“In this series we bring you our #FavouriteThings Holiday Gift Suggestions which we personally recommend”
Love the Sipster’s pocket guide by Luke Whittall, a companion to his previously published “The Okanagan Wine Tour Guide” co-authored with John Schreiner. There are some hidden gems in this guide and a few wineries new to me.
So why let Luke have all the fun? You should be buying one for yourself and one for every wine lover on your list. Then, off you go wine touring with everything you need to know to do it right and have a good time.
Some very outstanding wineries in the Sipster’s Pocket Guide and it makes a terrific stocking stuffer too! A perfect pocket guide that collects 50 of the most seek-worthy wines in BC from the wine expert who’s tried them all.
In this handy portable guide to the top 50 British Columbia wines under $50 a bottle, wine expert Luke Whittall abandons the usual language of tasting notes in favour of a more personalized, approachable style, focusing on experiences, good company, and where a wine might take your thoughts.
As a wine industry professional, Whittall found himself inspired more by the way non-professionals talk about wine than the “hints of fresh cherries, dried herbs, and soupçons of eucalyptus” style often favoured in traditional wine writing. Sipster’s Pocket Guide describes the experiences bound up in the tasting of 50 of the most amazing wines this province has produced, including reds, whites, rosés, sparkling, and dessert wines.
With its emphasis on affordability and personal experience, rather than vintner and vintage specifics, Whittall’s guide reads less like the average wine fare and more like tips from a funny, candid friend. Before you head to the liquor store to deliberate over your next sip, take a glance through Sipster’s.
Available online at Touchwood, Indigo/Chapters and Amazon.ca (including Kindle edition) wouldn’t that be handy?
About the Author
Luke Whittall has worked in cellars, vineyards, and wine shops since 2005 and is currently a wine instructor at Okanagan College. His first book, Valleys of Wine: A Taste of British Columbia’s Wine History was published in 2019 and he co-authored The Okanagan Wine Tour Guide with John Schreiner in 2020.
The Okanagan Wine Tour Guide is still available online from Chapters and would make a great duo gift.
Information courtesy of Touchwood. Image: MyVanCity. I received a complimentary copy of Sipster’s to facilitate this feature.
