Enjoy Wine, Food, and Travel with Karl MyWinePal
I spent Friday afternoon at the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2026 tasting French red wines. Here are my favourite French wines from the International Festival Tasting Room. There is a fairly even distribution of red wines from different regions of France (and therefore different varietals) in my picks below. Enjoy. My French Red Wine Selections Castel Frères Exclusive Aspirant de…
On a lighter tone, at VanWineFest 2026, I had a chance to attend a walk-about lunch at LaSalle College Vancouver; French bistro fare prepared and served by LaSalle students, while sampling a selection of French wines representing seven French wine regions. Below is a list of the French wines followed by the menu. No wine reviews here, just some general…
Passport to Global Wines flight of wines The 47th Vancouver International Wine Festival seminar, “Passport to Global Wines,” was a strategic exploration of the global viticultural map through the lens of cultural identity. Moderators Christine Campbell, Lisa Giovanella, and James Nevison established a “Passport” metaphor as a vehicle to navigate international “ports of entry,” moving beyond the standard technical data…
A Tour de France in Your Glass Food and wine go together, especially in France. I attended the VanWineFest 2026 seminar, A Tour de France in Your Glass. With Moderator, Arnica Rowan, we took an oenological journey through seven classic French wine regions, each with their own unique characteristics and history. We crossed the country from Champagne to South West…
I attended one dinner during the Vancouver International Wine Festival this year, courtesy of the Festival. It was with Maison Chapoutier at L’Abattoir. It was a truly spectacular evening with Mr. James Leonardo De Sá from M. Chapoutier telling us about the winery and the wines we enjoyed that evening. Did you know that Canada represents Chapoutier’s largest market outside…
Today I paired my second dish from Sous Chef by Cardinal™ with a red and a white wine. The dish was Szechuan Braised Beef with seasoned long grained rice. The white wine was the Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Interlude Pinot Gris 2024, which I tasted with the Chicken Tikka Masala. I thought that this wine with its fruit flavour…
Many people think of red Rhône wines, but there are terrific white wines as well. I received a bottle of Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône 2023 to tell you about. It is a blend that features Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette, and Roussanne grapes. Grenache Blanc is a full-bodied white grape with a round mouthfeel, offering ripe pear, green apple, and…
I enjoy working with wine agents. They gather wines from around the world and offer the wines to us for our enjoyment. This year is the 10th Anniversary of World Wine Synergy (WWS), and I was fortunate, along with other wine trade people to celebrate this anniversary at La Quercia restaurant. Over those 10 years I’ve been invited to meet…
I am always excited to try the wines from Famille Perrin who also own the famous Château de Beaucastel in southern France. The vineyards for this wine are located on the slopes of Mont Ventoux. It is a blend of Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah. This wine comes sealed with screw cap for easy enjoyment. My Wine Tasting Notes Famille…
When you buy wine in a BC Liquor store, you don’t think about how the wine was selected for the shelves. Behind the scenes are many wine agencies that search for wines from around the world, to build their portfolio, and have some of their portfolio sold through BC Liquor stores with the remaining wines, usually specialty wines, sold in…
Video Guide Uncorks the Story of British Columbia Wines. Buy Now.
