Top Drops

Broker’s, Brollies and Bowlers: The London Dry Taking the Gin World by Storm

November 29, 2013

The Broker’s Brothers Andy Dawson is sitting at the bar in Gerrard at Sutton Place. Between measured sips of her Moét, the woman at the other end is staring at him intently. More precisely (no offence to the eminently handsome Mr. Dawson), she’s actually staring at his hat—which she obviously feels is quite unusual / […]

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From Touriga to Tannat, Moon Curser Delivers the Goods

August 18, 2013

Some years ago, I visited an upstart little winery in Australia by the name of Yellow Tail, along with an enthusiastic group of Aussie and Kiwi wholesalers. We shared a casual lunch at makeshift tables in the warehouse (they’d expanded so fast there was no reception room), along with several local growers, who had been […]

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50th Parallel Estate Winery welcomes winemaker Grant Stanley (Video)

June 2, 2013

Grant Stanley (l) has joined 50th Parallel Estate Winery owners Sheri-Lee Turner-Krouzel and Curtis Krouzel in what promises to be a significant venture for the North Okanagan

50th Parallel Estate Winery owners welcome Grant Stanley Grant Stanley has taken Quails Gate to new levels in his decade long sojourn. He’s turned it into one of the Okanagan’s most consistent producers; and honed a solid reputation for well made wines that frequently over-deliver. The last time I’d seen Grant he’d hinted something big […]

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The Ultimate Customized Wine Tour: Striking Gold in Burgundy

May 24, 2013

Bourgogne Gold Tour owner Youri Lebault Thinking of going on a wine tour? You’re not alone. Wine tourism is growing by leaps and bounds. I don’t have the numbers at my fingertips but, from Argentina to Azerbaijan, the ever expanding world of wine culture is driving a big audience. Even here in BC—still an infant […]

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In Burgundy’s Pouilly-Fuissé, it’s All About the Rocks

May 5, 2013

La Roche de Vergisson, in southern Burgundy, presides over vineyards with names such as Les Crays (Chalks), Tim Pawsey photo

Pouilly-Fuissé, Burgundy. One day into a whirlwind tour of Burgundy, my very obliging guide, Youri Lebault (Bourgogne Gold Tour), is anxious to make sure I understand the importance of “The Rocks”. (More about Youri’s superb service shortly…) Named Solutré and Vergisson, these twins (though by no means identical) are just two km. apart. They tower […]

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Hock Rocks! Riesling and Other Perfect German Wine Pairings at BCLS

April 7, 2013

UK Wine Merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd 1896 price list TimPawsey photo

Germany’s in the spotlight at BC Liquor Stores this month, which found us digging in our archives for this weekend’s North Shore News column… With spring our thoughts turn once again more to white wines and lighter fare, which means, if you’ll pardon the phrase, Hock rocks. As an English-born Canadian, I’ve always found the […]

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Rosé Smackdown: Two of the Okanagan’s More Serious Wine Guys Go Toe to Toe

March 13, 2013

Rosé has a long and sometimes less than illustrious history in BC, which is one reason why, no doubt, messrs. Bartier and Scholefield (aka BS Wines) have elected to put on the proverbial boxing gloves and duke out their stylistic differences. In the Pink Corner we have “Donkin’ Dave” Scholefield, best known for introducing an […]

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Long Table: Craft Distilling (Finally) Comes to Vancouver

February 23, 2013

First sips of Vancouver's Long Table gin and vodka, Tim Pawsey photo

Today marks a truly auspicious occasion in the sometimes murky history of Vancouver’s liquor trade. Long Table Distillery officially opens its doors—marking the launch of the city’s first distillery in several decades. The path to pulling the wraps off the converted warehouse hasn’t been easy. “And nobody said it would be,” says owner and distiller […]

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SYL at TWB – OK? Provence Marinaside Unwraps a Smart New Wine Bar

January 17, 2013

Alessandra and Jean Francis Quaglia: smartly tapped into changing tastes with their sleek new TWB, Tim Pawsey photo

We’ve always felt Provence Marinaside is one of Vancouver’s more under-appreciated rooms—but that might just be about to change with the arrival of TWB, which stands for (drum roll) The Wine Bar—at Provence. (We’re a tad over initial names but TWB is AOK for now.) Owners Jean-Francis and Alessandra Quaglia have turned what used to […]

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A (not too hard to take) Evening of The Balvenie Single Malts at Yew

November 21, 2012

I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m no single malt expert. But I do have an appreciation for them, thanks to a relatively early introduction to Scotch whisky as a young (almost legal) adult. Before leaving London I worked for my late uncle at his St. James fine art gallery and appraisal business. […]

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