XFOUR Vodka Company Captures Two Awards at Prestigious SIP International Spirits Competition

The results are in from the annual SIP Awards and XFOUR Vodka Company is pleased to announce they’ve received accolades for both their XFOUR Percy’s Old Fashioned Lemonade cooler and their XFOUR Chocolate Cocktail. The XFOUR Chocolate Cocktail, a premium chocolate infused vodka perfect for cocktails or just over ice, received Gold, and Percy’s Old … Read more

2nd annual Camp Challenge in Squamish brings 180 campers to raise $212,622 for Easter Seals BC

More than 150 campers from across the Lower Mainland took over Camp Squamish on Saturday for the second annual Camp Challenge, British Columbia’s only charity sports day for adults. Created in 2015, Camp Challenge is the reinvention of the Easter Seals longstanding 24 Hour Relay event. Like the 24 Hour Relay, Camp Challenge focuses on … Read more

LaStella Winery and Tap Restaurant Jointly Celebrate 10th Anniversary with Winery Dinner

  The Okanagan’s LaStella Winery and South Surrey’s Tap Restaurant both mark their 10th anniversaries this year.  In celebration of the milestone, they’ll team up for a memorable four-course dinner paired with La Stella wines on Thursday, June 30th.   Tap is a natural choice for the dinner, as its owner and Executive Chef, Alistair … Read more

#TasteofThursday Strawberry Shortcake recipe – Chef Rob Feenie

  STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE WITH A TARRAGON CREAM   Ingredients: ½ cup tarragon leaves 1 ½ cups heavy cream 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar ½ cup light corn syrup 2 Pints strawberries, hulled and sliced in half 3 tbsp sugar zest of half a lemon zest of half lime 1 tsp lime juice 1 tsp lemon juice … Read more

Canada Day: Mamie Taylor’s Hosts RibFest 2016

  Annual battle of the BBQs pits Vancouver’s top grillers against each other  Calling all BBQ fans! The eighth annual RibFest comes to Mamie Taylor’s in Chinatown on Canada Day: Friday, July 1.   The annual BBQ competition that began as humble East Van backyard holiday cook-off in 2009, now brings together BBQ masters from restaurants … Read more

The Future Looks Bright:  New Solar & Renewable Energy Investments at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery

  Burrowing Owl Estate Winery is already known for its commitment to creating premium Okanagan wines in an environmentally sustainable manner.  Its new investment in solar panels and renewable energy infrastructure, however, is sure to cement its reputation as a leader in the field. Burrowing Owl proprietor Jim Wyse has always approached the winery with … Read more

SAVVY SERIES CLASS HOSTED BY LA STELLA COMES TO MARQUIS WINE CELLARS

  ON JUNE 22, LA STELLA BRINGS THEIR WINES TO US FOR A LIBRARY VERTICAL TASTING OF SIX WINES. Normally reserved only at the winery, limited seats only for this class for those to try exquisite samples of BC fine wine. Fans of La Stella will know well the Fortissimo and flagship Maestoso wines. Tasting … Read more

The Great New Zealand Wine Tiki Tour

What is a ‘Tiki Tour’? It is the New Zealand version of a Magical Mystery Tour, a leisurely Sunday drive in the country with no particular destination; one of those journeys where you take the scenic route and stop and linger whenever the mood strikes. There are sure to be some unexpected delightful surprises along the way. And in New Zealand, there are so many fascinating wine regions to explore with names such as Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury and Central Otago among others.

This is a diverse land with great differences in climate and geography. It is a land of fjords and glaciers. New Zealand is 1600 km from north to south and yet nowhere is more than 130 km from the ocean. It lies in that geographical ‘sweet spot’ as far as grapes are concerned – 36° to 46° south latitude. Being a ‘cool climate’ region ensures that the wines have good structure and are never flabby or over-ripe.

New Zealand’s wine-making roots go back more than 200 years, but it wasn’t until the 1980’s when New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc began to attract critical acclaim that the world caught on to these wines from down under.

New Zealand winemakers have continued a fine balancing act of ensuring quality over quantity and yet providing wine drinkers with excellent value. Growers and winemakers are passionate about their land and 94% of the vineyards are sustainably operated.

A wine Tiki Tour was a great format for revisiting some favourite old friends and discovering some new ones. Several of the following names are familiar to those of us who love Kiwi wines.

Participating Wineries

Ara Wines
Babich Wines

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Clark Estate
Invivo Wines
Marisco Vineyards
Marlborough Wine
Matua Wines
Mud House Wines
Oyster Bay Wines

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Pernod Ricard Winemakers
Sacred Hill Vineyards
Saint Clair Family Estate

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Sileni Estates
Spy Valley Wines

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Staete Landt Wine Company

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Stoneleigh Vineyards

te Pa Family Vineyards

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Toi Toi Wines
Villa Maria Estate
Whitehaven Wine Company
Wither Hills

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At this year’s event, there was a long table devoted solely to Sauvignon Blanc. This is where I started and it was very educational to taste one after another and compare the differences. One expects New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to be very aromatic and flavourful. It tends to burst with gooseberry, passion fruit, tropical fruit, fresh cut grass and citrus.

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Global exports of New Zealand wines continue to grow and we are lucky to have many fine examples available here in BC. Here is what I tasted. All vintages are 2015 and from Marlborough unless noted otherwise.

Ara Pathway – fruit forward, classic NZ Sauvignon Blanc

Ara Single Estate – drier than most, very elegant

Babich – dry, mineral

Babich Black Label – dry and elegant

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Clark Estate – very dry, subdued fruit, more pronounced grassiness

Invivo – elegant, dry, with a medium finish

Marisco – “The Ned” – a good blend of styles

Marisco “The Kings Favour” – elegant, dry, medium-plus finish

Sileni Cellar Selection – dry, grassy, mineral, medium plus finish

Spy Valley, Wairau Valley – very good, blend of styles, good complexity

Spy Valley ENVOY Johnson Vineyard, Waihopai Valley, 2014 – the best of the day, packed with fruit, layered and complex.

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Staete Landt ‘Annabel’, Rapaura Valley, 2014 – very crisp with bright acidity, grassy

Stoneleigh – good body, touch of grassiness, long finish, good value

Stoneleigh Latitude – more elegant nose, clearly a second tier.

Toi Toi, 2014 – good balance, medium body, medium plus finish

Whitehaven – all around good NZ Sauvignon Blanc, good value

Whitehaven Greg, Awatere Valley – grass and mineral, second tier, grassy on the finish

Yes, New Zealand changed the way the world thinks of Sauvignon Blanc, but if that is all you think they make, then you are missing out on a great deal. They also make sparkling wines, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Rosé, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, Syrah and Merlot.

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sam the wine teacher

 

Provence Marinaside Strikes a Chord with Wine Wednesdays

  Wine Wednesdays have become ‘a thing’ – a wonderful way to get over the mid-week hump and slide into the weekend. Yaletown’s Provence Marinaside has always been a favourite gathering spot on Wine Wednesdays with its gorgeous patio overlooking the False Creek Marina, its impressive wine list (145 wines-by-the-glass, 48 on tap) plus Tappy … Read more

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