Tag: Thompson Valley

In BC we relatively quickly learned that cooler climate grapes, like Riesling, did better in the north Okanagan, and warmer climate grapes, like Syrah, did better in the south Okanagan.  Similarly cooler climate grape varieties in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island.  And more.  But we have had a few decades now to further refine these generalized grape growing regions…

VanWineFest 2022 was a feat in getting all the components in motion to get wineries, agents, and wines into Vancouver after a 2-year hiatus.  I am thankful for everyone that worked so hard to make VanWineFest 2022 a reality.  I worked quite hard tasting wines, meeting and interviewing winery principals, and attending a dinner and seminar.  I posted individual articles…

At the Vancouver International Wine Festival, in the Tasting Room, I did have a chance to go through a flight of Monte Creek Winery wines with Winemaker Galen Barnhardt.  Below is a discussion of the wines with Galen.  Mostly Galen speaking, which is how an interview should be.  Enjoy. Galen:  Here we have our sparkling Rosé.  It is 2020, from the…

2021 was a year of extreme weather conditions in BC, which had an impact on BC grapes and wine production.  Temperature records were shattered in many regions.  I’ve been told that Kelowna, Kamloops, Osoyoos, and Lillooet were among 60 cities that broke temperature records.  The heat dome in the summer causes grapevines to shut down until the weather cools off. …

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…

In BC we love to celebrate the success of our wineries both locally and abroad.  Monte Creek Winery in Kamloops is one winery in our newer wine regions, the Thompson Valley, that is having success and would like to share that wine experience with you.  Here is the announcement of their latest wine awards, and how you can purchase their…

Do you know what a Geographical Indication (GI) means in the BC wine industry? According to a BC Ministry of Agriculture press release, a GI is “…a standard element of appellation systems used around the world that help people identify wines in the marketplace, provide assurance as to the origin and quality of the wine, and promote agri-tourism. British Columbia…

Taking a last-minute trip to Kamloops before summer holidays was a great idea.  Over two days you can very pleasantly visit the four wineries that are in the area, plus do some sightseeing and enjoy a few meals at the variety of restaurants in the city.  My first stop was to Monte Creek Ranch Winery which is located about a…

The Monte Creek Ranch Winery may not be familiar to you as it is not in one of the more well-known grape growing regions of BC, like the Okanagan.  It is in the Thompson Valley, just east of Kamloops.  It is a ranch with cattle, but it primarily grows grapes and produces wines.  The Thompson Valley does have to deal…