Enjoy Wine, Food, and Travel with Karl MyWinePal
After visiting Cannon Estate Winery, my next Fraser Valley winery stop was at Singletree Winery, which is only a few minutes away. Thank you to Tourism Abbotsford for setting this meeting up for me. I met with Debbie Etsell from Singletree who poured me a selection of their wines, while I sat in one of their cabanas overlooking the vineyard….
2023 was a tough year for Okanagan wineries. Not because of forest fires, but because of the cold winter weather that killed between 34 – 56% of the vineyard vines. The growing season was quite warm and resulted in general with faster grape maturation and harvest. A quick harvest due to summer heat typically means that the grapes are not…
It’s time for a short vacation to visit my family in Alberta. I decided to bring along two bottles of BC wine to share with them and also spread the word about our wonderful wines. The two wines I brought were: Okanagan Crush Pad’s Narrative XC Sparkling 2022 and Township 7’s Blue Terrace Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2023. Let me tell…
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…
One of the newer winemaking families in Chile is the Toro family located in the Maipo and the San Antonio Valley. They bought their first vineyard in 1998 and made their first wine in 2001 under the label Viña Chocalán. Chocalán is the indigenous word for the yellow blossoms from a shrub that blooms in the area. I received two…
Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand and British Columbia have a similar history with the growth in quality Vitis Vinifera wine production. I will concentrate on the Marlborough region of New Zealand and the Okanagan Valley primarily plus the Similkameen for BC for this post. Vitis Vinifera grapes were first planted experimentally in the mid-1970s in BC…
May is a big month for New Zealand white wines. I received this press release from the New Zealand Wine Growers. Also please note that they are asking for your help to get a white wine emoji to be created. Right now there is only a red wine emoji. Cheers. Press Release The theme of the month, Pour Yourself a Glass…
Washington state has over 900 wineries. That is amazing. While our BC wineries are bound primarily to mountain valleys, Washington state has a large land area to the east of the Cascades mountain ranges, which is where many of Washington’s wineries are located. But how can you try wines from so many wineries more easily? One way is to attend…
