Tag: VQA

I received recommendations from a friend to visit Rosewood Winery & Meadery while I was visiting the Niagara region.  I was curious to attend, in part because I had not tried mead.  This winery, started in 2000, is owned by the Roman family and originated from Ukraine.  They are also the only winery in Ontario with a license to produce…

Update 2025:  With the BCGEU strike on, purchasing BC wines is a little harder to do.  There are still private stores around, mainly in the Vancouver area or Victoria, but some scattered throughout the province where you can find BC wines.  BC wines are also a bit more scarce due to the 2023 and 2024 harvests, in which interior wineries…

A glass of sparkling rosé wine and strawberries seems like a wonderful romantic pairing, doesn’t it?  I  received a bottle of BC Haywire Winery Pink Bub 2021 and recently purchased farm field-ripened strawberries and thought I would try this pairing.  I can say they are definitely delicious together.  Let me tell you about the wine and the pairing. My Wine…

I enjoy attending the Top Drop Canada wine tasting each year.  It is probably my second favourite event after the Vancouver International Wine Festival.  If you have not heard of Top Drop before, the organizers describe it as “Top Drop’s focus and mandate is providing a platform for terroir-influenced, handcrafted wines, and the people behind them. We believe in the…

While it is transitioning to spring in Vancouver, we can still enjoy big red wines with hearty meals as well as start the bbq and have red wines with our grilled meats as well. I have two red wines from Hester Creek Estate Winery that will fit the bill. I opened the Hester Creek Syrah 2020 and the Hester Creek…

It’s time for our BC wines to be recognized by our peers.  The results from the 2023 British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards have been announced. Here is the press release.  Pick up the bottles that won as soon as possible as they will sell out soon! ~~~ (KELOWNA, BC) – April 18, 2023: On April 3 through 5, 2023,…

Here are two more Charisma wines from Gold Hill Winery.  The Charisma line of wines are meant to be charming approachable everyday drinking wines.  So something on the patio or at a casual lunch or dinner.  I tasted their Charisma Cabernet Merlot 2021 and their Charisma Malbec 2020. Gold Hill Winery is located in Oliver, BC.  Last year, 2021, as…

Sandhill Wines announces that they hired a new winemaker.  Please welcome Stephanie Van Dyk.  She is not new to BC, having been making wines at Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Kalala Organic Estate Winery, and more in the Okanagan.  I am looking forward to trying her wines from the upcoming 2022 vintage, next year.  Here is the press release from Sandhill Wines….

Here are two BC wines for your summer enjoyment. Carpe diem as we are already into August! The two wines are from Blue Grouse Estate Winery in Duncan, BC on Vancouver Island. I tasted their Blue Grouse Estate Winery Ortega 2021 and their Blue Grouse Estate Winery Quill Rosé 2021. The Rosé is made from 100% Gamay Noir grapes. Both…

Today we are going on a journey tasting Rhone grape varieties; Syrah for red grapes, and Roussanne and Marsanne for white grape varieties. You may have heard of Syrah. BC Syrah is quite well-known for its quality, but Roussanne and Marsanne may be new to you. These two white grapes are grown in the northern Rhone region and are typically…