Sam The Wine Teacher 
Wine lovers are always looking for something new, and one white wine that’s gaining attention is Austria’s signature grape, Grüner Veltliner. While Austria is still its undisputed home, the grape is also grown in countries including Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Romania, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Canada. Here in BC, a small … Read more
In addition to the weekly wine review and the various other, usually wine-related, articles I write for My Van City, I am going to include a new one that will appear from time to time. I’m calling it, ‘From the Cellar’. It will be similar to the wine reviews, except that it will feature wines … Read more
For years I’d been reading about the growing popularity of Greek wines in New York. The unfamiliar grape names and descriptions of their distinctive flavours intrigued me, so when Franco’s Liquor Store advertised a Saturday tasting of Greek wines, I booked us in immediately. When we arrived, Luigi was outside grilling fragrant lamb kebabs to … Read more
In addition to the weekly wine review and the various other, usually wine-related, articles I write for My Van City, I am going to include a new one that will appear from time to time. I’m calling it, ‘From the Cellar’. It will be similar to the wine reviews, except that it will feature wines … Read more
This view is one of the most iconic in the Okanagan Valley. Vineyards cascade down the hillside toward Vaseux Lake, while McIntyre Bluff towers in the distance. It is a landscape that has become synonymous with Okanagan Falls and with one of British Columbia’s most respected wineries: Blue Mountain Vineyards and Cellars. The scene is … Read more
In addition to the weekly wine review and the various other, usually wine-related, articles I write for My Van City, I am going to include a new one that will appear from time to time. I’m calling it ‘From the Cellar’. It will be similar to the wine reviews, except that it will feature wines … Read more
Nestled at the foot of the Alps in northwestern Italy, Piedmont—Piemonte in Italian, meaning “at the foot of the mountains”—is one of the country’s most complex and storied wine regions. Bordered by the Alps to the north and west and the Apennines to the south, its dramatic landscape creates a mosaic of mesoclimates that have … Read more
Nestled in Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley, Blue Grouse Estate Winery is one of BC’s oldest wineries and among the pioneers of modern Island winemaking. Viticulturist John Harper planted an experimental vineyard on the property in 1977, trialling more than 150 grape varieties, some of which are still in production today. The Kiltz family purchased the … Read more
No matter where you live in British Columbia or where your travels take you, there are excellent wineries to discover across the province’s nine wine regions. According to Wine Growers BC, there are more than 300 wineries spread throughout the province, including: Vancouver Island (22 wineries) Gulf Islands (11 wineries) Fraser Valley (28 wineries) Lillooet … Read more
2024 Chenin Blanc River Stone Oliver, BC $25.90 Another in the Good Neighbours Series made with grapes from the Columbia River region of Washington State. Pale straw with medium-minus intensity. An inviting nose showing aromas of apple, floral notes, grass, some tropical fruit, almond, honey, citrus, and Asian pear. Very good balance with good mouthfeel. … Read more