It’s a very Canadian trait that we rarely confer praise on our own until validity is confirmed from the outside. But the fact that British wine expert Steven Spurrier is taking time to visit the Okanagan and Vancouver does mark another major milestone in the still young history of the industry. I’m reminded of the first time […]
For a couple of years now I’ve been watching the progress of Maverick Estate Winery. The wines made by South African born Bertus Albertyn impressed me right out of the gate—even before I knew that Bertus was (briefly) the winemaker at Don Triggs’ Culmina project, before moving on to Burrowing Owl. Since I last visited […]
Who knew that rain in BC would ever be so welcome? Last week’s Similkameen BBQ King took place against a backdrop of six weeks of scorching temperatures and a weekend of lightning strikes. The rain held off for a while. But, eventually, a downpour had everyone running for shelter. And I heard not one single […]
The ingenuity of winemakers never ceases to amaze me. Case in point: the recently released and impressive, concrete aged Orofino Wild Ferment Syrah 2014 (Similkameen Valley). Orofino owners John and Virginia Weber are known for their forward thinking ways: when they moved to the Similkameen they built the first straw bale winery in the country, […]
Sometimes with wine competitions it’s well worth checking the list of wines that didn’t quite win but came pretty close. Not to take away the glory from the 14 stellar winners of the 2015 BC lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in BC Wine, however, this is the first year that the list of finalists has […]
June 3, 2015. I recently tasted Sea Star’s newest releases from the 2014 vintage and am happy to report that they’re every bit as good, if not better, than the 2013s mentioned below. I’m particularly excited by Sea Star’s approach in focusing on Siegerrebe and Ortega, and how that’s reflected in their overall activity. It bodes so […]
1. It’s on Vancouver Island Even though the setting is beautiful and quite easily reached from Vancouver, I’ll confess: Over the years, I’ve had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Vancouver Island’s wine scene. I’ve always had huge admiration for any winery that struggles valiantly in the face of diversity—and the islands have had […]
One of the highlights of my year are the WHERE to Dine Awards. They were handed out this week at a superb party at Boulevard Vancouver, hosted by WHERE, and emceed by the inimitable Fred Lee. As Food & Wine editor, I get to hand out a few too. Each year as we make these […]
One thing about Bernie Hadley Beauregard: you never know what the guy’s going to come up with next! Hadley Beauregard, of Blasted Church, Therapy Vineyards (Freudian Sip), Dirty Laundry (and a host of other labels/brands) fame, looks set to repeat the kind of off-the-chart success registered by Moon Curser with his latest, even cheekier endeavour. […]
Today’s announcement about the final approval of the Golden Mile Bench Geographical Indication (GI) adds up to a red letter day for the BC wine industry. In essence, you could call it a watershed moment, as it sends a firm signal that BC is serious about origin and transparency. No question, it is a big deal […]
