Enjoy Wine, Food, and Travel with Karl MyWinePal
We had another successful year at the Vancouver International Wine Festival for 2025. There was some controversy with western USA states being the theme region this year, but I appreciated that these western states, California, Oregon, and Washington, supplied BC Okanagan wineries that asked with grapes so that they could produce wines for the 2024 harvest. It is good to…
The Vancouver International Wine Festival (VanWineFest) has been a staple in the city’s wine scene since its inception in 1979. Originally a one-day event at the Hotel Vancouver featuring just a single winery – Robert Mondavi – the festival has since grown into one of North America’s largest and most prestigious wine festivals. Every year, it attracts wineries from around…
From my recent tastings of white and sparkling wines from west coast USA during VanWineFest 2025, a few key trends emerge. Chardonnay remains a dominant varietal, showcasing a range of styles from richer, rounder textures with lower acidity in Paso Robles to fresher, more mineral-driven expressions from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. There is a clear emphasis on texture and mouthfeel, with…
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, one of Washington State’s most influential wineries, has played a leading role in showcasing the region’s world-class wines. With deep roots dating back to the 1930s, the winery has helped put Washington on the global wine map, crafting elegant and expressive wines that highlight the state’s diverse terroir. Their Cabernet Sauvignon is bold and structured, with…
At every Vancouver International Wine Festival, when I attend the International Festival Tasting Room, I have a plan for which wines to taste. Luckily, as an accredited media person, I can attend the International Festival Tasting Room several times. But each time, is different. For this one session, I visited the theme region, west coast USA, and tasted only red…
Hope Family Wines, based in Paso Robles, California, is a renowned family-owned winery known for producing bold, expressive wines that capture the essence of the region’s warm climate and rich soils. Hope Family Wines consists of six individual brands: Liberty School, Treana, Quest, Austin Hope, Troublemaker, and Austin. Led by winemaker and owner Austin Hope, the winery has built a…
Grupo Marqués del Atrio, a respected name in Spanish winemaking, combines tradition and innovation to craft high-quality wines from some of Spain’s most renowned regions. With deep roots in Rioja, the winery produces elegant, terroir-driven Tempranillo-based wines that showcase rich fruit, balanced oak, and refined structure. Expanding beyond Rioja, Marqués del Atrio also works with vineyards in Navarra, Utiel-Requena, and…
Justin Vineyards & Winery, a benchmark producer in Paso Robles, California is renowned for crafting bold, Bordeaux-style wines that showcase the region’s rich soils and warm climate. Led by winemaker Scott Shirley, Justin focuses on producing structured, expressive wines with depth and elegance. Their flagship Isosceles blend—crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc—delivers layers of dark fruit, spice, and…
Today we were able to taste California wines crafted on the edge – coastal cliffs, mountain tops, and rugged valleys – where adversity breeds greatness. This seminar at the VanWineFest 2025 showed us bold wines born from unforgiving terrains and regenerative farming. Our Moderator was Elaine Chukan Brown. Winery Principals to tell us about their wines: Kori Butler, Andrew Gouveia,…
LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards, located in the heart of Lodi, California, is a family-owned winery dedicated to crafting sustainably grown, estate-driven wines that capture the essence of the region. With a deep commitment to land stewardship, the Lange family has been farming in Lodi for five generations, producing exceptional wines that reflect their rich heritage. Zinfandel, Lodi’s flagship grape,…
