Enjoy Wine, Food, and Travel with Karl MyWinePal
Zweigelt is a red grape that while not as obscure as the Blaufränkisch grape I wrote about earlier, is still relatively unknown in BC. Only 0.7% of red grapes grown in BC are from Zweigelt. This is a versatile and vibrant red grape variety, that is a cornerstone of Austrian viticulture. Named after its creator, Dr. Fritz Zweigelt, this grape…
Have you noticed on some bottles there is text saying that this bottle of wine is Vegan Friendly, or possibly a logo indicating that a bottle of wine is Vegan Certified? I have noticed that more people are asking for vegan-friendly wines. What exactly is a vegan-friendly wine? Grapes are fruits so by default are vegan. The natural fermentation process…
As I mentioned for my five-star wine ratings this year, COVID limited the number of events and thus wines that I could taste that came from around the world to BC. That being said, I am grateful for the BC wineries that sent me wines to taste, plus wines from wine agencies. There are many wines that fit into my…
The holidays are probably starting for many people at the end of this week or early next week. Sparkling wines are always popular during the holidays, but every day should be treated as a special day so enjoy sparkling more often. Here is a list of BC sparkling wines that I tried this year. Maybe there are a few that…
The 2021 harvest will surely be marked in our minds as COVID continues. Plus during the summer there were major fires in BC, and now with the heavy rains and flooding, I’m sure the weather has had an impact on harvest and fermentation. Socially distanced visitors to BC wineries ensued this year. Overall, how did the BC grape growing season and…
It was about 18 months ago since I, and other wine trade people, were able to get together and taste BC wines. We all arrived wearing masks. Some of us with different haircuts, glasses, etc., so you may have to guess who some of the people are. Luckily we were able to connect and share a few stories before we…
It is Spring now, the cherry blossoms have passed, we are getting into our gardens and summer is one month away. It is time to get outside on our patios and enjoy some tasty BC wine. I think sparkling wine and Rosé wine fits the bill (white too). I received a bottle of Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cipes Brut Nature Zero…
This is a very timely article about the Summerhill Pyramid Winery Organic Syrah 2019 that I am tasting because it is being released to the public this week. If you are a vegan, this wine is vegan-friendly. This wine is also Canada Organic certified. My Wine Tasting Notes Summerhill Pyramid Winery Organic Syrah 2019 (BC $TBD) Appearance: a deep, yet…
After interviewing Ezra Cipes from Summerhill Pyramid Winery about the inaugural release of their Biodynamic 2020 Muscat and Chardonnay wines, I was very excited to receive these wines to taste and review for you. The grapes come from their estate vineyard and their biodynamic wines are also aged in the pyramid at the winery. I can tell you that the…
This is my third interview with Ezra Cipes, CEO of Summerhill Pyramid Winery. His family has a long history in the BC wine industry and has been leading in organic, and now biodynamic agriculture, in my opinion. Ezra is also a director of the Canadian Vintners Association and Vice-Chair of the British Columbia Wine Institute. I arranged this interview as…
