What is meant by a “Cru” in wine? The term “Cru” is most often used for the French classification system, but the “Cru” concept can apply to any vineyard region recognized for their superior wine quality. My last seminar during…
Did you know that at the Festival Tasting room for the Vancouver International Wine Festival this year there will be 700 wines for you to try? France is the theme country and there will be 42 French wineries pouring their…
What is Vin Santo? According to Wikipedia “Vin Santo is a style of Italian dessert wine. Traditional in Tuscany, these wines are often made from white grape varieties such as Trebbiano and Malvasia, though Sangiovese may be used to produce a…
I have talked about the origins of the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione wines in a previous article, but there is always more to learn. I was invited to attend a recent Masterclass on Chianti Classico Gran Selezione wines and I…
What Do You Know About Chianti Classico? “Chianti Classico” and should not be confused with “Chianti”, which is a separate denomination that surrounds Chianti Classico. In 1716, the Tuscan Grand Duke Cosimo III, established for the first time in history…
Top Drop is the last major wine tasting in Vancouver before the start of summer. Top Drop is meant to represent the best in terroir and winemaker craft. Nature and Nurture. Wineries from around the world are selected for the…
Did you know that Barone Ricasoli is the oldest winery in Italy and the second oldest winery in the world? Did you also know that Baron Bettino Ricasoli invented the Chianti blend in 1872? So much history at one winery, and…
As I mentioned in my previous article on my top rated white, sparkling, and fortified wines for 2017, there were so many excellent wines that I tasted this year. As I review the red wines that I’ve listed below, there…
Italy has been making a big push into Vancouver, and Canada, over the past few years. Over the past 2 weeks, there have been 3 different Italian wine delegations come to Vancouver to show us their wines. In some cases…
Sometimes the best wines around are the ones that are not generally listed in BC Liquor stores. They are known as Spec or Special Order wines. You can find these wines through some private wine shops, or you could order…