Sam The Wine Teacher 
A Brief History Chile’s wine making roots stretch back to the 1500s, when Spanish settlers first planted vines in South America. Modern Chilean wine, however, really begins in the mid-19th century, when growers imported Bordeaux varieties and wine making expertise from France. One important consequence of this exchange was the preservation of Carménère, a … Read more
2022 Chardonnay (McLean Creek) Meyer Family Vineyards Okanagan Falls, BC $32.26 Lemon yellow with medium-minus intensity. A pronounced chardonnay nose. There is no mistaking what this wine is. Intertwined aromas of citrus, toasty oak, honey, melon, spice, and a touch of almond. Well balanced. Big on the palate with aromas carrying over seamlessly on to … Read more
Fort Berens has just released three new wines alongside three offerings in their Reserve series. While many people are familiar with Fort Berens wines, I’m often surprised by how few have actually visited the winery. Lillooet is steeped in history. As one of the earliest towns in the province, it played an important role as … Read more
2024 Albarino Raimat Saira Costers del Segre, Spain $21.99 This organic wine is lemon yellow with medium intensity. The nose displays aromas of lemon zest, pear, melon, white flowers, chamomile, and slate. Good balance. The flavours follow the nose. A medium-plus finish. Lovely at 12.5% ABV and a great food wine to serve with … 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
The email read: The World of Syrah with Luigi. How could I resist? Syrah wines tend to be rich and powerful, sometimes even described as being meaty. While it has its roots in the Rhône Valley of France, where many believe the French version to be the ideal, Syrah has found a new home … 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 much like 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
2023 Clarendelle Domaine Clarence Dillon Graves, France $36.99 A blend of 49% Sauvignon Blanc, 37% Semillon, and 14% Muscadet. Lemon yellow with medium-minus intensity. On the nose, lemon cream, banana, green apple, melon, peach, honey, toast, biscuit, and flint. Good balance. The palate follows the nose, with notes of pineapple, lime, pear, and grapefruit, and … Read more
