & Spirits Association (IVSA) Trade tasting to introduce the wine & spirits trade to the new libations…

February 24, 2014.  That’s the kick off for the Vancouver International Wine Festival.  On Thursday – Saturday in the Acura International Festival Tasting Room you have the opportunity to try wines from near and far; red, white, and pink; sparkling and still; sweet and dry.  But which ones?  Luckily, I have had a chance over the years to try wines from…

As promised, here is Part 2 of my Canadian Wine Palate Survey for 2013. In Part 1 I gave you some insights on the red and white varietal wines that Canadians prefer, according to the survey.  If you didn’t read Part 1, you can quickly check the Canadian Wine Palate Survey Part 1 here. For Part 2, I would like…

It is always a treat to have a chance to meet a winemaker pouring their wine and telling you the story behind it, the vintage, the winery, or themselves.  Recently, I had a chance to meet Tim Heath, the wine maker for the New Zealand winery Cloudy Bay, on a sunny fall day.  Cloudy Bay winery, located in Marlborough, is…

Have you ever heard of a portfolio tasting?  Most people probably have not, unless you attend wine tastings on a fairly regular basis.  A portfolio tasting is when a wine agency, like Select Wines & Spirits, pours their selection of wine (and spirits) in a casual (usually) walk-about fashion, where you can taste the wines and talk with the rep…

Better known by the tremendous success of its white wines, particularly Marlborough’s Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand’s red wines are mostly off the radar for the global market, with the visible exception of Pinot Noir. The “heart break grape” has made its home in Martinborough, at the southern tip of North Island, and in Otago, in the southern end of South…

Villa Maria Estate is a well-known producer of quality wines from New Zealand.  I look forward to trying their new vintages each year.  Recently I received a bottle of their Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Pinot Gris 2012 to sample.  This wine has won the “Pure Gold” award at Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2012.  While many of us…

With every season, there is either grape growing, harvesting, vinification, aging, or bottling of wine. Recently I was happy to do some tasting in Vancouver of recently bottled wines from Le Vieux Pin and La Stella wineries.  These two wineries from South Okanagan offer different styles of wines; Le Vieux Pin being produced in a more restrained French style, while…