Enjoy Wine, Food, and Travel with Karl MyWinePal
I’ve been tasting and writing about Chardonnay recently, so I thought I would change things up and write about some other wines. I received several wines from Vancouver Island’s Blue Grouse Estate Winery and decided to start with their Rosé 2024 and their Pinot Gris 2024. These are from estate grown grapes and select partner vineyards. Vancouver Island is really…
With Canadians not wanting to travel to the USA at the moment, we have more opportunities to explore our beautiful country. I do enjoy eating tasty food and visiting wineries where I can sample their wines and maybe speak with the wine maker. Victoria is a wonderful place to visit. It has a culinary scene and it is close to…
The 2025 BC harvest was one of hope and a bounty of grapes. I travelled to Osoyoos at the beginning of October and all the winery principles I spoke to mentioned how their grape vines were supplying an overabundance of grapes this year, to make up for the devastation last year. Now that it is late November and the wines…
This week we had a trade event featuring the latest BC white wines, many from 2024, as well as some red wines. In 2024 we had a terrible winter freeze that killed most of the grape vines in the interior of BC, so BC wineries were given permission from the BC government to source grapes from outside BC. Many winemakers…
Part three of the Viticultural Bridges panel discussion, was to taste through primarily Riesling and Pinot Noir wines from BC and Alsace, along with a few Pinot Gris wines. Riesling and Pinot Noir are well-known to present their terroir through a wine’s aromas and flavours. Some Background About Both Regions Alsace The region covers 15,500 hectares of vines along 120…
Today I had the pleasure to attend “Viticultural Bridges“, a panel discussion (seminar) on the challenges and adaptations in winemaking due to climate change. Representatives from Alsace, France, and British Columbia, shared their experiences and strategies. Their discussions covered vineyard management, rootstock selection, harvest timing, and wine styles for Riesling and Pinot Noir, highlighting how terroir and climate influence the…
British Columbia has become one of the most exciting wine regions in the world, but for many people, especially those outside the province, its story is still waiting to be told. If you have ever wondered why BC wines are gaining international acclaim, which grape varieties thrive here, or how the unique landscapes shape what’s in your glass, Getting to…
Now that you have some background about the BC winery situation for 2025 from part one of Brent Gushowaty’s article, here is the second part of the article I have for you by Brent when you are at a BC winery’s tasting room. Your Tasting Room Manners – Before You Arrive Group Think For most wineries, large groups arriving unannounced…
Have you started touring BC wine country this summer? I have a two part article about touring BC wine country in 2025, written by Brent Gushowaty. In part one, he covers: The impact of the 2023/24 freeze Introduction of 2024 “replacement wines” Evolving winery business models and tasting innovations Part Two will focus on the practical aspects for the casual…
Pinot Noir Abides in Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley by Brent Gushowaty Sitting in the Southeast corner of Vancouver Island, the Cowichan Valley lies not far from the Salish Sea and is centered at one degree of latitude South of the Canada/U.S. border. The climate is classified as maritime Mediterranean. It sits in the rain shadow of the Vancouver Island Range, one…
Video Guide Uncorks the Story of British Columbia Wines. Buy Now.
