Tag: syrah

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…

One of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in the USA is the Columbia Valley AVA in Washington State. While it has been recognized for some time, the region’s wines are gaining increasing acclaim and attention, particularly in recent years. Columbia Valley encompasses a diverse range of terroirs and is home to more than 99,000 acres of vineyards, producing a…

This is the second of my Canadian Wine Trends 2024 articles.  I will cover our interest in red and white still varietal wines using Google Trends information.  Was there an overall upward slope (interest) or downward slope (disinterest) in a style over the year? Was there a peak at a certain time of the year? Let’s find out. Red and White…

What surprises does 2025 hold for wine lovers?  Could it be a new varietal or region that you have not yet tried?  Or maybe a new winery in your area?  Today, I am tasting two red wines from Blasted Church Vineyards that were sent to me.  They are not new to me, but maybe the grape varieties may be new…

California’s 689 Cellars offers a variety of wines for different classes of wine drinkers, from casual to serious. Here is some background information from the winery and the wines they will be pouring at VanWineFest 2025. About 689 Cellars Curtis McBride is the owner and founder of 689 Cellars and Premier Wine Group. Curtis founded Premier Wine Group over 20…

BC’s Hester Creek Estate Winery made two delicious wines that would go well with your holiday dinners.  Both are elegant, flavourful, not heavy-bodied. I received their Source Collection Chardonnay 2023 and Syrah 2022 to review.  The Source Collection represents a source of inspiration, these wines represent the treasured qualities of their rare Old Vine vineyard and that of their select…

Here are two holiday-worthy red wines from BC’s Township 7 Vineyards & Winery that you should consider.  The first, under screwcap, is the Township 7 Provenance Series Merlot 2020; the second, under cork closure, is the Township 7 Benchmark Series Fool’s Gold Vineyard Syrah 2020.   What’s the Difference? What is the difference between Township 7’s Provenance and the Benchmark series of…

The Prisoner Wine Company is leading the resurgence of California red blends.  They acquire grapes from more than 100 vineyards throughout California’s premier grape-growing regions of various varietals to create their blends.  The Prisoner Red Blend 2021 which I received was inspired by the wines first made by the Italian immigrants who originally settled in Napa Valley. It was released…

You may not have heard of Jean-Claude Mas but his family began growing grapes in the south of France in 1892.  Jean-Claude gained experience in the wine business and education around the world, coming back to the family business when he inherited his father’s vineyards in Pézénas of 35 hectares.  In 2000 he created Les Domaines Paul Mas from these…

I and other Trade individuals were invited to Discover Extraordinary Italian Wines.  Some of the wineries at the event were searching for local representation, while other wineries already have an agent and their wines are in BC Liquor stores or private wine shops and restaurants.  I’ve put a “*” beside those wineries that have local representation, so you should be…