Tag: pinot gris

The second winery on the Naramata Bench I visited was Howling Bluff Estate Winery.  This is a small family-run winery, starting with the land purchase in 2003, that specializes in Pinot Noir wines, although they also produce other quality wines. I met with co-owner and winemaker, Luke Smith, sitting at the tasting room patio, where we chatted about the latest…

Across the vineyard from Meyer Family Vineyards in Okanagan Falls, is their sister winery, Mayhem Wines created by JAK Meyer and his sister, Terry. The grapes come from the Anarchist Mountain Vineyard in Osoyoos as well as vineyards on the Naramata Bench and Oliver.   While tasting the wines below, winemaker Ajay Chavan came out to talk about his wines. He…

When I started wine tasting seriously, I took a WSET 1 class using ISO wine-tasting glasses.  As I progressed with my wine knowledge, I began using glasses made specifically for red or white wine, or more specifically for a grape variety.  I received a set of four wine glasses from Josephinenhutte in Germany, which Kurt Josef Zalto, an amazing 6th…

Day Two of my visit to the Fraser Valley had me at the Mt. Lehman Winery.  I met with co-owner and winemaker, Vern Siemens, who tasted his wines together with me, discussed his winemaking methods, his favourite varietals, and much more.   The grapes are I believe all from the estate; the white grapes for sure, but do not remember exactly…

Tasting wines under a controlled environment, with proper temperature, lighting, and glassware can give you different results when the same wines are sampled in a restaurant or other uncontrolled environment.  I opened these BC wines, Solvero Pinot Gris 2023 and Solvero Rosé 2023, at home and tasted them.  I also sampled these wines at a restaurant this summer.  There was…

Last night Richard Vanfoodster and I had a wonderful dinner at Collective Goods Bistro enjoying their dishes with a flight of BC’s Solvero Wines. The winemaker, Alison Moyes, was there to talk to us about the wines and the winery. We had her Solvero Wines Pinot Gris 2023, Rosé 2023, Chardonnay 2022, and Pinot Noir 2020. It was fun trying…

Crémant is a category of sparkling wines in France made using the same traditional method as Champagne but produced outside the Champagne region. This delightful bubbly offers a high-quality, often more affordable alternative to its famous counterpart while showcasing the unique characteristics of various French wine regions. Like Champagne, Crémant can also be white or rosé in colour. What is…

In recent years canned wines have surged in popularity across North America due to their convenience and versatility. This trend reflects a growing preference for portable, single-serving options. Canned wines are lightweight and shatterproof making them ideal for outdoor activities like picnics and sipping on the beach. The smaller size also promotes responsible drinking by encouraging moderation. BC’s Mayhem Wines…

With the Canada Day long weekend, it was fitting to enjoy some BC wine.  I have two bottles of white wine from Mayhem Wines to tell you about; the Mayhem Wines Pinot Gris 2023 and Sauvignon Blanc 2023.    2023 was a challenging year in the Okanagan due to the cold winter snap that adversely affected the grape vines and…

Summer is the time to enjoy BC seafood and BC wine together on your patio with your friends.  That is exactly what I did with Township 7’s Provenance Series Rosé and Pinot Gris 2023.  In general rosé and Pinot Gris wines tend to be fresh and best enjoyed upon opening, without decanting.  For these tasting notes, that is just what…