Sam The Wine Teacher 
Fort Berens Estate Winery, located on a stunning site overlooking the Fraser River in Lillooet, has just released three Cabernet Franc wines, and I had the opportunity to sample two of them. While the winery offers almost two dozen different wines, it is fair to say that Cabernet Franc is their flagship red wine. … 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
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
To celebrate our birthdays, my wife and I were treated by my sister to a night out at Waterfront Wines Restaurant in Kelowna. Though it was our first visit, it certainly won’t be our last. From start to finish, the experience was exceptional. We were warmly welcomed by Sharleen, our server for the evening, whose … Read more
Would you pay $125 for a bottle of wine? How about $125 for a small glass of wine? Insanity you say? Perhaps, but when I saw the bottle in question, I decided to go for it. A local private liquor store, Franco’s, advertised a special Penfolds Grange Premium Wine Tasting. The email read: “Indulge in … Read more
2021 Siegerrebe Nagging Doubt Kelowna, BC $19.40 Lemon yellow with medium-light intensity. The nose is elegant and interwoven with aromas of grapefruit, apricot, ginger, lychee, honeysuckle, and tropical fruit with just a touch of rose petals. Good balance. Fresh and crisp on the palate with flavours echoing the nose. A medium-plus finish. A lovely … Read more
When life hands you lemons, source your grapes elsewhere. Faced with the challenging conditions affecting many B.C. vineyards, Clos du Soleil turned to Washington State growers to help craft its 2024 vintage. After thorough inspections and close collaboration, the team identified the ideal fruit for their needs. Not only did they select the grapes themselves, … Read more
Winemakers are nothing if not resilient. Being farmers at heart, they understand that every year brings its own challenges and the brutal winter of 2024 was a stark reminder. Vine damage and even vine death became a harsh reality that many in the Okanagan had to grapple with. But growers are optimists by necessity: always … Read more
2023 Riesling (Old Vines) Nik Weis (St. Urbans-Hof) Mosel, Germany $33.99 Very pale lemon with light intensity. The delicate nose slowly develops to show aromas of lemon, minerality, floral and hints of stone fruit and petrol. Very good balance. Flavourful on the palate with peach, apricot, citrus, and honeysuckle notes. A medium-plus finish. At only … 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